• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.565-576
• /
• 2022

The scope and functions of a conversational agent are gradually expanding. In particular, research and technology development is being conducted on a conversational agent that can speak first without user calls. However, still in its early stages, there is a lack of research on how a preceded utterance conversational agent will affect users. Accordingly, this study conducted a 2×3 mixed design using the user's task performance condition and the agent's self-exposure as independent variables and measured Intimacy, Functional Satisfaction, Psychological Reactance, and Workload as dependent variables to identify the effects of preceded utterance conversational agent on user experience.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.22
• /
• pp.329-354
• /
• 2011

This paper aims to probe into the meaning of Ranhou in Mandarin Chinese and to account for discourse functions of it in radio call-in programme. For this purpose, the present study investigates the meaning of Ran and Hou repectively at first and explains the change of meaning of Ranhou, because we assume that Ranhou is compounded by Ran and Hou, and the core meaning is derived from its compounded meaning. Then we examine which time category Ranhou belongs to more based on the concept of time(reference, event, discourse) in Schiffrin(1987), and examine also where it is located within turn. Following this examination, we analysis and explain discourse functions what it is situated. Therethrough, we understand that 1) Ran has 'agreement or confirmation of preceded utterance' therefore has anaphoric meaning, and Hou has 'after' in the meaning cline: back of body-back part-behind-after-retarded(proposed by Heine et al. 1991), so that Ranhou has 'after agreement or confirmation of preceded utterance of mine' and extends to 'on premise preceded utterance or event' furthermore, and therefore can have possibility having various functions; 2) Ranhou has various functions in natural language in spite of the institutional setting. It can indicate (1) temporal relation of events, (2) logic relation of two(or more) events, e.g. causality, elaboration, concession, list, (3) turn maintence, acquisition, management, (4) verbal filler.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.141-151
• /
• 2014

This study reports anti-hierarchical initial-syllable lengthening of an utterance-internal phrase in Korean. That is, the phrase-initial syllable (e.g., /a/ of "apa-do" or /ma/ of "mapa-do") starting with a voiced phoneme (i.e., vowels or voiced consonants) manifests itself as significantly longer when it is preceded by another phrase without a pause than when it leads an utterance or follows a pause utterance-internally. The phenomenon was examined with regard to two other factors: (1) tempo and (2) tenseness of the consonant (/p, $p^{\prime}$, $p^h$/) following the target syllable /a/. First, the effect of tempo on initial lengthening was not significant. Apart from the statistical significance, however, a tendency was observed, i.e., the slower the tempo is, the greater the lengthening. By contrast, the faster the tempo is, the higher the ratio (%) of lengthening. Second, contrary to our expectations, initial-syllable lengthening was even greater before tense stops /$p^{\prime}$, $p^h$/ than before lax stop /p/ regardless of tempo, and it was remarkable when it comes to the ratio (%), which means that initial lengthening is free of the pre-consonantal vowel shortening effect. Final-syllable lengthening is a pre-boundary marker, while the initial-syllable lengthening is regarded as a post-boundary marker of a phrase.