  The applicability of the so-called truncated Wigner approximation (-W) is
extended to multitime averages of Heisenberg field operators. This task splits
naturally in two. Firstly, what class of multitime averages the -W
approximates, and, secondly, how to proceed if the average in question does not
belong to this class. To answer the first question we develop an (in principle,
exact) path-integral approach in phase-space based on the symmetric (Weyl)
ordering of creation and annihilation operators. These techniques calculate a
new class of averages which we call time-symmetric. The -W equations emerge as
an approximation within this path-integral techniques. We then show that the
answer to the second question is associated with response properties of the
system. In fact, for two-time averages Kubo's renowned formula relating the
linear response function to two-time commutators suffices. The -W is trivially
generalised to the response properties of the system allowing one to calculate
approximate time-normally ordered two-time correlation functions with
surprising ease. The techniques we develop are demonstrated for the
Bose-Hubbard model.
