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Article published In: Pragmatics
Vol. 35:2 (2025) ► pp.155–184

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Beyond the deferential view of the Chinese V pronoun nin 您

 | Dalian University of Foreign LanguagesDalian | HUN-REN Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics
 | University of HamburgHamburg | HUN-REN Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics
ORCiD logo with link | Hefei University of TechnologyHefei | Nanjing UniversityNanjing
Published online: 16 November 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/prag.23008.kad
Abstract
In this paper, we revisit the long-held assumption that the Chinese second-person V pronoun nin 您 is an essentially ‘deferential’ pronoun. We examine uses of nin in settings where disagreement occurs and where conventionally the T pronoun ni would be preferred. Our research follows a bipartite design. First, we used a Discourse Completion Test to discover under what circumstances Chinese speakers use nin if disagreement emerges. The results revealed that uses of nin in disagreements are preferred in informal computer-mediated communication and by members of the younger generation. Second, based on this outcome we examined naturally occurring uses of nin in online data featuring disagreement. Here we relied on an interactional approach, which helped us to identify patterns of uses of nin. The existence of patterns in seemingly ad hoc occurrences of online disagreement shows that expressing deference is not the only pragmatic function of nin.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Review of literature
  • 3.Methodology and data
  • 4.Analysis and results
    • 4.1Step 1
    • 4.2Step 2
      • 4.2.1Distribution of nin (versus ni) in online interactions where disagreement occurs
      • 4.2.2Nin embedded in speech acts and interaction
        • Uses of nin in disagreement: Opine
        • Uses of nin in disagreement: Requests
        • Uses of nin in disagreement: Congratulate
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (55)
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