The Danish particle nå (generally /nʌ/) serves many different functions. Among these is free standing nå→, which is nå spoken in a turn by itself and which has straight intonation.

The free standing nå→ functions as a continuer. It can occur multiple places in a turn. Therefore it can occur in overlap with another speakers turn since the interactional function is to show that the person, who utters it, is still paying attention and understands what the other speaker is saying. If this nå is followed by a pause in the speech of the other speaker, the turn can be taken, but otherwise the other speaker keeps his or her turn.

This is an example of nå with straight intonation:

Dette er et eksempel på nå med jævn intonation:

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01   AST:   ∙hh ja før da boede de deroppe hvor elin å børge
            yes before PTC lived they up.there where name and name
            yes before they lived up where elin and børge
02          har boet→
            have lived
            have lived
03          (0.5)
04   AST:   fordi den ejendom har- karsten jo købt (.) med
            because that property have name PTC bought with
            because karsten has bought that property with
05          jord[en]→
            land.the
            the land
06   LIS:       [ja]:→
                 yes
07          (1.0)
08   AST:   smt men nu de så flyttet derned å så er de jo
            smt but now they then moved downthere and then are they PTC
            smt but now they moved downthere
09          nede på stedet↘
            down on place.the
            down to the place
10   LIS:   ja:→
            yes
11          (0.5)
12   AST:   å de er *ø:m:* nogen af dem de nogle vældig s::
            and they are uhm some of them they some quite
            and some of them are quite
13          der blandt andet en pige hun er sån (0.3) kvik
            there among other a girl she is like bright
            there is a girl she is quite a bright
14          kvik pige→
            bright girl
15          (.)
16   LIS:   nå→
            oh
17          (.)
18   AST:   en ukrainer som er ∙hhh øh hun har et lille
            a ukranian who is ∙hhh uh she has a small
            a ukranian who is uh she has a small
19          barn i ukraine så det er jo (.) s[:→]
            child in ukraine so that is PTC s
            child in ukraine so that is
20   LIS:                                    [nå]:::↘
                                              oh

Kilder og yderligere læsning

Den Danske Ordbog (DDO). Online Danish dictionary on nå.

Ordbog over Dansk Talesprog (ODT). Dictionary of Danish spoken language Entry on nå.

Femø-Nielsen (2002) gives a concise overview of different uses of nå

Heritage (1984) is quite an elaborate analysis yse af oh's functions in English

Local (1996) is an elaporate analysis of the meaning of oh's prosody in English

Steensig (2001) has a quite extensive section on prosody in Danish

Steensig m.fl. (2013) has a section with a more thorough analysis of nå with both straight intonation and rising intonation. 

Related entries

Forms > Word classes > Interjections and particles 

Forms > Sounds > Prosody

Functions > Actions > Other actions > Continuer