Projective/retrospective linking of a contrastive idea: Interactional practices of turn-initial and turn-final uses of kedo ‘but’ in Japanese

Projection and retrospection are the two primary factors in understanding how talk-in-interaction is structured in real-time. Powerful resources to mark a projective or retrospective relation between turns include conjunctions, and the contrastive conjunction kedo ‘but,’ which can be used in both turn-initial and turn-final positions, is one of the most prominent devices in Japanese conversation. Focusing on the cases where turns with kedo are used as responses to the prior turn of the interlocutor, this study compares the interactional functions of the turn-initial and turn-final kedo. Through detailed analysis of excerpts taken from the Corpus of Everyday Japanese Conversation, it is shown that while both turn-initial kedo and turn-final kedo are similar in that the speaker presents his or her own turn as more or less contrasting to the preceding turn, they differ in the typical sequential contexts and the subsequent trajectories of the interaction. Specifically, kedo-prefaced turns are used to bring in a new perspective and thereby project a sequence dealing with the newly introduced perspective. By contrast, kedo-ending turns do not invite further topical development but provide a supplementary comment retrospectively on a prior part of the conversation. •Investigation of turn-initial and turn-final kedo ‘but’ in Japanese conversation.•Focus on responsive turns.•Turn-initial kedo is projective, bringing in a new perspective/sequence.•Turn-final kedo is retrospective, being a minimal expansion reverting to the preceding sequence.•Temporality analyzed in two levels: turn construction and sequence development.