And-prefaced questions in institutional discourse

Kazuko Matsumoto

doi:10.1515/ling.37.2.251

Article

And-prefaced questions in institutional discourse

Kazuko Matsumoto

Published/Copyright: February 27, 2008

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From the journal Volume 37 Issue 2

Abstract

This paper presents a pragmatic account of and, a conjunction that iscommonly used by professional questioners as a question preface in institutional interactions. Based on some linguistic features characteristic of and-prefaced yes/no questions, it is argued that and-prefacing serves two main functions. It underscores a link to the anaphoric discourse (e.g. juxtaposition), thereby grouping the conjoined propositions as a coherent package of information (e.g. one conveying an argument in cross-examination) in a succession of Q–A sequences. More importantly, it underscores the questioner's skewed orientation toward the affirmative polarity of an answer. It is proposed that the frequent use of and-prefaced questions in institutional discourse may be attributed to three factors: (a) its structural organization, which is predominantly characterized by Q–A sequences with no alternation of the questioner–answerer roles between the interactants; (b) the professional questioner's prior knowledge of the answers, which seems maximal in courtroom settings; and (c) the primary recipients of the answers, that is, a third party other than the questioner not directly participating in the interaction (e.g. the jury).

*Correspondence address: Faculty of Education, Aichi University of Education, 1 Hirosawa, Igaya-cho, Kariya, Aichi 448, Japan.

Received: 1995-09-01

Revised: 1999-03-02

Published Online: 2008-02-27

Published in Print: 1999-03-01

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.37.2.251