INVARIANT QUESTION TAGS
Invariant tags are those such as Right? 1 and okay?, which are not derived from the structure of the main clause. Like other tags, Right? seeks confirmation or agreement from the addressee. Right and okay, however, also function (like all right) as responses indicating agreement or compliance, and also as discourse markers to call attention and initiate an action 3:
1 Getting over a cold, right? [KBF]
2 . . . whenever you want to read there, you can do that. Okay right right. [KCV]
3 Right, er, let’s have a look then [KB3]
The form innit, (in n t AmE) originally derived from isn’t it, is used in popular, nonstandard speech as a tag appended to a declarative 4. In the vernacular it is also used as a negative interrogative main verb and a question tag, in the same sentence 5. Furthermore, in some communities it is becoming a generalized tag 6. However, it is highly stigmatized in all its uses and is avoided by speakers of Standard English.
4 It’s a nice pattern innit? [KB8]
5 Ah innit lovely innit? [KBE]
6 You know our life story innit? [KCS]
