The Pragmatic Function of “Yes” in Arabic interactions
Article Sidebar
Published:
Dec 25, 2022
Keywords:
Response tokens - Functions of yes- Conversation analysis - Arabic TV interactions.
Main Article Content
Abstract
The particle “yes” is one of the response tokens that is widely used in
our daily communication. It is employed mainly to indicate an agreement
or a reaction to the previous question. In classical Arabic grammar
literature, the interpretation of the use of “yes” is related to these specific
functions: an affirmation for declarative statements, answering a question,
and promising after a request. By investigating samples of spoken TV
interactions, this research has revealed additional functions of “yes” that
differ from those that are described in unnatural linguistic examples.
These samples were preferred therefore over written discourse due to their
originality and spontaneity. In TV discourse, the interaction often occurs
naturally without any predetermined procedure as well as revealing the
real representation of the interactants’ performance in the most genuine
way possible. Relying on Conversation Analysis approach, this study
concluded that the single phrase of “yes” serves multiple purposes and
does not confine solely to answering or affirmative functions. It serves
several new functions, such as: A device for opening the speech, a request
for repetition, or an indicator of attention and supporting talk continuity.
Article Details
How to Cite
Rosli, H., & Alfahad, A. (2022). The Pragmatic Function of “Yes” in Arabic interactions. AL-Lisaniyyat, 28(2), 29-58. https://doi.org/10.61850/allj.v28i2.61
Section
Articles
References
المقرب .أحمد عبد الستار الجوري وعبد الله الجبوري (محققان). بغداد: مطبعة العاني.
ابن هشام الأنصاري، عبد الله بن يوسف.(1985). معنى اللبيب عن كتب الأعاريب. مازن مبارك ومحمد علي حمد الله(محققام). ط6.بيروت: دار الفكر.
بالتريج، براين. (2018). تحليل الخطاب. ترجمة: عبد الرحمان الفهد. الرياض: دار جامعة الملك سعود للنشر.
البيتوشي، عبد الله الكردي.(2005). الحفاية بتوضيح الكفاية.طه صالح أمين آغا (محقق). بيروت: دار الكتب العلمية.
سيبويه، عمرو بن عثما.(1988). الكتاب. عبد السلام محمد هارون (محقق).ط3. القاهرة: مكتبة الخانجي.
الهيتي، قصي جدوع رضا.(2008). حروف الإيجاب والتصديق في اللغة العربية .مجلة جامعة الأنبار للعلوم الإنسانية.الرمادي : جامعة الأنبار.
- Alfahad, A. (2015). Aggressiveness and deference in Arabic broadcast interviews. Journal of Pragmatics, 88. 58-72.
- _________________. Saudi broadcast interviews: Moving towards aggressiveness. Discourse & Communication, 9. 387-406.
- ___________. (2016). Equivocation in Arabic News Interviews. Journal of Language and Social Psychology; 35. 206-223.
- ___________. Professionalism vs. Popularity: The Shift in Ethics of Interviewing in Arab Media. Global Media Journal-Canadian Edition, 9. 99-113
- Ameka, F. (1992). Interjections: The universal yet neglected part of speech. Journal of pragmatics, 18. 101-118.
- Benjamin, T. & Mazeland, H. (2013).Conversation analysis and other-initiated repair. In: The encyclopedia of applied linguistics, Carol A. Chapelle (ed). Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 1-8. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279578593_Conversation_ Analysis_and_Other-Initiated_Repair.
- Brinton, L. (1996). Pragmatic markers in English: Grammaticalization and discourse functions. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
- Clayman, S., & Heritage, J. (2002). The news interview: Journalists and public figures on the air. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Clift, R. (2016). Conversation analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Dittman, A. & Lynn, G. (1967). The phonemic clause as a unit of speech decoding. Journal of personality and social psychology, 6. 341-349.
- Drummond, K. & Hopper, R. (1993). Some uses of yeah. Research on language and social interaction, 26(2). 203-212.
- Duncan, S. & Fiske, D. (1977). Face-to-face interaction: Research, methods and theory. New Jersey: Lawrence Eribaum Associates
- Fraser, B. (1990). An approach to discourse markers. Journal of Pragmatics. 14, 383-395.
