Self-mockery in Japanese

Self-mockery is defined as a linguistic act in which the speaker makes a statement and then denies, invalidates, or expresses his/her nonserious attitude toward the content of the utterance. It is a metalinguistic commentary that is distinct from sarcasm/irony in that (i) it does not involve contempt for others, (ii) it does not echo somebody else's utterance (iii) double-voicedness associated with sarcasm/irony is expressed in two phrases in self-mockery, and (iv) the speaker may actually believe in the content of the utterance s/he invalidates. It is also distinct from joking in that the invalidating signal is explicitly expressed and physically separated from the invalidated utterance. In Japanese expressions several factors contribute to the meaning of self-mockery. First, by activating the image of a double voice associated with quotation, the speaker effectively dissociates him/herself from the content of the utterance and evokes the idea of pretense. Second, the lexical meaning that refers to lack of specification implies lack of the speaker's willingness for commitment. Third, the use of a pause or other framing device signals that the speaker is dissociated from the content of the utterance. Fourth, the nonfinite verbal form makes the utterance less imposing.