@article{ART003270314},
author={KyungSun Jo},
title={Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect},
journal={Korean Language & Literature},
issn={1229-1730},
year={2025},
number={131},
pages={33-60}
TY - JOUR
AU - KyungSun Jo
TI - Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect
JO - Korean Language & Literature
PY - 2025
VL - null
IS - 131
PB - Korean Language & Literature
SP - 33
EP - 60
SN - 1229-1730
AB - This study investigates the pragmatic functions of interjective expressions such as ‘inja, jeogeo, and mwo’ in the Gwangju dialect of Korean, using corpus data. Unlike standard Korean interjections, which are typically speaker-oriented fillers, these dialectal expressions retain some lexical meaning and serve primarily interactional, hearer-oriented purposes. The analysis identifies two main functions. First, they serve as utterance boundary markers, with ‘inja’ in particular acting as a ‘scene-setting’ device in narrative discourse to guide the listener's attention. Second, they function to build empathy among participants. These expressions activate common ground, transforming a personal narrative into a shared experience. This is empirically confirmed through sequential analysis of listener backchannels, which demonstrates successful empathetic engagement. This research contributes to the field by shifting the focus of interjection studies from speaker-internal processes to their crucial role as interactional devices in regional dialects, used strategically to structure discourse and build intersubjectivity.
KW - Interjection;Interjective expression;Dialect;Corpus;Pragmatics;Inja;Utterance boundary;Empathy
DO -
UR -
ER -
KyungSun Jo. (2025). Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect. Korean Language & Literature, 131, 33-60.
KyungSun Jo. 2025, "Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect", Korean Language & Literature, no.131, pp.33-60.
KyungSun Jo "Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect" Korean Language & Literature 131 pp.33-60 (2025) : 33.
KyungSun Jo. Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect. 2025; 131 : 33-60.
KyungSun Jo. "Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect" Korean Language & Literature no.131(2025) : 33-60.
KyungSun Jo. Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect. Korean Language & Literature, 131, 33-60.
KyungSun Jo. Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect. Korean Language & Literature. 2025; 131 33-60.
KyungSun Jo. Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect. 2025; 131 : 33-60.
KyungSun Jo. "Use Aspect and Pragmatic Functions of Interjective Expressions in the Gwangju Dialect" Korean Language & Literature no.131(2025) : 33-60.
