Chapter 8. Manipulating referentiality and creating phaticness

Abstract

The focus of this study is the creation of novel ad hoc expressions from the perspective of referentiality. Through the close analysis of three cases from video-recorded conversations in Japanese, we find that speakers create novel NPs by manipulating referentiality and embodiment, and achieve social bonding by humorously and intensely repeating those expressions. Even an onomatopoeic adverbial can be turned into a novel ad hoc NP. After creating and reinforcing those novel NPs with exaggerated delivery, speakers drop the exaggerated delivery, pronouncing the novel NPs as if they are regular NPs.