Glossary
	Comm & Cognition |Comm as Cog. Sci. | Configuring | Analyses | Works Cited | downloads | help | about

Related Terms

COGNITIVE ABILITIES assimilation-accommodation cognitive abilities comparing (scanning) imposing mapping narrating perspective taking projecting representing signify   Complete Term List

 

Dictionary Definition from Wordnet

1. (17) question, oppugn, call into question -- (challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of; "We must question your judgment in this matter") 2. (14) interrogate, question -- (pose a series of questions to; "The suspect was questioned by the police"; "We questioned the survivor about the details of the explosion") 3. (5) question, query -- (pose a question) 4. (3) interview, question -- (conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting) 5. (2) wonder, question -- (place in doubt or express doubtful speculation; "I wonder whether this was the right thing to do"; "she wondered whether it would snow tonight")

 

 

Questioning TO RETURN TO READING, CLICK "BACK" ON YOUR BROWSER MENU.

Working Definition:

A speech act that indicates that something is unknown by placing it in doubt.

Disciplinary Definitions:

In his Speech Acts, John Searle identified questioning as a speech act with the following characteristics:

... content	Any proposition or propositional function
preparatory [situation]	1. S does not know 'the answer', i.e., does not know if the proposition is true, or, in the case of the propositional function, does not know the information needed to complete the proposition truly (but see comment below). 2. It is not obvious to both s and H that H will provide the information at that time without being asked.
sincerity	S wants this information
essential [feature]	Counts as an attempt to elicit this information from H.
comment	There are two kinds of questions, (a) real questions (b) exam questions. In real questions S wnats to know (find out) the answer; in exam questions, s wants to know if H knows.

(p. 65). This speech act depends for its "force" on the fulfilment of the essential condition, that the expression "counts as an attempt to elicit [the missing] information."

Comments:

 

Notes

 

Check: 

jjs

TO RETURN TO READING, CLICK "BACK" ON YOUR BROWSER MENU.

last revised: September 1, 2007 Send comments to jjs.

copyright © jjs, 2007