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Japanese speakers are often characterized as ‘indecisive’. The indecision is indicated by epistemic markers being frequently added to express doubt. The sentence-final particle kana shows an indecisive attitude and is usually translated into English as I wonder or maybe. There are other similar Japanese expressions, for example, darou ka and (n) janai ka. Both expressions represent uncertainty and are generally interpreted as I wonder or maybe. Although kana, darou ka and (n) janai ka are often treated as synonyms, they are not necessarily interchangeable.

The aim of this study is to define these Japanese epistemic markers using NSM. New definitions are presented to clarify semantic differences and the invariant concept embedded in each expression. This analysis elucidates Japanese speakers’ epistemic stance when they are in doubt.

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Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners