Chapter 6. Complexities of responding

Abstract

This paper examines three forms of confirming responses to pseudo-tag questions in Korean conversation: unelaborated type-conforming responses with affirmative particles alone, elaborated responses with affirmative particles followed by elaboration, and nonconforming responses. The respondent’s selection of a particular form of response represents a solution to multiple contingencies involved in providing confirmation. When producing affirmative particles alone, respondents do nothing more than confirming and treat the question as in need of a mere confirmation. In producing elaborated type-conforming responses, respondents tend to avoid unwanted understandings that a simple yes particle can bring. They may address the action implemented by the question, often in affiliation with the questioner. Nonconforming responses tend to treat the question as problematic, proposing a problem with the legitimacy or relevance of the question.