Keevallik2009

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Keevallik2009
BibType ARTICLE
Key Keevallik2009
Author(s) Leelo Keevallik
Title The grammar-interaction interface of negative questions in Estonian
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Interactional Linguistics, Polar Questions, Conduciveness
Publisher
Year 2009
Language English
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Journal SKY Journal of Linguistics
Volume 22
Number
Pages 139-173
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Abstract

Grammatically negative questions have been considered tricky because out of context it is basically impossible to predict whether they are conducive of a positive or negative answer (e.g. Sadock and Zwicky 1985). Furthermore, some of them convey reverse polarity affirmations rather than ask for information (Koshik 2002). The current study looks systematically at all negative polar questions found in Estonian spoken language corpora and shows that in actual usage, they are predominantly conducive of a confirming answer. However, a confirming answer may in some cases be either in a positive or negative form. Conduciveness of a negative question as well as its linguistic format depend on the action the question implements in a conversational sequence. The paper shows that each of the five negative question formats in Estonian regularly implement different kinds of social action ranging from challenging and topic initiation to requests for information and confirmation.

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