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Iwasaki, Noriko (2013) 'Getting over the hedge: Acquisition of mitigating language in L2 Japanese.' In: Kinginger, Celeste, (ed.), Social and Cultural Aspects of Language Learning in Study Abroad. Philadelphia/Amsterdam: John Benjamins, pp. 239-267. (Language Learning and Language Teaching 37)

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Abstract

This chapter first discusses an expanded construct of language proficiency, to highlight interpersonal/social dimensions of language, in my work on language learning abroad. I then report on an interpersonally significant but often neglected aspect of learners’ language – hedges. It was found that, after study abroad, learners used a wider variety of hedges and did so more frequently. Two participants whose speech segments were highly rated for sociability appeared keen to emulate young L1 Japanese speakers’ overuse of some hedges such as nanka ‘somehow.’ Their hedges allow them to socially package their messages (i.e. provide a buffer zone to monitor and accommodate the interlocutor’s emotions and feelings) (Maynard 1989). One learner also used sentence-final mitaina ‘like,’ also associated with young speakers.

Item Type: Book Chapters
SOAS Departments & Centres: Departments and Subunits > School of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics > Department of Linguistics
Legacy Departments > Centre for Language Pedagogy
Legacy Departments > Faculty of Languages and Cultures > Department of Linguistics
ISBN: 9789027213150
Date Deposited: 27 Aug 2013 15:18
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/16932

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