From indicating similarity to establishing online alignment: interactional functions of ye “also” in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract Ye “also/too/as well” is one of the most frequently used adverbs in Mandarin Chinese. Although the lexical meaning and syntactic properties of ye have been widely discussed, there are few analyses of ye expressions in interactional discourse, let alone analyses examining its interactional functions. Under the framework of interactional linguistics, this paper investigates the interactional functions of ye in second positions within natural spoken conversations. The findings show that ye indicating similarity between two states of affairs seems to be generalized in different interactional contexts with two interactional functions, i.e., rapport building and conflict mitigation. These functions are deployed by speakers to establish online alignment between interlocutors, expressing their affiliative stances and highlighting (inter)subjectivity, though practices of achieving a certain alignment vary in different environments. Hence, a continuum of similarity and the underlying evolution of language use is proposed to account for the diverse range of uses of ye expressions in face-to-face conversation. This paper not only reveals the interconnected relationship between linguistic forms and the construction and maintenance of social rapport but also sheds light on studying grammar entities with an interactional approach.