more than person deixis: uses of ya (丫) among native and non-native beijingers

This paper examines how the morpheme ya is used among native and non-native speakers of the Beijing dialect. It traces the development of ya from a lexical noun to a third person singular pronoun, initially with derogatory meaning, and then extending into a social identity marker signaling familiarity and intimacy. Evidence from both production and perception studies also shows that the use of ya has extended to other regions, with non-native uses of ya emerging in the process. In addition to native vs. non-native use, other factors also contribute to differences in the use of ya constructions. Among the factors identified in this study are age group, gender, and length of residency in Beijing.