The linguistic anatomy of individual differences in Japanese monologues: focusing on particles and interjections

Abstract

This is a linguistic study on idiosyncrasy manifested through language use in Japanese monologues. For this purpose, we use speaker classification techniques as analytical tools. Focusing on Japanese particles, the subcategories of these particles, and interjections, we aim to find out to what extent Japanese speakers are idiosyncratic in selecting certain words above others in monologues. We are interested in how differently or similarly the individualising information of speakers is manifested between the subcategories of these particles, and also between particles and interjections. The genres of the monologues in this study vary from conference presentations on various topics covering humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering to mock public speeches on a variety of general topics, such as “most pleasant memory,” “about your community,” etc. We demonstrate in this study that Japanese particles and interjections carry different degrees of individualising information. We also discuss what contributes to the identified differences between them.