PEMAKAIAN SHUUJOSHI KANA SEBAGAI STRATEGI KESANTUNAN

Abstract

PEMAKAIAN SHUUJOSHI  KANA SEBAGAI STRATEGI KESANTUNAN

Dewi Sakinah

Universitas Nasional PASIM

sakinahcokies@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study examines the use of the sentence-ending particle "kana" in Japanese as a politeness strategy, based on Brown and Levinson's politeness theory. Politeness in language is a crucial aspect of interpersonal communication, especially in high-context cultures like Japan, which emphasize courtesy and social norms. The analysis was conducted on three examples of utterances from the Japanese drama "Sunaoni Narenakute" by Eriko Kitagawa. Using a pragmatic approach, the study found that the particle "kana" functions to soften speech, obscure direct intentions, and express uncertainty, thereby reducing threats to the negative face of the interlocutor. Thus, "kana" serves as a negative politeness strategy, encompassing pessimism and hedging, as well as a positive politeness strategy through presupposition manipulation. These findings enhance the understanding of the role of sentence-ending particles in maintaining interpersonal harmony in Japanese communication.