7.2 Pre-verbal nú
7.2.2 Nú in multi-unit questions
The term multi-unit question refers to questions which consist of more than one TCU, that is, a turn in which at least one TCU functions as a question (cf. Lindholm 2003).
In contemporary Icelandic, such structures are sometimes initiated with a pre-verbal nú. In excerpt (7.6), which is drawn from the television debate Elections, Sigrún is discussing her opinion on the president’s right to veto the decisions of the parliament.
Sigrún is the last candidate to answer the question, and the excerpt begins at the end of her turn (lines 1–4). So far, she has not given a straight answer to the question, and the journalists are starting to lose patience.
(7.6) WHY DIDN’T YOU SUPPORT IT YOURSELF?: Elections
(M = Moderator; S = Sigrún, a candidate for the presidency; F = Freyr, a journalist)
1 S .h Þetta er e::: mál sem hefur komið til umræðu ítrekað á fundum .h this be.3 e::: case which have.3 come.PP to discussion repeatedly on meetings .h this is an issue which has been discussed repeatedly in the candidates’ meetings 2 frambjóðendanna .hhh og það hafa allir frambjóðendur tekið undir
candidates.GEN .hhh and it have.3.PL all.M candidates take.PP VP .hhh and and all the candidates have supported
3 þessa hugmynd,.hh það er ákveðinn áfangi¿ (0.5).hhh fyrir hugmyndina¿
this idea .hh that be.3 certain.M milestone (0.5) .hhh for idea.ACC.DEF
Freyr interrupts Sigrún by asking her a question before there is any sign of an upcoming turn-completion (line 5). In fact, Sigrún has just uttered the connective sem
‘which,’ which clearly projects a continuation. Note also that Freyr alters the volume of his voice, showing that he is competing with Sigrún for the floor (at the beginning of line 6). Freyr begins his interruption with the connective en ‘but,’ which already suggests that he wants to object to her statement or at least bring up a new perspective
(line 5). This connective is immediately followed by a statement initiated with a pre-verbal nú which foregrounds the fact that Sigrún herself was a member of the parliament. Without delay, this statement is followed up with a question requesting Sigrún to explain why she did not address the issue she is raising when she was in parliament (lines 5–6). In other words, Freyr is implying that Sigrún has already had the chance to make a difference and did not do so. In the subsequent turn, Sigrún points out that Freyr’s presuppositions are wrong: she did in fact make such a motion (line 7).
The question in (7.6) is designed as a challenge, or as a provoking element (cf.
Nylund 2000: 132). The statement contains a strong critique against Sigrún, and it overlaps her turn. By initiating the overlap with nú, Freyr signals that he is introducing a new argument. Just as in section 7.2.1, the utterance containing nú is presented in a firm and decisive tone, and it establishes the relevant background for Freyr’s question.
Multi-unit turns containing a pre-verbal nú consist of at least one declarative TCU with which the speaker provides the recipient of the question with appropriate background before the question is posed (cf. Schegloff 1996: 61; Nylund 2000: 131).
Figure 7.3 shows the structure of multi-unit questions containing a pre-verbal nú:
NÚ + STATEMENT QUESTION
Figure 7.3: Structure of multi-unit questions initiated by nú
Speakers typically present the background information as something that is generally known and agreed upon; consequently, their statements cannot easily be challenged.
Furthermore, by producing the declarative and the question without any prosodic boundaries, such as in (7.6), the recipient is not given an opportunity to respond to the background information.
