interrogative utterance
[/ɪnˌtɛrəɡətɪv ˈʌtərəns/]
nounpl: interrogative utterances
enunciado interrogativo
1. A spoken or written statement that expresses a question or seeks information, typically marked by interrogative word order, intonation, or punctuation
The interrogative utterance 'Where are you going?' seeks information about destination.
O enunciado interrogativo 'Aonde você está indo?' busca informação sobre o destino.
2. In linguistics, any verbal expression that functions to elicit a response or clarification from a listener
The child's interrogative utterance demonstrated curiosity about the world.
O enunciado interrogativo da criança demonstrou curiosidade sobre o mundo.
3. A pragmatic communicative act that requests information through speech
The witness made an interrogative utterance in response to the detective's questioning.
A testemunha fez um enunciado interrogativo em resposta ao interrogatório do detetive.
In Brazilian education, the term 'enunciado interrogativo' is fundamental to grammar instruction. Brazilians are generally expressive and may use interrogative utterances more frequently in conversation than some other cultures, often as a way to maintain dialogue engagement and show interest. In formal contexts like interviews or legal proceedings, interrogative utterances follow strict protocols in both Brazilian and American English-speaking cultures.
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