Title:
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Prosody and gesture in the interpretation of yes-answers to negative yes/no-questions
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Author:
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Tubau, Susagna; González-Fuente, Santiago; Prieto Vives, Pilar, 1965-; Espinal i Farré, M. Teresa
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Abstract:
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In this paper we investigate the role of prosody and gesture in the interpretation of yes-answers to negative yes/no-questions in Catalan, a language with a polarity-based system of confirmation/contradiction of negative yes/no-questions. Two rating experiments were conducted to test (i) whether yes-answers to negative yes/no-questions are perceived as ambiguous by Catalan speakers when prosody and gesture are not available (Experiment 1), and (ii) whether the interpretation of sí ‘yes’ as an answer to a negative yes/no-question is dependent on prosodic and gestural properties of the answer (Experiment 2). Our results show that yes always asserts a salient propositional discourse referent, which can be either p or ¬p. Intonation and gesture guide the interpretation of yes-answers to negative yes/no-questions in Catalan, and we show that a yes-answer with a marked intonation and gesture is to be interpreted as a denial or REJECT of a salient propositional discourse referent. |
Abstract:
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This research has been funded by the following two research grants awarded by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (BFU2012-31995 and FFI2011-23356), and by two grants awarded by the Generalitat de Catalunya to both the Grup d’Estudis de Prosòdia (2009SGR-701) and the Centre de Lingüística Teòrica (2009SGR-1073). The fourth author also acknowledges an ICREA Acadèmia award. |
Subject(s):
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-Yes-answers -Negative yes/no-questions -Ambiguity -Prosody -Gesture |
Rights:
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© De Gruyter Published version available at http://www.degruyter.com http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/tlr-2014-0016. |
Document type:
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Article Article - Published version |
Published by:
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De Gruyter
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