Abstract
Researchers of Japanese generally divide the function of desho into "supposition" and "confirmation request". However, this paper, which is based on an examination of the remnants of Japanese in Taiwan, reveals a potentially new function: "cognitive request for new information". "Confirmation request" is used to request confirmation or agreement about something supposedly known by the listener. In contrast, "cognitive request for new information" is used to introduce new information to the listener, thereby providing a foundation for the utterance that follows. In this sense "cognitive request for new information" can be viewed as an expansion of "confirmation request". This paper indicates the wide use of desho as a "cognitive request for new information" among Japanese varieties outside Japan (e.g., Saipan, Korea and Sakhalin) and a similar usage is noted amongst the younger generation in Japan. Based on those facts, this paper argues that "cognitive request for new information" is a new function of desho-not only in the remnants of Japanese in the Pacific Rim, but also in the contemporary Japanese language as used within Japan.
