Abstract
Inherited-memory transfer differs from direct-experience transfer, although the mechanisms, effects, limitations, and transformations in terms of how historical facts are transmitted across first, second, and third generations remain unclear. This study explores the expression of stance and emotion in narratives of inherited war memories, as recounted by second-generation Japanese narrators reflecting on the wartime experiences of family members during World War II. The study draws on the theoretical frameworks of dialogic syntax and stance theory, focusing on the analyses of lexical and syntactic resonance. The following conclusions were drawn: First, the narrative of inherited memory is jointly constructed, and it features layered stances that encompass the first-generation’s depiction and evaluation of past events, alongside the second-generation’s evaluation of both the narrated events as well as the first-generation’s oration. The first generation’s evaluation is presented through intensive repetitions, evidential markers, and demonstratives, whereas the narrator’s evaluation involves meta stance using particles that affect the listener’s cognition. Second, additional narrative organizational elements, such as textual and interactional markers, are included to connect themes and rhemes. These multilayered structures, featuring syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations with multiple subjectivities, facilitate the development of a cohesive narrative. Third, the joint engagement creates an intersubjectively-constructed narrative space as a foundation for aligning with the listener, aiming to foster intersubjectivity with the third generation.
Author Information
Tomoko I. Sakita, Doshisha University, Japan
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