Concordant assertoric nods: Embodiment of epistemic insistence

Abstract

Building on the notion that the functional significance of nods may vary with their physical form and execution, this conversation-analytic report builds on and extends our exploration of what we have termed “assertoric nods” to contexts in which they co-occur with utterances of positive polarity—referred to here as “concordant assertoric nods”—in naturally occurring, multi-party English conversation. We focus on two primary contexts in which these nods arise: (1) when accompanying a claim or assertion, and (2) when accompanying a question. In the cases examined here, utterances accompanied by an assertoric nod—whether a claim, assertion, or question—typically emerge during moments of epistemic struggle between participants. For the most part, these struggles involve contests for epistemic primacy over the issue at hand, either through the implicit adoption of a knowledgeable K+ stance when making a claim or assertion, or by challenging another's assumed K+ position through questioning. What holds across these cases is that the nodding speaker marks a moment of heightened epistemic engagement—demonstrating commitment and steadfastness toward their position—within the unfolding interactional negotiation. Our findings contribute to research on epistemics and embodied conduct in social interaction and challenge the common-sense association of head nodding with positively valenced actions, revealing that what is commonly referred to as “head nodding” is far from a single, undifferentiated action.