This study employs the framework of responses proposed by Harris (1991), the notion of implicature as defined by Thomas (1995), and the dimensions of resistance introduced by Clayman (2001) to examine the types of responses in Malaysian Parliamentary Question Time. Analysis revealed the tendency of using direct, indirect, and evasive responses to specific questions for various reasons. Direct answers were observed in questions that could reflect positively on the government’s image. On the contrary, indirect answers were employed in questions that suggest clashing of goals between responders and questioners that could subsequently threaten the image of the government whereas negative presuppositions and the way questions are structured in parliament influence the production of evasion.Keywords: direct answer, evasive response, indirect answer, parliamentary discourse, political discourse
This content-analytic study examines the influence of (non) observance of maxims in the production of evasive responses in Malaysian Parliamentary Question Time. The analysis was based on the theories of Cooperative Principle (Grice, 1975) and Clayman’s Framework of Resistance (2001; 2012). Two strategies of (non) observance of maxims were found to produce evasive responses namely, violating and opting out. Ministers and deputy ministers were found to frequently shift tasks required by providing assurances to the questioners and audience. They also acknowledged the issues raised without addressing them. Further, they talked about prior actions taken to address current issues and made a reference to another party to relieve themselves from bearing the responsibility alone which led to the violation of maxims that subsequently produced evasive responses. Evasive responses also occurred when ministers and deputy ministers disregarded the questions altogether, thus opting out of the Cooperative Principle. Despite being evasive, equivocal responses were deemed cooperative as no instances of follow-up questions were recorded.
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