Chapter 9. Using ambiguity and vagueness to avoid problematic answers
-
Alessandra Barotto
Abstract
This paper focuses on the use of the Italian adverb abbastanza ‘enough, quite’ when it is used as a stand-alone reply to potentially problematic and face-threatening questions. Despite its positive semantics, in some contexts, this word can be perceived as vague or even ambiguous by speakers, in the sense that it is possible to interpret it both as a (vague) ‘yes’ and a (vague) ‘no’, thus functioning as an off-record politeness strategy. To verify in which contexts this word can be perceived as ambiguous and vague, we will examine data gathered from a questionnaire specifically created and from corpora of contemporary Italian (KIParla corpus and ItTenTen). The analysis will confirm a correlation between the level of ambiguity and contexts where the speaker is asked to evaluate something strongly related to the hearer. Finally, we will argue how the potential ambiguity of this adverb is linked to its core semantics of quantitative adequacy.
Abstract
This paper focuses on the use of the Italian adverb abbastanza ‘enough, quite’ when it is used as a stand-alone reply to potentially problematic and face-threatening questions. Despite its positive semantics, in some contexts, this word can be perceived as vague or even ambiguous by speakers, in the sense that it is possible to interpret it both as a (vague) ‘yes’ and a (vague) ‘no’, thus functioning as an off-record politeness strategy. To verify in which contexts this word can be perceived as ambiguous and vague, we will examine data gathered from a questionnaire specifically created and from corpora of contemporary Italian (KIParla corpus and ItTenTen). The analysis will confirm a correlation between the level of ambiguity and contexts where the speaker is asked to evaluate something strongly related to the hearer. Finally, we will argue how the potential ambiguity of this adverb is linked to its core semantics of quantitative adequacy.
Chapters in this book
- 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Introduction 1
-
Part I. Vagueness and ambiguity
- Chapter 2. The role of ambiguity and vagueness in language change 10
- Chapter 3. The role of ambiguity in intentional vagueness 29
- Chapter 4. Vagueness and ambiguity are very different (persuasion devices) 51
- Chapter 5. Ambiguity in discourse 84
-
Part II. Vagueness and ambiguity in language change and use
- Chapter 6. Underspecification and ambiguity of voice markers 110
- Chapter 7. Vague stuff 148
- Chapter 8. Vagueness explored 177
- Chapter 9. Using ambiguity and vagueness to avoid problematic answers 208
- Chapter 10. Vagueness and ambiguity of perlocutionary effects in Prime Minister’s Question time sessions 234
- Chapter 11. Place names in legal texts 259
- Index 281
Chapters in this book
- 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Introduction 1
-
Part I. Vagueness and ambiguity
- Chapter 2. The role of ambiguity and vagueness in language change 10
- Chapter 3. The role of ambiguity in intentional vagueness 29
- Chapter 4. Vagueness and ambiguity are very different (persuasion devices) 51
- Chapter 5. Ambiguity in discourse 84
-
Part II. Vagueness and ambiguity in language change and use
- Chapter 6. Underspecification and ambiguity of voice markers 110
- Chapter 7. Vague stuff 148
- Chapter 8. Vagueness explored 177
- Chapter 9. Using ambiguity and vagueness to avoid problematic answers 208
- Chapter 10. Vagueness and ambiguity of perlocutionary effects in Prime Minister’s Question time sessions 234
- Chapter 11. Place names in legal texts 259
- Index 281