Sometimes, however, the recipient is given time to provide feedback before the question is produced. The following excerpt is drawn from the data ITC. Here, Erna is talking with a service representative from a telephone company. Erna has explained that she has just signed up for high speed internet service (ADSL) through her work place, and she is calling to find out how to cancel her old agreement. Just before the
excerpt begins, Erna has asked the service representative if she can cancel the old agreement, since she still needs to use the telephone line to use the new internet service:
(7.7) CANCELLING THE INTERNET ACCOUNT: ITC 05.07.03
(E = Erna; S = Service representative)
1 S .h jú ef þú ert þá komin með eitthvað annað frá þeim, (0.4) .h PRT if you be.2 then come.PP.F with something other from them (0.4) .h yes if you have received something else from them (0.4)
2 [sem áa vera aðgangurinnðinn inn á a dé ess ellið þá (0.4) [ which ought.3+to be.INF entrance.DEF+your in on a dee ess ell.DEF then (0.4) [which is supposed to be your login to the ADSL then (0.4)
3 E [já
[PRT
[yes
4 S verðuru bara að segja þessari upp→
have.2+you just to say.INF this up you just have to cancel this
5 (0.4) 6 E ók↑ei:
PRT okay
7 (0.5)
→ E .hhh (0.2) hérna: ehe::: Hvernig erða’ Nú er ég með (0.3) .hhh (0.2) PRT ((clearing her throat)) how be.3+that NÚ be.3 I with (0.3) .hhh (0.2) ehm how is it NÚ I have (0.3)
9 #e::# heimasíðu og sona sema .hh (0.5) #e# hjá Alnet¿
e:: home page.ACC and PRT which+that .hh (0.5) eh with Alnet eh homepage and things like that which .hh (0.5) eh with Alnet
10 (0.2) 11 S j↓á
PRT yes
12 (0.3)
13 E °hjá ykkur° Fellur þa þá niður.
with you.DAT fall.3 that then down with you, is that then cancelled?
14 S ejá PRT yes
The service representative advises Erna to cancel her old ADSL account (lines 1–2 and 3). Erna responds with the particle ók↑ei: ‘okay’ and thus acknowledges and accepts the instructions provided (line 6). By using rising intonation, Erna signals that the topic is not yet exhausted. After a 0.5 second pause, Erna poses another question to the representative (lines 8–9 and 13). This question is constructed as a multi-unit question which consists of several different parts. After a pre-beginning (.hhh) and a brief pause, Erna produces a floor holder, hérna:. She then clears her throat and produces a TCU which projects an upcoming question: Hvernig erða’ ‘How is it?’
(line 8). Despite the question projector, Erna does not immediately produce the actual question. Instead she lets the representative know that she has “a homepage and things like that.” In other words, Erna gives the representative information which she will need to answer the upcoming question (lines 8–9). When the information has been acknowledged by the service representative (line 11), Erna produces a continuation to her previous turn, specifying that the homepage is “with you” (line 13). This last part is produced in sotto voce. Immediately following this continuation, Erna produces the actual question: “is that then cancelled?” This part of the turn is produced with a louder voice than the previous TCU. The service representative gives a positive answer without delay (line 14).
The multi-unit question in excerpt (7.7) consists of three parts: a) the pre-sequence hvernig erða’ ‘how is it,’ which projects an upcoming question, b) a statement initiated by nú, and, c) the actual question. After the statement, the service representative is given the opportunity to respond to background information. Erna does not pose the actual question until after the representative has registered this new information.
As I have shown thus far, the declarative parts initiated with nú present background information as factual and true. In some cases, however, the interlocutors may want to show reservation. Consider excerpt (7.8), drawn from the data Teens, in which Haraldur is interviewing a music band. The interview takes place just after the band has played one of their new songs live. Consequently, the band members are spread around the studio and cannot all participate in the interview. When the excerpt begins, Haraldur has already introduced the band members. One of the members, Kristján, is sitting by the keyboard a bit further away. Haraldur, the host, tries to include him in the conversation and asks him to interrupt if he has something to say (line 1):
(7.8) THE SLOW BAND: Teens
(H = Haraldur, the host; K = Kristján; B = Björn; and S = Sverrir, band members) 1 H Þú- þú bara kallar inn í ef það er eitthvað¿
you you just call.2 in in if that be.3 something You just interrupt us if there is something
10 B strengja[útsetnin]gar og (0.4) .hhh kóra o lúðrasveitir string [arrangeme ]nts and (0.4) .hhh choirs and brass bands
18 fallegt band e- Mundiði (.) [segja °að þið væruð° ] beautiful .N band eh would.2.PL+you (.) [ say.INF t hat you be.2.PL.SUBJ]
beautiful band e- would you (.) [ say that you were ]
19 B [*h h h h ]Vi erum mjög [ ((laughter)) ] we be.1.PL very [ h h h h ] we are a very 20 hægt band.*
slow.N band slow band
21 S [[*hhh heh heh heeh*]
[[ ((laughter)) ] [[ hhh heh heh heeh ]
22 H [[*he heh hee ].hhhh hérna .hhhhhh* hérna a- a- (0.2) Eretta (.) [[ ((laugher)) ] .hhhh PRT .hhhhhh PRT a- a- (0.2) be-3+this (.) [[ he heh hee ] .hhhh ehm .hhhhhh ehm a- -a- (0.2) is this (.)
