Introduction Tentative language is characterized by language that contains hedges ("kind of"), hesitations ("um"), intensifiers ("certainly"), tag questions ("give me the remote, won't you"), and deicitic phrases ("over there"). This type of language is often perceived as being unsure of one's self and as lacking control when communicated in both written and spoken form. It allows the communicator to avoid commitment to a statement. The majority of...

Abstract This paper examines existing research into the sociolinguistic strategies of queer individuals in the performance of nonheteronormative identity as related to affirming or disavowing community. Ethnographic and auto-ethnographic field research is presented in the form of transcribed conversations among nonheteronormative individuals, and analysis based on the presented research is offered in attempting to gain insight on the ways that gay men use language to convey community, as well as...