- Fries, C. (1952). The structure of English. New York: Harcourt, Brace
- Fuller, J. (2003). “The influence of speaker roles on discourse marker use”. Journal of pragmatics, 35, 23-45.
- Fung, L. and Carter, R., (2007). Discourse markers and spoken English: Native and learner use in pedagogical settings. Applied linguistics, 28(3). 410-439.
- Gardner, R. (2001). When listeners talk: Response tokens and listener stance. London: John Benjamin.
- Goodwin, C. (1986). Between and within alternative sequential treatments of continuers and assessments. Human studies, 9. 205–217
- Jefferson, G. (1984). Notes on the systematic deployment of the acknowlegdement tokens “yeah” and “mm hm. Paper in linguistics, 17(2). 197-216.
Jefferson, G. (1993). Caveat speaker: Preliminary notes on recipient topic-shift implicature. Research on language and social interaction, 26(1).1-30
Levinson, S. (1983). Pragmatics. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Liddicoat, A. (2007). An introduction to conversation analysis. London: Continuum
- McCarthy, M. (2003). Talking back: “Small” interactional response tokens in everyday conversation. Research on language and social interaction, 36(1). 33–63
- Muller, F. E. (1996).Affiliating and disaffiliating with continuers: Prosodic aspects of recipiency. In: E. Couper-Kuhlen (ed.). Prosody in conversation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 131–176.
- Norrick, N. (2012). Listening practices in English conversation: The responses responses elicit. Journal of pragmatics, 44(5). 566-576.
Pomerantz, A. & Fehr, B. (1997). Conversation analysis: An approach to the study of social action as sense making practices”. In: T. A. van Dijk, (ed.). Discourse as social interaction: Discourse studies 2. London: Sage.64-91.
- Robinson, J. (2006). Managing trouble responsibility and relationships during conversational repair. Communication monographs, 73(2). 137– 161.
- Sacks, H., Schegloff, E. & Jefferson, G. (1974). A simplest systematics for the organization of turn-taking for conversation. Language, 50(4).696-735.
- Schegloff, E. A. (1982). Discourse as an interactional achievement: Some uses of ‘uh huh’and other things that come between sentences. Analyzing discourse: Text and talk, 71. 71-93.
- Schegloff, E., Jefferson, G., & Sacks, H. (1977), The preference for selfcorrection in the organization of repair in conversation. Language, 53. 361- 382
- Schiffrin, D. (2001). Discourse markers: Language, meaning, and context. In: D. Schiffrin, (ed). The handbook of discourse analysis. 54–75.
- Yngve, V. (1970). On getting a word in edgewise. Papers from the sixth regional meeting. Chicago: Chicago Linguistic Society, 567-577.
- Zimmerman, D. (1993). Acknowledgment tokens and speakership incipiency revisited. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 26(2). 179-194.
ابن هشام الأنصاري، عبد الله بن يوسف.(1985). معنى اللبيب عن كتب الأعاريب. مازن مبارك ومحمد علي حمد الله(محققام). ط6.بيروت: دار الفكر.
بالتريج، براين. (2018). تحليل الخطاب. ترجمة: عبد الرحمان الفهد. الرياض: دار جامعة الملك سعود للنشر.
البيتوشي، عبد الله الكردي.(2005). الحفاية بتوضيح الكفاية.طه صالح أمين آغا (محقق). بيروت: دار الكتب العلمية.
سيبويه، عمرو بن عثما.(1988). الكتاب. عبد السلام محمد هارون (محقق).ط3. القاهرة: مكتبة الخانجي.
الهيتي، قصي جدوع رضا.(2008). حروف الإيجاب والتصديق في اللغة العربية .مجلة جامعة الأنبار للعلوم الإنسانية.الرمادي : جامعة الأنبار.
- Alfahad, A. (2015). Aggressiveness and deference in Arabic broadcast interviews. Journal of Pragmatics, 88. 58-72.
- _________________. Saudi broadcast interviews: Moving towards aggressiveness. Discourse & Communication, 9. 387-406.
- ___________. (2016). Equivocation in Arabic News Interviews. Journal of Language and Social Psychology; 35. 206-223.
