„Ich sag’ jetzt einfach nö“. – Konversationelle Funktionen der Responsivpartikel nö im gesprochenen Deutsch

Titelangaben

Groß, Alexandra ; Gubina, Alexandra:
„Ich sag’ jetzt einfach nö“. – Konversationelle Funktionen der Responsivpartikel nö im gesprochenen Deutsch.
In: Zeitschrift für germanistische Linguistik. Bd. 54 (2026) Heft 2 . - S. 305-348.
ISSN 1613-0626
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/zgl-2026-3001

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Abstract

This paper presents a systematic, collection-based analysis of the interactional
functions of the negative discourse particle nö in responses to yes/no-initiating
actions in spoken German. Drawing on the methods of Conversation Analysis
and Interactional Linguistics and using telephone and video recordings of naturally
occurring German conversations from the FOLK corpus, the study shows that nö-responses
convey specific interactional meanings. Specifically, they can (i) frame the
initiating turn as problematic, (ii) signal a breach of expectations for cooperative
next actions, or (iii) express a rejection in an affiliative way that signals shared
understanding. The analysis further demonstrates that sequential position, along
with phonetic-prosodic features and bodily behavior, plays a crucial role in shaping
the function that nö fulfills in a given context. Importantly, the study highlights that
nö is not simply a variant of nein but carries its own distinct interactional meaning.