right

In England: During information-gathering conversations, "right" is an unconsciously uttered filler word that precedes the response to a question. The duration of the utterance is directly related to the assuredness of the response that follows. Short utterances indicate that respondents are confident of their answers. Drawn-out utterances denote that respondents have less confidence in their answers. When the pronunciation is drawn-out excessively, respondents are signaling that they do not know the correct answer, yet feel obliged to respond anyway.

"How many eggs should I use in this quiche?"

"Right. Three eggs ought to be enough."

"What is the most direct route to Scarborough Fair?"

"Ri-i-i-ght. I believe you follow this road to a roundabout, and go west."

"Is the library open on Sunday?"

"Ri-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ight. I do remember a time when the library was open seven days a week."

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