Explain the concept of tag questions in discourse analysis.

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Explain the concept of tag questions in discourse analysis.

Tag questions are a linguistic phenomenon used in discourse analysis to seek confirmation or clarification from the listener. They consist of a declarative statement followed by a question tag, which is a short question that is added at the end of the statement. The tag is usually formed by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb of the statement and adding a pronoun. The purpose of tag questions is to engage the listener in the conversation, express uncertainty, or elicit agreement or disagreement. They can also convey politeness or assertiveness depending on the intonation and context in which they are used. In discourse analysis, tag questions are studied to understand their role in conversation dynamics, power relations, and the speaker's intentions.