23 útafðví að þi eruð svona alvarlegir eða hva eretta.
because that you be.2.PL so serious.M.PL or what be.3+this because you are so serious or why is this so?
24 (0.6)
25 B Nei við erum bara svo /vitlausir.
PRT we be.3.PL just so stupid.M.PL no, we are just so stupid
26 S >Já: é held þa.<
yes I think.1 it Yes, I think so
After Haraldur has suggested to Kristján that he may interrupt the conversation, he turns back to his agenda: interviewing the band members (line 6). Here, there is a clear transition from arranging the interview to posing questions. This transition is clearly marked with the particle hérna ‘here’ and with the pre-verbal tone particle nú (line 6). Nú is delivered with a prolonged vowel and slowly falling intonation. Despite the projection of a statement, Haraldur is cut off by Björn who simultaneously inserts a comment about Kristján, the new member in the band (lines 5, 7–8, 10, 12, and 14).
A possible reason for this overlap is that Björn knows that Haraldur is moving on to the next question (projected by nú), and he therefore realizes that this is his last chance to explain why Kristján joined the band. After Björn’s explanation, there is a 0.4 second pause (line 16). After the pause, Haraldur makes another attempt to ask the band members a question (lines 17–18 and 22–23). Again, he initiates the question with nú, this time produced with a prolonged consonant and a slightly rising vowel with creaky voice (line 17). Haraldur’s turn has two components: first, an assertion containing a pre-verbal nú, and, second, a polar question. The assertion constituting
the first part is an evaluative description which Haraldur presents as matter-of-fact.
However, before he is able to complete the question, Björn starts laughing (line 19).
Björn then repeats Haraldur’s assertion partially with laughter in his voice, and focuses on Haraldur’s description of them as “a slow band” (lines 19–20). Haraldur and Sverrir respond to this comment simultaneously with laughter (lines 21–22), and Haraldur then abandons his question. By using laughter, the interlocutors establish that Haraldur’s description is funny. The comic side of the description may be a play on words, since being hægur ‘slow’ can, in some contexts, mean that someone is vitlaus ‘stupid’ (see Björn’s ironic answer in line 25). After a short sequence of laughter, Haraldur makes another attempt to ask the question (line 22). The second attempt is initiated with the particle hérna ‘here.’ After a deep breath, he stops laughing and produces hérna again. This time, it is followed by other planning markers (a- a-) and a short pause. Finally, Haraldur is able to complete his question by wording it slightly differently (lines 22–23).
In (7.8), the recipient to a multi-unit question comments on the assessment made in the first part, before the question is completed. Although Björn does not deny that his music is “slow and beautiful,” his response shows that he questions this description. Björn’s response has at least two important effects. First, it causes Haraldur to hesitate and to rephrase his question. Second, it suggests to both Haraldur and the listeners that it is not totally unproblematic for Björn to accept Haraldur’s description.
In excerpts (7.6) to (7.8), I have shown examples of how the tone particle nú is employed to construct multi-unit questions. I have argued that the construction nú + facts + interrogative is a communicative strategy commonly used in conversations, in particular in institutional conversations and in mediated discourse. In the three excerpts that I provide, nú is used to initiate assertions in which speakers present facts as though they are generally known and accepted to be true. By foregrounding the facts before the actual question, the speaker is able to establish common ground on which he or she later bases the upcoming question. In addition, sometimes speakers have an opportunity to respond before the actual question is posed.
The assertions containing pre-verbal nú have many similarities with the instances presented in section 7.2.1. The assertions preceding the questions are presented as new angles on ongoing topics. In (7.7), for example, Erna tells the representative that she has a homepage with her company. Similarly, in (7.8), the program host brings the band members’ attention to the fact that their band plays very “slow and beautiful”
music. These utterances are initiatives rather than responses. In the following section,
I will take a look at instances in which such initiatives are used when a speaker seems to be expecting a more responsive turn. Such turns are used to show disalignment.