Indefiniteness, interrogativity, and speaker stance: Insights from the extended uses of ‘what’-words in Chaozhou

Abstract

This paper examines how ‘what’-words extend from referential to non-referential uses, with special attention to their extensions from indefinite and interrogative pronominal uses to negative attitudinal uses. Using conversational data from Jieyang Chaozhou, a Sinitic language, this study examines the attitudinal uses of ‘what’-words ▪, ▪, ▪, and ▪ along two grammaticalization pathways. Along the indefiniteness pronoun pathway, all four ‘what’-words have developed placeholding functions, with ▪ and ▪ also recruited in the formation of attitudinal constructions (e.g. ▪ ‘so whatchamacallit’, which could express either a positive or negative speaker attitude depending on the inferred meaning of placeholder ▪). Along the interrogative pronoun pathway, in addition to the frequent use of ▪ as a mirativity marker, the ‘what’-words ▪, ▪, and ▪ have also evolved attitudinal marking functions, typically negative in tone and often used to express the speaker's annoyance, dismissiveness and challenge toward someone, something, some event or some state of affairs raised in the prior speech turn. Crucially, this study sheds light on the intimate relationship between indefiniteness, interrogativity and speaker stance, with both indefinite and interrogative uses of ‘what’-words often interacting to form attitudinal constructions with stronger negative overtones.