| The current study presents a dynamic, contextual approach to the analysis of a syntactically reflected phenomenon of the passive in Japanese. Using ordinary conversation data among families as a data source, this study investigates the pragmatic motivation and discourse functions of using the passive by examining the discourse flow and the interaction between the interlocutors.; The present study shows topic orientation, which has been largely overlooked in previous studies, as the pragmatic motivation for the use of the passive. In Japanese, pragmatic constraints of "speaker/listener centralization" usually function to mark the speaker or listener as the nominative. In addition, a third person referent often appears as a continuous topic for cohesive and coherent conversation. In these cases, in order to maintain a stable perspective, the passive often occurs. The passive is also employed when a new topic is introduced for contrast or generalization.; Based on the traditional semantic opposition of neutrality and adversity, this study suggests two discourse functions of the passive: static and dynamic. While the static function reveals an objective description or characterization of the referent topic, the dynamic function serves to convey a significant event in an expressive manner. The static function often appears in a relative clause or subordinate clause, and is characterized as containing an implicit agent and an explicit patient and displaying the speaker's neutral stance towards the event, which is compared with English passives. In contrast, the dynamic function, frequently accompanying an implicit patient and an explicit agent, reveals the speaker's evaluative or emotive attitudes towards the described event, thereby appealing to the interlocutor. Most of the static and dynamic functions are topically-oriented, but optional manipulation also occurs.; Thus, an examination of the actual language use offers us a clue about how language is discourse--and interaction--oriented. |
