Independent elliptical questions

With a yes-no rise (default)

One way of reacting to a statement made by another speaker is to use a short yes-no question, consisting just of an elliptical (=shortened) verb phrase. This resemble a tag question; but unlike a tag question it involves a change of speaker. The default tone for an independent elliptical answer is a yes-no rise:

🎧
〉 I'm ▸thinking of taking a ⤵break.
》 ⤴Are you?
〉 He's ▸just seen ⤵Peter.
》 ⤴Has he?
This is a kind of minimal response to keep the conversation going. It may indicate anything from boredom to surprise, depending on the pitch range used. It means much the same as:
He's ▸just seen ⤵Peter.
》 ⤴Really?
Independent elliptical questions of this type have the same polarity (positive or negative) as the clause just uttered by the other speaker:
〉 It ▸wasn't very ⤵⤴good.
》 ⤴Wasn't it?

〉 They ▸didn't have any ⤵bread.
》 ⤴Didn't they?
🎧
〉 She \▸wont' be at all ⤵⤴pleased.
》 ⤴Won't she?
〉 ⤵No, | she ⤵won't

With an insistent fall

Independent elliptical questions can also be said with an insistent fall. The tone meaning is one of slight surprise or skepticism, but accepting that the other speaker has expressed an opinion. This tone can sound hostile:

🎧
〉 I ▸really ⤵like it here.
》 ⤵Do you? (I was a▸fraid you ⤵wouldn't.)
〉 Well, it's ⤵over | ⤴now.
》 But ⤵is it? (Per'haps it ⤵⤴isn't over, | after ⤵all.)

〉 There's ▸nothing wrong with ⤵⤴greed.
》 ⤵Isn't there? (I don't a⤵gree with you.)
Much less common is a reverse-polarity negative elliptical yes-no question as a reaction to a positive statement by the other speaker. This is a kind of exclamatory fall (2.17):
〉 We ▸really ⤵thrashed them | ⤵⤴this time.
》 ⤵Didn't we just!
🎧
〉 Her daughter's awfully ⤵⤴clever.
》 Yes, | ⤵isn't she!

Last update at: 2023/09/04 09:27:01