How do people answer polar questions? In this fourteen-language study of answers to questions in conversation, we compare the two main strategies; first, interjection-type answers such as uh-huh (or equivalents yes, mm, head nods, etc.), and second, repetition-type answers that repeat some or all of the question. We find that all languages offer both options, but that there is a strong asymmetry in their frequency of use, with a global preference for interjection-type answers. We propose that this preference is motivated by the fact that the two options are not equivalent in meaning. We argue that interjection-type answers are intrinsically suited to be the pragmatically unmarked, and thus more frequent, strategy for confirming polar questions, regardless of the language spoken. Our analysis is based on the semantic-pragmatic profile of the interjection-type and repetition-type answer strategies, in the context of certain asymmetries inherent to the dialogic speech act structure of question–answer sequences, including sequential agency and thematic agency. This allows us to see possible explanations for the outlier distributions found in ǂĀkhoe Haiǁom and Tzeltal.

To assess the effects of soil water status on the spatial variation in soil carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes, we examined these gas fluxes and environmental factors in a tropical rain forest in Peninsular Malaysia. Measurements of soil CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes were taken ten, nine, and seven times, respectively over 30 mo at 15 or 39 sampling point within 2-ha plot. Mean (± SE) value of spatially averaged CO2 flux was 4.70 ± 0.19 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1 and observed spatial variation in CO2 flux was negatively related to the volumetric soil water content (VSWC) during the dry period. Over the wet period, extremely high CO2 emissions were positively correlated with VSWC at some locations, suggesting that no spatial structure of CO2 flux was because of such hot-spot CO2 emissions. Flux of CH4 was usually negative with little variation, with a mean value of –0.49 ± 0.15 mg CH4 m−2 d−1, resulting in the soil at our study site functioning as a CH4 sink. Spatial variation in CH4 flux was positively related to the VSWC throughout the entire study period (dry and wet). Some CH4 hot spots were observed during dry periods, probably due to the presence of termites. Mean value of spatially averaged N2O flux was 98.9 ± 40.7 μg N m−2 h−1 and N2O flux increased markedly during the wet period. Spatially, N2O flux was positively related to both the VSWC and the soil N concentration and was higher in wet and anaerobic soils. These findings suggest that denitrification is a major contributor to high soil N2O fluxes. Additionally, analysis by adjusting confounding effects of time, location and interaction between time and location in mixed models, VSWC has a negative effect on CO2 flux and positive effects on CH4 and N2O fluxes. We found that soil water status was related temporally to rainfall and controlled greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from the soil at the study site via several biogeochemical processes, including gas diffusion and soil redox conditions. Our results also suggest that considering the biological effects such as decomposer activities may help to explain the complex temporal and spatial patterns in CO2 and CH4 fluxes.

Daily diet may have implications for skin ageing. However, data on the relationship between diet and the parameters of skin conditions are scarce. The present study aimed to examine the associations of biophysical properties of the skin of women with intakes of fats and antioxidant micronutrients as well as food groups as sources of these nutrients. In a cross-sectional study, we measured the hydration, surface lipids and elasticity of the skin of 716 Japanese women using non-invasive techniques. The extent of facial wrinkles in the crow's-foot area was determined by observation using the Daniell scale. Each subject's usual diet was determined with the use of a validated FFQ. After controlling for covariates including age, smoking status, BMI and lifetime sun exposure, the results showed that higher intakes of total fat, saturated fat and monounsaturated fat were significantly associated with increased skin elasticity. A higher intake of green and yellow vegetables was significantly associated with a decreased Daniell wrinkling score. Intake of saturated fat was significantly inversely associated with the Daniell wrinkling score after additional adjustment for green and yellow vegetable intake. Further studies with more accurate measurement methods are needed to investigate the role of daily diet in skin ageing.

A number of Conversation Analytic studies have documented that question recipients have a variety of ways to push against the constraints that questions impose on them. This article explores the concept of transformative answers – answers through which question recipients retroactively adjust the question posed to them. Two main sorts of adjustments are discussed: question term transformations and question agenda transformations. It is shown that the operations through which interactants implement term transformations are different from the operations through which they implement agenda transformations. Moreover, term-transforming answers resist only the question’s design, while agenda-transforming answers effectively resist both design and agenda, thus implying that agenda-transforming answers resist more strongly than design-transforming answers. The implications of these different sorts of transformations for alignment and affiliation are then explored.*