I'm wondering what it is that each of you .. .

I don't know whether the process . . . was easy or difficult. . .

I'm curious whether you can shed some light. . .

The particular language form used in this questioning is called embedded questions.

One of the choices which the therapist has when he receives no verbal response to the embedded questions is to select one of the family members and to identify him by name, requesting his response. Again, notice that, even after identifying the family member, the therapist is delicate in his questioning, using the embedded question first, I'm curious whether you can .... Furthermore, the therapist uses another important pattern as he becomes more direct in his attempt to gather information — the pattern of polite commands (conversational postulates).

Dave, tell me, specifically, what you . . . ,

the therapist asks Dave a question,

Can you tell me, specifically, what you . . .

Again, later, after Dave has responded, the therapist uses the same form — the polite command (conversational postulate):

Dave, can you tell me one thing that is missing for you?

The important thing about this pattern is that, although what the therapist says has the form of a question which could be answered legitimately by a simple yes or no, it has the force of a command. Consider a common, everyday example: You and a friend are in the same room; the telephone rings, and your friend glances up at you and says,