Motivations for first and second person subject expression and ellipsis in Javanese conversation

Abstract

This article examines first and second person subjects in a corpus of Javanese conversational data where ellipsis is common, and shows that ellipsis is best understood as the default mode for subject representation in conversational interaction in Javanese. Thus the relevant question is not why are subjects ellipted, but rather what motivates their overt expression. Discourse functions associated with overt expression include topic and rhetorical structure, contrast, expression of stance and constructed dialogue. Previous discussion in the literature has associated ellipsis in Javanese with politeness, however results of the present study strongly suggest that politeness is a secondary motiv..