Functional Analysis of the Kunming Dialect Word “gǎi” [ɡæ⁵³]

Abstract

This paper makes the discourse analysis of the pragmatic functions of the important vocabulary in Kunming dialect gǎi [ɡæ⁵³] in communication, and finds that its functions are diverse, which can play different functions by using different intonations and parts of speech in different contexts. Specifically, the "gǎi" in Kunming dialect has the following three functions: ordinary questioning function, emotional projection function, and topic marking function. Through its diversified functions, the word "gǎi" in Kunming dialect helps the speaker to project the meaning of discourse and express it more accurately, helps the listener to infer and understand the communicative meaning and intention of the speaker, and plays an important role in people's communication in Kunming dialect. The findings underscore the central role of "gǎi" in the linguistic landscape of the Kunming dialect and contribute valuable insights to the field of dialectology. Such a type of vocabulary also exists widely in many languages or dialects around the world. The study of this vocabulary in the Kunming dialect can provide information and perspective for the analysis of similar words in other languages or dialects in the world.