Abstract
This paper focuses on a new sentence-final particle, -kunai, used among young native speakers of Kansai dialect. The new form -kunai is derived from the negative question form of adjectival predicates, and young speakers use it as a modality marker which means 'the speaker's expectation of the hearer's agreement'. This is a case of grammaticalization by decategorization. Originally -kunai was only used as the negative form of adjectival predicates as well as for negative questions with a sentence-final particle -ka or/and with rising intonation. However, in casual speech in the Kansai dialect, young speakers use it combined with a verb, not with an adjectival stem, and with rising intonation. This indicates that -kunai is in process of changing from a negative question form to a sentence-final particle. According to the survey of 182 young speakers, we concluded the present condition of the usage of -kunai is as follows; First, the usage of -kunai is gradually spreading at the present time. One-third of the respondents have used the sentence-final particle -kunai, and another third have heard this -kunai uttered by others. The remaining respondents have not heard this use of -kunai yet. Second, the sentence-final particle -kunai functions to show that the speaker expects the hearer's agreement to his/her opinion. This is one of the meanings which used to be presented by a negative question, and -kunai is grammaticalized to be a modality marker for one specific grammatical meaning. Thirdly, regarding the speakers' attitude, some of the respondents have negative reactions towards -kunai. The spread in the usage of -kunai in the Kansai area is possibly being held in check by these negative views. Respondents point out that it sounds like Tokyo Japanese within the Kansai dialect. Also, others consider -kunai to be a symbol of certain groups which tend to follow the latest fashions.
