Development in the use of Chinese mitigation in interaction

Abstract This study investigated changes in the use of mitigation and face negotiation in interaction in two advanced-level Chinese learners over eight weeks in China. Data included video-recordings of semi-structured interviews between the learners and a Chinese native speaker as well as their stimulated recalls with the recorded interviews. Sequential analysis of their use of mitigation showed that, at the beginning of their study abroad (SA), the learners used the dànshì /kěshì (‘but’) clause but did not use the four mitigation forms identified as common sentential mitigation devices in Chinese corpora (reduplication of verbs, verb+yīxià, the sentence final particle ba, and a/ya). Eight weeks later, they started using the sentence final particle ba, but not the other three common sentential mitigation forms. At the discourse level, they used single pre- and post-expansions at the beginning of SA; eight weeks later, they started using multiple pre- and post-expansions. The stimulated recall data revealed that the learners’ use of mitigation in both the pre- and post-interviews was based on their face (i.e., pubic self-image) consideration in interaction.