Fragmentation in Conversational Japanese: A Case Study

This paper is a quantitative analysis of the postposing phenomenon in Japanese
casual conversation focusing on the relationship between information status
and fragmentational patterning of postposed elements in the discourse. The
transcription of a 45-minute conversation was segmented into intonation units
(IUs), which are defined as "a sequence of words combined under a single,
coherent intonation contour" (Chafe, 1987, p. 22). Each of the IUs containing
instances of postposing was then coded for several categories. Analysis revealed
that speakers frequently postposed intransitive subject NPs/pronouns, adverbial
clauses, and given information. It was also found that given information tended
to constitute the final part of an IU, whereas new information was always placed
in an independent IU. As an explanation for the obselVed coherent fragmentational
behavior of postposed new information, a cognitive constraint on new information
quantity per IU is proposed.