- ___________. Professionalism vs. Popularity: The Shift in Ethics of Interviewing in Arab Media. Global Media Journal-Canadian Edition, 9. 99-113
- Ameka, F. (1992). Interjections: The universal yet neglected part of speech. Journal of pragmatics, 18. 101-118.
- Benjamin, T. & Mazeland, H. (2013).Conversation analysis and other-initiated repair. In: The encyclopedia of applied linguistics, Carol A. Chapelle (ed). Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 1-8. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279578593_Conversation_ Analysis_and_Other-Initiated_Repair.
- Brinton, L. (1996). Pragmatic markers in English: Grammaticalization and discourse functions. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
- Clayman, S., & Heritage, J. (2002). The news interview: Journalists and public figures on the air. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Clift, R. (2016). Conversation analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Dittman, A. & Lynn, G. (1967). The phonemic clause as a unit of speech decoding. Journal of personality and social psychology, 6. 341-349.
- Drummond, K. & Hopper, R. (1993). Some uses of yeah. Research on language and social interaction, 26(2). 203-212.
- Duncan, S. & Fiske, D. (1977). Face-to-face interaction: Research, methods and theory. New Jersey: Lawrence Eribaum Associates
- Fraser, B. (1990). An approach to discourse markers. Journal of Pragmatics. 14, 383-395.
- Fries, C. (1952). The structure of English. New York: Harcourt, Brace
- Fuller, J. (2003). “The influence of speaker roles on discourse marker use”. Journal of pragmatics, 35, 23-45.
- Fung, L. and Carter, R., (2007). Discourse markers and spoken English: Native and learner use in pedagogical settings. Applied linguistics, 28(3). 410-439.
- Gardner, R. (2001). When listeners talk: Response tokens and listener stance. London: John Benjamin.
- Goodwin, C. (1986). Between and within alternative sequential treatments of continuers and assessments. Human studies, 9. 205–217
- Jefferson, G. (1984). Notes on the systematic deployment of the acknowlegdement tokens “yeah” and “mm hm. Paper in linguistics, 17(2). 197-216.
Jefferson, G. (1993). Caveat speaker: Preliminary notes on recipient topic-shift implicature. Research on language and social interaction, 26(1).1-30
Levinson, S. (1983). Pragmatics. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Liddicoat, A. (2007). An introduction to conversation analysis. London: Continuum
- McCarthy, M. (2003). Talking back: “Small” interactional response tokens in everyday conversation. Research on language and social interaction, 36(1). 33–63
- Muller, F. E. (1996).Affiliating and disaffiliating with continuers: Prosodic aspects of recipiency. In: E. Couper-Kuhlen (ed.). Prosody in conversation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 131–176.
- Norrick, N. (2012). Listening practices in English conversation: The responses responses elicit. Journal of pragmatics, 44(5). 566-576.
Pomerantz, A. & Fehr, B. (1997). Conversation analysis: An approach to the study of social action as sense making practices”. In: T. A. van Dijk, (ed.). Discourse as social interaction: Discourse studies 2. London: Sage.64-91.
- Robinson, J. (2006). Managing trouble responsibility and relationships during conversational repair. Communication monographs, 73(2). 137– 161.
- Sacks, H., Schegloff, E. & Jefferson, G. (1974). A simplest systematics for the organization of turn-taking for conversation. Language, 50(4).696-735.
- Schegloff, E. A. (1982). Discourse as an interactional achievement: Some uses of ‘uh huh’and other things that come between sentences. Analyzing discourse: Text and talk, 71. 71-93.
- Schegloff, E., Jefferson, G., & Sacks, H. (1977), The preference for selfcorrection in the organization of repair in conversation. Language, 53. 361- 382
- Schiffrin, D. (2001). Discourse markers: Language, meaning, and context. In: D. Schiffrin, (ed). The handbook of discourse analysis. 54–75.
- Yngve, V. (1970). On getting a word in edgewise. Papers from the sixth regional meeting. Chicago: Chicago Linguistic Society, 567-577.
- Zimmerman, D. (1993). Acknowledgment tokens and speakership incipiency revisited. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 26(2). 179-194.