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When I ask you a question I am the inquisitor or or the inquirer. But what are you, the one to whom I'm asking the question? Here's the example I'm working with: the children's book "Are you My Mother?"...the hatchling asks that question to many things (animals, objects); I'd love to have one word to describe those animals and things he's posing the question to...the object of the inquirer.

Bshafe5
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  • @EdwinAshworth I can't find a definition for "inquiree". – Snoop Mar 26 '16 at 16:05
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    Possible duplicate of three other questions: (1)http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/12999/what-do-you-call-somebody-who-asks-a-question-and-somebody-who-answers-a-question: (2) http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/18022/what-do-i-call-a-person-who-is-participating-in-a-survey (3) http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/18022/what-do-i-call-a-person-who-is-participating-in-a-survey Please check all three; if none of them answer your question, then edit your question to explain why none of them do. – ab2 Mar 26 '16 at 16:09
  • @StevieV It was a candidate word used by the OP in their question. Hence the query. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 26 '16 at 16:22
  • I don't think any of the answers in the maybe-duplicate questions fit the OP's example, so I have voted to reopen. – ab2 Mar 26 '16 at 17:19
  • @ab2 Can you explain why Merriam-Webster's 'questionee:

    one that is questioned' doesn't answer 'But what are you, the one to whom I'm asking [sic] the question?'?

     – Edwin Ashworth Mar 26 '16 at 17:29
  • @Edwin Ashworth Technically it would, but (a) I have an allergy to -ee words and (b) it sounds odd in the context of the OPs example, which adds up to: a feeling there must be something better. – ab2 Mar 26 '16 at 17:38
  • @ab2 But there was a valid answer. Your not liking does not constitute a reason to re-open this duplicate (I don't like that answer ['addressee'] either – but I accept it's an answer, and that there are acceptable 'answers' there (J Lawler's gets my vote) and probably the best that exists).Your correct course of action is to close-vote here and concentrate on the original. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 26 '16 at 17:55
  • @Edwin Ashworth OK. – ab2 Mar 26 '16 at 17:58
  • The answer of "questionee" is not good; it is not a commonly known word; thank you for re-opening because none of the three other questions previously asked fit my exact question. – Bshafe5 Mar 27 '16 at 00:12
  • 'Questionee' is not a wonderful answer. But, as I say, it's quite possibly the best single-word answer available. Most people would use 'the person asked' / 'the people asked'. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 27 '16 at 22:09

1 Answers1

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This person is called the:

Respondent

See the definition at dictionary.com

Snoop
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  • What if a person is asked but doesn't reply? I don't think respondent works in that case? – k1eran Mar 26 '16 at 15:47
  • @k1eran definitely a very good point. Then in that case they definitely wouldn't be responding to anything would they? – Snoop Mar 26 '16 at 15:48
  • I nearly answered target but seems a bit imprecise? – k1eran Mar 26 '16 at 15:54
  • @k1eran No I think that definitely works, only target can be applied to anything. However target (person the question is directed at) might work better because the person being asked doesn't necessarily have to respond. In context "the target of the question" makes perfect sense to me. – Snoop Mar 26 '16 at 15:56
  • Correct about "what if the person doesn't reply"; thus respondent doesn't work; and "target of the question" doesn't work in that it needs to be one word if possible. Here's the example I'm working with: the children's book "Are you My Mother?"...the hatchling asks that question to many things (animals, objects); I'd love to have one word to describe those animals and things he's posing the question to. – Bshafe5 Mar 26 '16 at 16:34
  • @BarryShafer did the answers to any of ab2 's list of questions help you? If not then you need to show you've read through them and that they don't work in OP. – Snoop Mar 26 '16 at 16:36
  • As John Lawler says here it’s *Adressee* which works regardless of whether they answer or not. – Jim Mar 26 '16 at 16:40
  • @Jim Thank you for sharing, one can be addressed about anything. Whether or not it is a question. I like Daniel's answer on that same page you just linked. – Snoop Mar 26 '16 at 16:42
  • I think adressee is unambigious in the proper context and that questionee sounds so fabricated that if that were the only word available I’d rephrase to avoid it. – Jim Mar 26 '16 at 16:45
  • @Jim addressee is ambiguous in this context, by definition. – Snoop Mar 26 '16 at 16:45
  • In that case, so is respondent – Jim Mar 26 '16 at 16:48
  • @Jim yes I agree. – Snoop Mar 26 '16 at 16:49
  • @StevieV; Yes, I did read the other questions and they only helped in confirming to me that there may not be a good, single word that describes the receiver of a conversational question. – Bshafe5 Mar 27 '16 at 12:47
  • @Bshafe5 it actually sounds like "questionee" may be your best bet. See the link that Jim provided (seven comments up from here). – Snoop Mar 27 '16 at 13:38
  • Thanks all! As much as I might hate to go with an "-ee" I think you're right about it being the best bet. It's interesting that there is not a fitting word for this context. Nevertheless, this question has introduced me to this great community. Thank you! – Bshafe5 Mar 28 '16 at 15:37
  • @Bshafe5 Glad to help, glad you've had a good experience here. – Snoop Mar 28 '16 at 15:50