How a Terminal Tag Can Display Epistemic Stance and Constrain Responses: The Case of Oder Nicht in German

Abstract

ABSTRACT This conversation analytic study explores German turn-final oder nich(t), as in Soll ich jetzt weiterlesen oder nicht (“should I continue reading or not”). These oder nicht-appended questions raise one state of affairs and invoke its negated version via oder nicht. They emerge in environments in which epistemics and/or deontics are negotiated. Through these turns, participants index their commitment to the likelihood of the state of affairs expressed in the question. Oder nicht works as an epistemic stance marker and minimizes the potential for disconfirmation. As such, oder nicht is a resource for questioners to design their questions in ways that index their stance that an agreeing response is more likely. Thus, oder nicht effectively constrains the recipient’s options (similar to English polarized tag questions). Data are in German with English translations.