Request for confirmation sequences in Hebrew

This study reports quantitative findings from a study of 205 Hebrew request for confirmation (RfC) sequences, as part of a comparative Pragmatic Typological project across ten languages. Based on video recordings of casual conversation, this is the first systematic survey of such sequences in Hebrew...

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Main Authors: Ben-Moshe Yotam M., Maschler Yael
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: De Gruyter 2024-11-01
Series:Open Linguistics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/opli-2024-0028
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author Ben-Moshe Yotam M.
Maschler Yael
author_facet Ben-Moshe Yotam M.
Maschler Yael
author_sort Ben-Moshe Yotam M.
collection DOAJ
description This study reports quantitative findings from a study of 205 Hebrew request for confirmation (RfC) sequences, as part of a comparative Pragmatic Typological project across ten languages. Based on video recordings of casual conversation, this is the first systematic survey of such sequences in Hebrew. We examine linguistic and embodied resources for making an RfC (syntactic and prosodic design; polarity; use of modulation, inference marking, connectives, and tag questions) and for responding to it (response type; use, type, and position of response tokens (RTs); (non)minimal responses; repeat strategies; nodding and headshakes). We find that Hebrew RfCs lack interrogative syntax and are overwhelmingly marked by rising final intonation, frequently marked as inferences, rich in types of connectives and modulators, but infrequently feature tag questions. In responses to RfCs, Hebrew presents a comparatively high rate of disconfirmation, which is often also relatively unmitigated, corroborating Linguistic Anthropological descriptions of Hebrew conversational style. RTs are used in over half of responses, while full repeats are relatively rare. Occasionally, nods and headshakes are found unaccompanied by speech, as exclusively embodied responses. We expand on two negating RTs: the dental click (an areal feature) and the forceful ma pit'om ‘of course not’ (lit. ‘what suddenly’).
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spelling doaj-art-05646d9ac0e34f028e7d89b45f97cb732025-08-20T02:51:03ZengDe GruyterOpen Linguistics2300-99692024-11-0110119723210.1515/opli-2024-0028Request for confirmation sequences in HebrewBen-Moshe Yotam M.0Maschler Yael1Department of Hebrew Language, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, 3498838, IsraelDepartment of Hebrew Language, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, 3498838, IsraelThis study reports quantitative findings from a study of 205 Hebrew request for confirmation (RfC) sequences, as part of a comparative Pragmatic Typological project across ten languages. Based on video recordings of casual conversation, this is the first systematic survey of such sequences in Hebrew. We examine linguistic and embodied resources for making an RfC (syntactic and prosodic design; polarity; use of modulation, inference marking, connectives, and tag questions) and for responding to it (response type; use, type, and position of response tokens (RTs); (non)minimal responses; repeat strategies; nodding and headshakes). We find that Hebrew RfCs lack interrogative syntax and are overwhelmingly marked by rising final intonation, frequently marked as inferences, rich in types of connectives and modulators, but infrequently feature tag questions. In responses to RfCs, Hebrew presents a comparatively high rate of disconfirmation, which is often also relatively unmitigated, corroborating Linguistic Anthropological descriptions of Hebrew conversational style. RTs are used in over half of responses, while full repeats are relatively rare. Occasionally, nods and headshakes are found unaccompanied by speech, as exclusively embodied responses. We expand on two negating RTs: the dental click (an areal feature) and the forceful ma pit'om ‘of course not’ (lit. ‘what suddenly’).https://doi.org/10.1515/opli-2024-0028hebrew polar questionsrequests for confirmation(dis)confirmationresponse tokensintonationfinal pitch contourtag questionsinteractional linguisticslinguistic typology
spellingShingle Ben-Moshe Yotam M.
Maschler Yael
Request for confirmation sequences in Hebrew
Open Linguistics
hebrew polar questions
requests for confirmation
(dis)confirmation
response tokens
intonation
final pitch contour
tag questions
interactional linguistics
linguistic typology
title Request for confirmation sequences in Hebrew
title_full Request for confirmation sequences in Hebrew
title_fullStr Request for confirmation sequences in Hebrew
title_full_unstemmed Request for confirmation sequences in Hebrew
title_short Request for confirmation sequences in Hebrew
title_sort request for confirmation sequences in hebrew
topic hebrew polar questions
requests for confirmation
(dis)confirmation
response tokens
intonation
final pitch contour
tag questions
interactional linguistics
linguistic typology
url https://doi.org/10.1515/opli-2024-0028
work_keys_str_mv AT benmosheyotamm requestforconfirmationsequencesinhebrew
AT maschleryael requestforconfirmationsequencesinhebrew