One of the more neglected fields in linguistics is the field of questions and their functions, although questions play an important role not only in casual conversation but in political discourse in particular. Therefore this paper will deal with one specific type of political discourse, namely political interviews (van Dijk 1995: 18). When it comes to political interviews, which have become more and more influential for political debate in the last few decades (Chilton 2004: 69), questions by the interviewer are the central
elements leading and guiding the discourse. Thus the aim of this paper is to examine the questions and their functions in political interviews. Considering that firstly a brief look at what makes an interview a political one will be required and secondly there will be a section on what an interviewer intends. Examining the functions of questions is another way of asking why or with what intention a question is used. Thus knowing about an interviewers general intention in a political interview will later in the analysis help to understand what the use of questions is and why they are posed in the one way or the other. Thirdly it has to be clarified what a question is and what types of questions there are.
These preliminary explanations will be followed by the main analysis on the basis of the transcriptions of two political interviews, one conducted by Andrew Marr in the Andrew Marr Show broadcast on BBC One on 21st July 2013 and the other conducted by Sir David Frost in the Show Frost over the World broadcast on AlJazeera on 10th September 2011. This analysis will focus on questions and attempt to provide answers to the following questions: What types of questions do the interviewers employ and how do they use them in order to succeed in their intentions? I.e. what are the particular functions of the interviewers’ questions to the interviewee (who in both interviews is the British Prime Minister David Cameron)? This second question is based on the assumption that there is (especially in political discourse) always one
basic function of questions which then (according to the type and content of the question) further subdivides into more specific and individual functions. Exemplary analyses of question forms typical for the two interviews will illustrate how the particular functions are fulfilled.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The interview
2.1 The political interview
2.2 What an interviewer intends
3. Questions
3.1 A definition
3.2 Types of question
3.2.1 Yes-no questions
3.2.2 Wh-questions
3.2.3 Alternative questions
3.2.4 Other types
4. Analysis: Functions of questions in two exemplary interviews
5. Conclusion
6. References
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the functions of questions within political discourse, specifically focusing on interviews with prominent politicians. The primary research question addresses how interviewers employ different types of questions and use them strategically to navigate political debates, maintain neutrality, or hold interviewees accountable for their statements and actions.
- The linguistic definition and classification of question types (Yes-no, Wh-, and Alternative).
- The role of the interviewer as a mediator and information seeker in a political context.
- The relationship between question design and the expected response from the interviewee.
- Analysis of specific interview techniques used by Andrew Marr and Sir David Frost.
- The strategic use of questions to challenge political actors and guide the direction of the discourse.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 A definition
So what are questions? This is a question to which the answer is not self-evident, because a question can take various forms (Hayano 2013: 396). In addition, the syntactic form (the interrogative) of a question, which is marked by inverted word order, does not always correspond with the pragmatic function or purpose of the speech act of questioning (Bull 1994: 117f). In other words not every utterance that is a question is realised in the form of an interrogative and also not every interrogative “performs the communicative function of questioning” (Ehrlich/Freed 2010: 4f). Therefore there is not just one definition of questions (ibid., 5).
According to Quirk et al. (1972: 386) questions are sentences marked by at least one of three characteristics. These are “the placing of the operator in front of the subject”, “the initial positioning of an interrogative or wh-element” and “rising ‘question’ intonation”. With regard to the function of discourse questions are “primarly used to express lack of information on a specific point, and (usually) to request the listener to supply this information verbally” (ibid.).
Another more recent definition by Ehrlich and Freed (2010: 6) puts the focus more on the discourse function and on “sequential considerations” than on form. They define questions as “utterances that (a) solicit [...] information, confirmation or action and (b) are delivered in such a way as to create a slot for the recipient to produce a responsive turn” (ibid.) Comparing both definitions one can conclude that they both share one general feature, which is that on the level of function a question primarily is a means to request information.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the importance of questioning in political discourse and defines the scope of analyzing interviews by Andrew Marr and Sir David Frost.
2. The interview: Defines the nature of political interviews as asymmetrical, highly structured speech events aimed at a public audience.
2.1 The political interview: Explains the characteristics of political interviews, emphasizing the power dynamic and implicit norms between journalist and politician.
2.2 What an interviewer intends: Discusses the professional motivations of interviewers, ranging from gathering information to holding political elites accountable.
3. Questions: Introduces questions as the central linguistic resource used in the question-and-answer format of media interviews.
3.1 A definition: Examines various linguistic and pragmatic perspectives on what constitutes a question.
3.2 Types of question: Categorizes questions based on their syntactic structure and the types of replies they typically elicit.
3.2.1 Yes-no questions: Describes polar questions that expect affirmation or negation, often used to limit or guide responses.
3.2.2 Wh-questions: Analyzes questions starting with wh-elements, which allow for a broader range of replies compared to closed questions.
3.2.3 Alternative questions: Explores questions that present specific options to the interviewee, forcing a choice between propositions.
3.2.4 Other types: Briefly touches upon exclamatory and rhetorical questions as forms that do not function primarily as requests for information.
4. Analysis: Functions of questions in two exemplary interviews: Applies the theoretical framework to analyze specific questioning strategies used during interviews with David Cameron.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that while the primary function of questioning is to request information, specific contexts lead to nuanced individual functions.
6. References: Provides a comprehensive list of the academic literature and media sources consulted for the research.
Keywords
Political Interview, Questioning, Discourse Analysis, Interrogative, Pragmatics, Accountability, Journalism, Communication Strategy, Syntax, Speech Acts, Yes-no Questions, Wh-questions, Alternative Questions, Rhetorical Strategy, Political Discourse
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the functions of questions within the specific context of political interviews, analyzing how linguistic structures and pragmatic intentions interact to guide political debate.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The core themes include the definition of political interviews, the categorization of various question types, the role of interviewers in maintaining accountability, and the strategic use of language to elicit information.
What is the main goal or research question?
The primary aim is to investigate how interviewers use different types of questions to succeed in their intentions, which range from shedding light on issues to challenging politicians.
Which scientific methods are employed in the analysis?
The research utilizes a qualitative discourse analysis approach, examining transcriptions from two specific political interviews to illustrate how theoretical question types function in practice.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body defines the "political interview" as a genre, categorizes questions (Yes-no, Wh-, Alternative, etc.), and conducts a detailed analysis of how Andrew Marr and Sir David Frost use these structures when interviewing David Cameron.
Which keywords characterize the essence of the work?
Key terms include Political Interview, Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, Questioning, Accountability, and Speech Acts.
How does the context of an interview influence the function of a question?
The context dictates the pragmatic intent; for instance, a yes-no question might be used to force a binary choice in a delicate political situation, thereby acting as a tool for pressure or seeking specific confirmation.
What distinguishes the interviewer's role according to the analysis?
The interviewer is identified as the central, privileged figure in an asymmetrical discourse who manages the flow of the interview, shifts topics, and employs "neutralistic" but "adversarial" questioning techniques.
- Quote paper
- Saleem Arif (Author), 2013, Questions in political interviews, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/263596
