"Yes, I Agree"

The present study of yes/no questions explores what it might be about them that has encouraged many to think of an affirmative answer as a form of agreement with the question. It is easy to see how such a view may be taken of questions which are, by their very form, biased in favour of such an answer, though less so in the case of neutral questions. Even here, however, something may be said in defence of the view, if we consider semantic theories associating with a question a particular proposition, which, though unasserted by the asker, is still expressed and 'on the table' to be agreed to by the answerer.