Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin Chinese often employs echo answers. Often yes-no questions in Mandarin are expressed in the A-not-A form, and are answered with either A or not-A. For example:
- Nǐ yào bu yào chī júzi? ("You want or not want eat orange?")
- Yào. ("Want.")
- Bu yào. ("Not want.")
- Tā màn-màn-de pǎo háishi bu màn-màn-de pǎo? ("(S)he slowly run or not slowly run?")
- Màn-màn-de pǎo. ("Slowly run.")
- Bu màn-màn-de pǎo ("Not slowly run.")
In addition, often yes-no questions are formed by adding the particle ma ("yes or no?") to the end of a sentence, in which case the answer can be shì de ("is (so)") or bu shì ("not is (so)"), or duì ("right") or bu duì (not right"):
- Nǐ bu shàng kè ma? ("You not go-to class yes-or-no?")
- Duì. ("Right.") or Shì de. ("Is (so).")
- Bu duì. ("Not right.") or "Bu shì. ("Not is (so).")
Read more about this topic: Echo Answer
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