A Conversation Analytic Study on Clicks in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract

From the perspective of Conversation Analysis, this paper analyzes clicks in daily Chinese communication. Data analysis shows that clicks generally appear in negative contexts and play an important role in conveying the speaker’s negative attitudes or feelings. This article first discusses the main ways that the linguistic resource of clicks helps the speaker convey his/her negative attitudes: presupposing the click-producer’s disdain, presupposing the speaker’s dissatisfaction, presupposing the speaker’s impatience, and strengthening the speaker’s negative attitude. On this basis, the author explores the main two functions of clicks in Chinese conversation, that is serving as a signal of topic transition and maintaining harmonious social relations.