Projecting incongruity in turn and action: the TCU-medial particle ha in Chinese conversation

Abstract

This study investigates the interactional function of the particle ha in TCU-medial position in Chinese talk-in-interaction. While ha is generally recognized as a modal particle that solicits affirmation or confirmation in sentence-final position, and functions as a theme indicator, politeness marker, or filler in sentence-medial position, our analysis of naturally occurring conversational data reveals a distinct interactional use. Specifically, speakers deploy ha in mid-TCU to project relations of inconsistency, adversativeness, contrast, or unexpectedness between components within the same TCU. When occurring in responsive turns, ha also serves to foreshadow disalignment and/or disaffiliation with the prior speaker’s action. This projectability contributes to the organization of turn-taking by helping recipients anticipate the forthcoming incongruity and orient toward a possible transition-relevance place. In doing so, ha affords recipients additional processing time to prepare a response that is interactionally fitted to the projected stance or action. This study contributes to our understanding of grammar-in-interaction and projection in turn construction and action. Data are presented in Chinese with English translation.