Approximation to the study of the pragmatic functions and the mitigating value of the particle ‘onda’ in Chilean Spanish

Abstract

In Chilean Spanish, in addition to its use as a noun, onda also fulfills functions of a discourse particle. It has been determined that this element can act as an explanatory reformulator, concretion operator, operator with a continuous or approximative value and introducer of direct speech (San Martín, Rojas & Guerrero, 2016). The aims of this study are, first, to reconsider and deepen this categorization of functions and, second, to determine whether there are uses of onda that can be related to a pragmatic mitigating value, based on the hypothesis that this value could arise from its uses as an approximator and explanatory reformulator. To achieve these aims, we have worked with two corpora of analysis: an oral one (24 sociolinguistic interviews collected in Proyecto Fondecyt 11110211) and a written one (Corpus del español, subcorpus Web/Dialects of Chilean Spanish). The main results indicate that onda, as a discourse particle, can be presented in the discourse fulfilling the functions of explanatory reformulation, approximation, retardation, introduction of direct speech, exemplification, numerical or temporal approximation and focus. The results also indicate that onda acquires a pragmatic mitigating function if in its immediate context of use we can find elements that are related to face protection and decrease of the speaker's commitment. Finally, the data analyzed allow us to conclude that the mitigating value of onda is linked to the reformulating and retardant use of the particle, the latter being directly related to its approximate value, given that it contributes to make the statements fuzzy.