nulrespons

nulrespons is a term used in sociolinguistics and communication studies to denote a deliberate absence of substantive reply to a prompt. Comprising the elements nul meaning "zero" and respons meaning "response" in several Germanic languages, the term describes a response that delivers little or no information content, yet may carry communicative weight through timing, modality, or accompanying cues.

In practice, nulrespons can take forms such as an empty pause, a minimal acknowledgment like "OK" or "sure" with no elaboration, or a nonverbal behavior such as sustained silence or disengaged body language. The function is not merely to withhold information but to manage interactional dynamics.

Possible purposes include preserving face, avoiding conflict, buying time, signaling disagreement without overt refusal, or steering the course of a conversation. In digital communication, nulrespons may arise from bot-like automation, message fatigue, or platform constraints that suppress substantive replies.

Researchers analyze nulrespons through turn-taking sequences, timing, and the contrast between the prompt and any subsequent content. It is distinguished from plain silence caused by distraction or constraints and from explicit rejection. The term is a relatively recent addition to the discourse and is used variably across fields; some scholars prefer alternative labels such as nonresponse, silence, or minimal response.

See also: silence, nonresponse, turn-taking, refusal strategy, communication pragmatics.