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Responses to Wh-question challenges

Abstract

This chapter builds on my previous studies of wh-questions that convey reversed polarity assertions, for example, “Whenhave I.” used to convey “I never have” (Koshik 2003;2005). These questions challenge the grounds for a prior claim or action, suggesting that there is no basis for that claim or action and the question is therefore unanswerable. This chapter focuses on responses to these challenges. At times questioners leave no sequentially appropriate space for a response. However, when recipients do respond, responses that reject the challenge provide grammatically type-conforming answers to the questions, treating the questions as answerable. Responses that align with the challenge either treat the question as unanswerable or they accept or agree with the assertion conveyed by the challenge.

Abstract

This chapter builds on my previous studies of wh-questions that convey reversed polarity assertions, for example, “Whenhave I.” used to convey “I never have” (Koshik 2003;2005). These questions challenge the grounds for a prior claim or action, suggesting that there is no basis for that claim or action and the question is therefore unanswerable. This chapter focuses on responses to these challenges. At times questioners leave no sequentially appropriate space for a response. However, when recipients do respond, responses that reject the challenge provide grammatically type-conforming answers to the questions, treating the questions as answerable. Responses that align with the challenge either treat the question as unanswerable or they accept or agree with the assertion conveyed by the challenge.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Schegloff and the founding of a discovering discipline 1
  4. A discussion with Emanuel A. Schegloff 15
  5. A discussion with Emanuel A. Schegloff, Part 2 55
  6. Inferring the purpose of a prior query and responding accordingly 61
  7. Responses to Wh-question challenges 79
  8. Extended responding 105
  9. Accepting remote proposals 125
  10. Interactional uses of acknowledgment tokens 145
  11. Selection principles of other-initiated repair turn formats 167
  12. Referring to persons 189
  13. Out of context 207
  14. Out of context 211
  15. Opening up closings in Russian 231
  16. Particles and epistemics 273
  17. On the practical re-intentionalization of body behavior 299
  18. What a difference forty years make 315
  19. Living with Manny’s dangerous idea 327
  20. Reply to Levinson 351
  21. Subject index 355
  22. Name index 359
Enabling Human Conduct
This chapter is in the book Enabling Human Conduct
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.273.05kos

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Schegloff and the founding of a discovering discipline 1
  4. A discussion with Emanuel A. Schegloff 15
  5. A discussion with Emanuel A. Schegloff, Part 2 55
  6. Inferring the purpose of a prior query and responding accordingly 61
  7. Responses to Wh-question challenges 79
  8. Extended responding 105
  9. Accepting remote proposals 125
  10. Interactional uses of acknowledgment tokens 145
  11. Selection principles of other-initiated repair turn formats 167
  12. Referring to persons 189
  13. Out of context 207
  14. Out of context 211
  15. Opening up closings in Russian 231
  16. Particles and epistemics 273
  17. On the practical re-intentionalization of body behavior 299
  18. What a difference forty years make 315
  19. Living with Manny’s dangerous idea 327
  20. Reply to Levinson 351
  21. Subject index 355
  22. Name index 359
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