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Beyond simple reduplication

The multifunctional nature of the Chinese pragmatic marker ēn’ēn 嗯嗯 in social media communication

 | Tongji University
ORCiD logo with link | Tongji University
ORCiD logo with link | Tongji University
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Abstract
This study examines the multifunctional nature of ēn’ēn 嗯嗯, a reduplicated pragmatic marker frequently used in Chinese social media communication. Based on an analysis of 5,750 instances from private WeChat conversations and interview data from sixteen participants, we identify eight functions that 嗯嗯 performs that differ from its single form 嗯: upgrading, mitigating, inviting elaboration, marking irony, pivoting topics, consolidating responses, maintaining continuity, and signaling closure. These functions operate simultaneously across two interconnected levels — interpersonal meaning management and conversational structure organization. Distributional analysis reveals that 嗯嗯 occurs disproportionately in high-power-gap and high-social-distance contexts, reflecting what participants described as “politeness anxiety” in asynchronous messaging. Our findings demonstrate that reduplication creates — rather than merely intensifies — pragmatic functions, offering new perspectives on conventional backchanneling frameworks. This study contributes to digital pragmatics by showing how morphological resources are repurposed to meet the interactional demands of text-based communication.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Previous research on pragmatic markers
    • 2.2嗯 as the origin of 嗯嗯
  • 3.Research design
  • 4.Pragmatic functions of 嗯嗯
    • 4.1Applicability of 嗯嗯 in different situational contexts
    • 4.2Interpersonal functions of 嗯嗯 in meaning potentials
      • 4.2.1嗯嗯 as an upgrader
      • 4.2.2嗯嗯 as a mitigator
      • 4.2.3嗯嗯 as a continuer that invites elaboration
      • 4.2.4嗯嗯 as an irony-enhancement marker
    • 4.3Formal functions of 嗯嗯 in conversation structures
      • 4.3.1嗯嗯 as a topic-shift pivot
      • 4.3.2嗯嗯 as a 1-N response
      • 4.3.3嗯嗯 as a facilitator of conversational continuity
      • 4.3.4嗯嗯 as a closing signal
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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