Two Question Formats in Mandarin Chinese Conversation: An Epistemic Approach

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8921.2022.05.007

Abstract

Abstract:

Questions are pervasive in ordinary conversation and institutional talk. Using the methodology of conversation analysis, this study examines the differences between the ma-formatted questions and the a-formatted questions in Mandarin Chinese conversation in terms of form, function, and epistemic stance. The results show that: (1) ma-formatted questions tend to involve a range of self-repair operations such as replacing and addition, while a-formatted questions are usually in the form of partial or full repeats; (2) ma-formatted questions are inquiry-implicated while a-formatted questions contribute to constructing surprise, (dis)agreement, or (dis)belief; (3) a-formatted questions tend to present a stronger epistemic stance than ma-formulated questions.

Key words: questioning, question particles, Conversation Analysis, epistemics, epistemic stance

CLC Number:

H0-0

QUAN Lihong, MA Jinlong. Two Question Formats in Mandarin Chinese Conversation: An Epistemic Approach[J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2022, 22(5): 58-69.

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