15.2657, Qs: American English Question Tags; Directional 'in'

[LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-15-2657. Sat Sep 25 2004. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 15.2657, Qs: American English Question Tags; Directional 'in'

Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Wayne State U <aristar at linguistlist.org>
            Helen Aristar-Dry, Eastern Michigan U <hdry at linguistlist.org>

Reviews (reviews at linguistlist.org)
        Sheila Collberg, U of Arizona
        Terry Langendoen, U of Arizona

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org/

The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, Wayne
State University, and donations from subscribers and publishers.

Editor for this issue: Ann Sawyer <sawyer at linguistlist.org>
================================================================

We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually
best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is
then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was
instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we
would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

In addition to posting a summary, we'd like to remind people that it
is usually a good idea to personally thank those individuals who have
taken the trouble to respond to the query.

To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at
http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html.


===========================Directory==============================

1)
Date: 24-Sep-2004
From: Erik Schleef < eschleef at umich.edu >
Subject: American English Question Tags

2)
Date: 23-Sep-2004
From: Robert Dewell < dewell at loyno.edu >
Subject: Direction-specific English 'in'


	
-------------------------Message 1 ----------------------------------
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 17:36:33
From: Erik Schleef < eschleef at umich.edu >
Subject: American English Question Tags

I am currently working on a dissertation investigating discourse
markers and question tags in American academic discourse.

Not surprisingly, 'right' is the most frequently used question tag in
my data set. Variant question tags (of the type isn't it; aren't I;
etc.) are quite rare but do occur. While there is a lot of literature
on structural and sociolinguistic issues regarding variant question
tags, ?innit?, and ?eh?, relatively little has been written about 'right'
and its relation to variant question tags in American English.
I would therefore very much appreciate pointers to literature on:

1. the use and development of 'right' as a question tag in American
English

2. restrictions (prescriptively as well as actual use) on the use of
question tag 'right' versus other question tags. 'Right' does not
seem to be used after imperatives and questions, and variant question
tags seem to be preferred after opinion statements in my data set.
Are there more restrictions or different ones in other contexts/varieties?

Thanks,
Erik Schleef
University of Michigan

Linguistic Field(s): Discourse Analysis; Sociolinguistics


	
-------------------------Message 2 ----------------------------------
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 17:36:34
From: Robert Dewell < dewell at loyno.edu >
Subject: Direction-specific English 'in'

	
English 'in' can describe insertion from any direction, but I can
imagine a language that would distinguish, say, downward insertion
(e.g. a cookie into a jar) from lateral insertion (e.g. a necklace
into a wall safe). Can anyone point me to a language that makes this
kind of distinction with respect to direction of insertion?

Linguistic Field(s): Syntax




-----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-15-2657