In Japanese conversation, questions can appear in two forms: a complete sentence (完全文) in which the predicate is fully expressed, such as 「お名前は何ですか」, and an incomplete form (中途終了型) in which the predicate is omitted, such as 「お名前は?」. The choice between these forms is assumed to vary depending on the content of the question and the conversational context. Based on this perspective, this study analyzes first-encounter Japanese conversation data to clarify the characteristics of incomplete-form questions. Section 4.1 examines what types of questions tend to appear in the incomplete form. The analysis shows that such questions frequently occur when asking about personal attributes, as well as when inquiring about the interlocutor’s intentions. These findings suggest that the incomplete form functions to avoid overly direct questioning and to show consideration when approaching the interlocutor’s private domain. In addition, utterances requesting more specific information related to a preceding question are often produced in the incomplete form, indicating that it serves as an interactional resource for gradually specifying information within a question–answer sequence. Section 4.2 analyzes conversational cases in which speakers first present an utterance in the incomplete form and then complete the question after receiving the interlocutor’s response. This suggests that incomplete-form questions may appear as one stage in the interactive construction of questions in conversation. Section 4.3 examines cases in which highly intrusive questions are expressed in the complete-sentence form. Even in these cases, the sensitivity of the question is conveyed through other means, such as the process of utterance construction and prosodic features, which display consideration toward the interlocutor.
한국일본언어문화학회 [Japanese Language & Culture Association of Korea]
설립연도
2001
분야
인문학>일본어와문학
소개
본 학회는 일본어학 및 일본문학은 물론, 일본의 정치, 경제, 문화, 사회 등의 일본학 전반에 걸친 연구 및 일본의 언어, 문화를 매체로 한 한국과의 비교 연구를 대상으로 하고 있다. 본 학회는 회원들에게 연구 발표 및 정보 교환의 기회를 부여하고 나아가 한국에서의 바람직한 일본 연구 자세를 확립하는 것을 주된 목표로 하고 있다.