Abstract
This article investigates the grammatical aspects of nominalization and the Japanese da predicate as critical strategies for realizing the effect of what I call `rhetorical ricochet' in Japanese discourse. The study explores the expressive function of the nominal/nominalizer and da in 28 imaginary letters appearing in asahi Shimbun as well as a literary text ( Yukiguni) along with its English translation ( Snow Country). I conclude that the combination of a certain kind of nominal/nominalizer (i.e. the koto `event' type) and the da predicate reinforces the topic-comment relationship, through which the rhetorical ricochet effect is realized. This article draws from theories on rhetoric and discourse functionalism, and the concept of shared perspectives, in particular.
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