2026/2027

Interaction-regulating particles in Scandinavian languages

Humaniora

Principal investigators

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Marja Etelämäki

Associate Professor
University of Oslo (UiO)
Year at CAS
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Jan Svennevig

Professor
University of Agder (UiA)
Year at CAS

Abstract

This project aims to conduct a systematic investigation into pragmatic particles that are characteristic of conversational language and central to organizing the interaction between parties to a conversation. The focus of inquiry is on dialogue particles and expressives used to mark listenership and respond to informings. Examples include continuers (mm, mhm), repair initiators (hæ? hva? å?) and receipt tokens (å ja, okei, oi, javel). Such particles are essential to regulating who is speaking when, what can be taken to be understood and whether or not a sequence is completed. In spite of their importance for regulating essential aspects of conversation, these particles have hardly received any scholarly attention in Norway. The project aims to amend this by providing a systematic and extensive account of interaction-regulating particles in Norwegian and their role in accomplishing different social actions in specific sequential environments.

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