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.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The interview
- The political interview
- What an interviewer intends
- Questions
- A definition
- Types of question
- Yes-no questions
- Wh-questions
- Alternative questions
- Other types
- Analysis: Functions of questions in two exemplary interviews
- Conclusion
- References
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the functions of questions in political interviews, focusing on interviews conducted by Andrew Marr and Sir David Frost. The paper aims to understand the specific functions of questions used by the interviewers to guide the discourse and achieve their intentions.- The nature and function of questions in political interviews
- The role of the interviewer in shaping the interview discourse
- The various types and functions of questions employed in political interviews
- The relationship between question type, content, and intended function
- An analysis of two exemplary interviews to illustrate the application of these principles
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introductory chapter highlights the importance of questions in political discourse and introduces the focus of the paper on political interviews. It outlines the paper's objectives, including exploring the various types and functions of questions used by interviewers, examining the interviewers' intentions, and analyzing two exemplary interviews. Chapter two defines the interview as an asymmetrical discourse format characterized by a clear question-and-answer structure. It then distinguishes between standardized interviews used for research and media interviews conducted by journalists. Chapter two then delves into the characteristics of political interviews, highlighting their role in political debate and their structure as highly structured speech events governed by implicit norms. Finally, this chapter explores the interviewer's overall intentions in conducting a political interview, suggesting that it is primarily a journalistic tool for gathering information and holding politicians accountable.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the analysis of questions in political interviews, emphasizing their functions and the intentions of the interviewers. Key themes include the nature and purpose of questions in political discourse, the role of the interviewer in shaping the interview's direction, the classification and function of various question types, and the relationship between question form, content, and intended outcome. The paper uses two exemplary interviews to illustrate these concepts, examining the specific types and functions of questions employed by the interviewers, Andrew Marr and Sir David Frost.
- Quote paper
- Saleem Arif (Author), 2013, Questions in political interviews, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/263596
