Discourse Marker Na (那) as an Interpersonal-Level Compensatory Strategy in Clinical Interviews

Abstract

Abstract Discourse markers (DMs) are characterized by multifunctionality in different contexts. This study addressed the use of the Chinese DM, na (那), as a solution to topical divergence, during clinical interactions with right-hemisphere-damaged (RHD) patients. Drawing on data collected from clinical interviews between psychotherapists and RHD patients, this study examined the functions of na in response to RHD topical divergence, focusing on the topic and attitudinal aspects. It was found that na was mainly employed by psychotherapists to mark a reproffer of interview topics (i. e., an attempt to return to earlier topics), and a display of disalignment and disaffiliation with RHD topical divergence. These functions of na reflect the psychotherapists’ attempts to overcome communicative problems arising from RHD topical divergence, so as to ensure the achievement of the communicative goal. Thus, na can be interpreted as a compensatory strategy for dealing with RHD topical divergence on an interpersonal level. These findings not only expand our knowledge about the function spectrum of na, but also offer insights for RHD patients’ interlocutors to enhance conversational communication with RHD patients via the compensatory strategy.