Negotiation of Affiliation and Disaffiliation in Japanese Conversation

Adopting the framework of Conversation Analysis, this study explores interactional motivations and consequences of two alternative formulations of agreement in Japanese conversation: repetitional agreements, which repeat the core word(s) of the first statement, and anaphorical agreements, which refer to the first statement with an anaphor “soo”. Analyzing tape recorded or videotaped spontaneous conversation between Japanese native speakers, the study demonstrate that parties to interaction deploy the two formulations systematically to accomplish interactional consequences. A 3 repetitional agreement claims that the view was formulated independently of and/or prior to the first statement, and treats the view of the first statement as have already been shared. On the other hand, an anaphorical agreement presents the view as being formed after the articulation of the first statement and acknowledge the view of the first statement to be a new perspective. By conveying differential relationship of the agreement to the first statement, parties negotiate affiliation and disaffiliation between them. A repetitional agreement is a resource for proposing, negotiating, and establishing affiliation betwee