Usage Trends of Discourse Markers in Japanese for Initiating Narratives in Casual Conversations

<p>This study investigated the usage trends of discourse markers (DM) in Japanese for initiating narratives in casual conversations based on the BTSJ Japanese Natural Conversation Corpus with Transcripts and Recordings (2020), and clarified the following trends:</p><p>(1) The number of DMs varies from zero to five and, on average, one DM is used.</p><p>(2) In initiating a narrative, nanka is most often used as a linguistic means to convey uncertain events of the past or while searching for a word. When a speaker initiates a narrative, the expression sō is frequently used to show that he or she came up with an event, and demo and de are used to demonstrate an “adversative” or “additive” conjunctive relation with the preceding context, or to change the topic. In initiating a narrative by responding to a question from an interlocutor, interjections like a, ā, un, ano(ō), and iya are often used to express reactions or thoughts.</p><p>(3) An analysis of the order in which multiple DMs were used revealed the following pattern: i) “reaction to the preceding context” → ii) “recalling of a narrative” → iii) “showing the connection between the preceding context and the narrative” → iv) “expression of an attitude toward the narrative.” Furthermore, DMs representing a “search” appear anywhere from before i) to after iv).</p><p>Speakers use DMs heavily to emphasize their attitude, buy time to think of appropriate words, or repair the content of an utterance. The development of the textual and interpersonal functions of DMs by grammaticalization also leads to their heavy usage.</p>