Question

Molly asks her mother if she'll help her go through her wardrobe to see what needs to be thrown out. her mother replies, "throwing out things is a great idea; help me with cleaning out this refrigerator, won't you?" this reply is an example of a(n) _____.

Answer 1

Molly's mother made a classic tangential response as she twists the original proposition into something else. The tangential response is a response which uses the other speaker's statement as a starting, shifting point for starting the new topic and navigating the conversation into a new direction.