Key Learnings
Key Learning 01
Answers do not possess distinct structural markers and politicians should take advantage of this looseness when executing a covert evasion.
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Repeating key words can be used to evade a question, the words do not have to be used in the same context or with the same meaning as they have in the question formulation.
Answers do not possess distinct structural markers and politicians should take advantage of this looseness when executing a covert evasion.
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Response terminology, such as 'on the contrary' can also be included in a response to a question. It does not matter whether it is coherent with the meaning and structure of the response, its inclusion will signal an answer has been provided.
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Exploit the freedom of an 'answer'
Key Learning 02
Smarter with laughter
Laughter can be used in two ways:
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Retrospectively, laughter can be implemented to commentate on the questions that emerge, undermining them as things that are unworthy of answers.
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Prospectively, using laughter creates a dynamic where it is conditionally relevant for the interviewer to laugh in response to an interviewee. This is important for undermining the interviewer and the project of the interviewer's talk.
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Warning:
Laughter must be moved into interviews strategically, too much laughter, or laughter that continues for too long, risks appearing fake and awkward.
Key Learning 03
Announced Refusal
A strategic announcement of the imminent refusal is fundamental to successfully executing a refusal to answer.
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This announcement should implicitly signal the 'wrongness' of the question through word choice, particularly modal auxiliary verbs, for example, "I shouldn't".
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Announcements should, wherever possible, seek to preserve affiliation by signalling the wrongness of the question, rather than the interviewer.
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Announcements prove particularly strong against leading questions, acting to stop the direction of a leading question by abruptly stopping the question/answer sequence