[Asia_news] Japan Centre Seminar [Naomi Ogi, 27-10-06, E2.12, 12pm]

[Shunichi Ishihara]

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        Japan Centre Seminar
         - see:
http://asianstudies.anu.edu.au/wiki/index.php/Japan_Centre_Seminars

         Friday, 27th October, 2006, 12pm
         BPB E2.12, Faculty of Asian Studies, College of Asian and the
Pacific, ANU
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Title: Involvement and attitude: the Japanese particles 'sa' and 'yo'

Speaker: Naomi Ogi, Japan Centre, ANU

This seminar is a work-in-progress and is part of my PhD project: 
investigating so-called ‘sentence-final particles’ (or Shuujoshi). In my 
PhD thesis, I discuss seven particles: sa, yo, ne, na, zo, ze and wa, 
which are widely recognised as sentence-final particles by the majority 
of Japanese linguists (Saji, 1957; Uyeno, 1971; Ching, 1987; Ide, 1990; 
Miyazaki, 2002).

This study of the particles raises particularly interesting questions 
regarding the nature of interaction and the interpersonal relationship 
between the speaker and the hearer. More specifically, it deals with how 
conversational parties initiate and maintain interaction by the use of 
the particles, which is essential for the success of face-to-face 
conversation. By adopting the notion of ‘involvement’ (Chafe, 1982, 
1985; Gumperz, 1982; Tannen, 1982, 1985, 1989; Arndt & Janney, 1987; 
Danes, 1994; Selting, 1994; Fried and Ostman, 2005), I will provide a 
systematic approach to the use of these particles.

In this seminar I focus on the particles sa and yo, demonstrating that 
these particles commonly share the function of signalling the speaker’s 
attitude to invite the hearer’s involvement in a ‘monopolistic’ manner 
(as opposed to the ‘incorporative’ manner expressed by the particles ne 
and na). However, each particle follows a different path in inviting the 
hearer’s involvement: sa signals the speaker’s attitude, ‘I am assured 
of what I’m saying and how I feel’; while yo signals that, ‘I want you 
to know what I’m saying and how I feel’.