Performative use of Japanese mimetics

Abstract

In this paper, the author argues that mimetics are not morphological, syntactic, semantic phenomena by nature. Rather, they are a pragmatic behavior, spoken isolated from other sentential elements. This pragmatic behavior is characteristically performative (cf. Austin 1962). The performative characteristic of mimetics is utilized in the context of human play. This paper provides observations on this fact, and using the results of a questionnaire, it presents the possibility that machines may collaborate with humans by using mimetics in the manner of humans. More specifically, the following four points are examined: (i) The morphological, syntactic, semantic patterns often seen in mimetics, in which they are joined with other words in the sentence, such as an adjective noun, verb stem, or adverb, to illustrate or embellish descriptions more vividly, is not a characteristic of mimetics as they can be seen in other classifications of Japanese words, i.e. Yamato, Chinese, and foreign loan words, as well; (ii) In cases where mimetics are not joined with other words, they are spoken isolated from other sententil elements. This pragmatic behavior is hardly seen in other Yamato, Chinese, or foreign loan words and can be called a characteristic of mimetics. This pattern of verbal behavior in mimetics is performative (Austin 1962) on two points: first, if mimetics are not verbalized, the situation will not be apparent during the verbalization, and second, if mimetics are verbalized, this alone will make the situation apparent during the verbalization; (iii) This performative characteristic of mimetics is something that people utilize. One of the independent utterances of mimetics is used in the context of play, when acting as if some internal action had occurred in the speaker, although in fact no such action exists; (iv) There is the possibility that machines may collaborate with humans by using mimetics in the manner of humans. In other words, having machines use mimetics would evoke the context of play in the users; in that context, the machine would be able to act as if some internal action, as well as some physical action, had occurred, although in fact no such actions exist. This will cause the machine to give a cuter, more human, impression. A questionnaire survey conducted on 125 university students lends support to this idea.