The interactional functions of the news response token A (啊) in Mandarin conversation

Abstract Adopting the methodology of conversation analysis and interactional linguistics, this study explores some interactional uses of the interjectional response token a in natural Mandarin conversation. An investigation of the data reveals that a is primarily used in response to informings or extended tellings and fulfills the following three interactional functions: (1) conveying the speaker’s change in epistemic status; (2) working as a forward-looking newsmark; (3) indicating that some newly received information is contrary to the speaker’s expectation. It is also suggested that both the phonetic features of a and its sequential position are crucial factors that contribute to the interpretation of its meaning and exert influence on the construction of the next turn.