The Most Relevant Turn-Projection Units in Mandarin Conversational Talk
Abstract
The identification and interpretation of TCUs in Mandarin conversation is the result of the speaker's use of the interplay of syntax and prosody in a given semantic, pragmatic, and sequential context. Broadly speaking, one Chinese TCU corresponds to one intonation unit, but its grammatical structure is not limited to a full clause. Prosodically, there are two types of TCU in the construction of turns, 1) the lengthening or the duration in the final syllable, 2) falling pitch or pause in the final syllable. Only the final one, the TCU with falling pitch or pause in the final syllable, is the most relevant turn-projection unit (RTPU). The paper also argues that the existence of TCUs with lengthening or duration in the final syllable in Mandarin interactional talk results in the Chinese run-on sentences.
Keywords
conversation; most relevant turn-projection unit; syntax; prosody; run-on sentences; interactional linguistics