The concept of the follow-up as the third element of a sequential triad was
originally formulated in the context of classroom discourse by Sinclair and
Coulthard (1975). In this chapter, it is applied to the analysis of three distinct
genres of political discourse: speeches, interviews, and parliamentary questions.
Illustrative examples are drawn from television broadcasts with British
politicians. It is proposed that the concepts of the follow-up and the sequential
triad can be usefully applied to all three genres of political discourse. Their
application also highlights significant gaps in the current research literature,
most notably, how both interviewers and politicians follow up equivocal and
unequivocal responses by politicians to questions. In addition, it is argued that
the concept of the follow-up can be usefully extended beyond the sequential
triad to analyze not only sequential interactions over time, but also various
forms of political action within and outside parliament.
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