Tag Question

A tag question is a form of indirect communication consisting of a short question appended to a declarative statement. It often is used in polite speech to soften or weaken a statement's impact (e.g. “The meetings would run more smoothly if we e-mailed the documents to everyone in advance, don't you think?” ). Throughout this entry, tag questions are italicized.

The tag question has many functions. For instance, it may (a) help prevent the speaker from appearing pushy and thereby help circumvent conflict; (b) confirm information of which the speaker is nearly but not totally certain (“The meeting is at 2 p.m., is that correct?” ); (c) intimidate or coerce courtroom witnesses being interrogated under oath (“You did have time to hide the gun after you shot your brother, didn't you?!” ); (d) show empathy (“That's a shame about the company's closing, isn't it?” ); (e) enhance camaraderie and humor among speakers of African American Vernacular English (“Obama ain't playin’, o-kay?” ); (f) express sarcasm in colloquial fashion (“Governor Sarah Palin could focus a little less on lipstick and a lot more on foreign policy, ya think?” ). Robin Lakoff also provides an example of frequent colloquial use of tags by teenagers: “So I went to see her, OK? And she was all—y'know? —’What're you doing here,’ right?”

In this entry, discussion of the tag question is set within the broad context of scholarly discourse about women's language use, differences in men's and women's communication styles, features of African American and hip-hop women artists’ language use, and impact of the credibility and context of a speaker on persuasion. Use of the tag question in various professional and social arenas is also explored. The concept has relevance in matters as diverse as social education of boys and girls, court interpreting for foreign-language defendants, authenticity in advertising, communication between nurses and physicians, and the political communication style of women elected officials, among other issues. Tag questions can reveal identity status among speakers, as well as power differentials among different identities.