Corpus-driven study of interpreters’ use of Cantonese utterance particles in sentence-initial position in bilingual courtroom discourse

Abstract This corpus-driven study examines how court interpreters utilize Cantonese utterance particles (UPs) in sentence-initial positions within the bilingual discourse of Hong Kong’s courtrooms. By analyzing 57,145 utterances from five sexual assault trials, we find that interpreters systematically employ UPs to manage interactions in court. Notably, the particles 咁 ( gam ) and 嗱 ( na ) account for 84% of sentence-initial occurrences, highlighting their significance in this context. Statistical analysis reveals significant differences in UP usage patterns across different cases ( p < .001, η 2 = .878), suggesting the presence of intentional pragmatic strategies. The findings indicate that interpreters use UPs not only to regulate turn-taking but also to assert authority and adjust pragmatic force during witness examinations. This research enhances our understanding of the role of language in legal settings and emphasizes the importance of UPs in facilitating effective communication in bilingual courtroom environments.