Nå (straight intonation)
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:
Samtalebank | Samfundskrise | 1067 ((face-to-face))
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.