interaction in conversation part ii (blog)

INTERACTIONAL FEATURES IN CONVERSATION ANALYSIS

ByLuis Carlos Lasso Montenegro

ADJANCENCY PAIRSIs the basic unit of interaction composed of two turns which

are produced by different speakers.

U1 – Related to – U2

Characteristics • Consist of two utterances. • Utterances are adjacent.• Different speakers produce each utterance.• Include different types of exchanges.

Ex: Question/Answer

A: I’ve got a meeting this afternoon, haven’t I?B: Yeah, that’s right. With Henry and Tom.

Reference: Thornbury, S. and Slade, D. (2006). Conversation: From description to pedagogy. Cambridge University Press

A: Now who can I make an iced coffee for? B: Oh I think you could make one for my fat stomach.

A: You don’t like fish?B: No, it’s not that I don’t like it, it’s the way it is done.

A: Jerry, hi, where’s our cake?B: It’s coming, it’s coming. (laugh)

A: Mmm, don’t speak with your mouth half full, pull the bloody thing out. B: I will do what I bloody well like.

A: Great haircut.B: Do you think? The hair color burnt my scalp.

A: Hand me the knife from the bench, will you?B: Here you go.

Preferred SequenceLess face-threatening

response

Accepting an InvitationGranting a Request

Responding a ComplimentAccepting an offer

SEQUENCEIt is an adjacency pair U1 – U2

and any expansions of that adjacency determined by a choice of responses.

Dispreferred Sequence Face-threatening response ConversationalCooperativeness

Rejecting an InvitationRefusing a RequestResponding a ComplimentExpressing an Apology

Reference: Thornbury, S. and Slade, D. (2006). Conversation: From description to pedagogy. Cambridge University Press

MOVES AND EXCHANGESA move is the basic semantic unit in interactive

talk and determines the way speakers negotiate the exchange of meaning.

Characteristics • Conversation Utterances. • Indicate turn-transfer.• Can be assigned a speech function. •Include Initiating, Expected & Discretionary moves.

Ex: Initiating Move

A: What do you think of Jake?Speech Function: Question

A: I think Jake is bigheaded.Speech Function: Declarative

Reference: Thornbury, S. and Slade, D. (2006). Conversation: From description to pedagogy. Cambridge University Press

Expected Responding Moves

• Finish the exchange.• Support the speaker’s

proposition. Answer– Acknowledge

Response (offer/command)

A: What do you think of Jake?B: I think he’s all right.

Discretionary Moves• Open up the exchange and further negotiation is needed.

Tracking & ResponseChallenge & Response

A: What do you think of Jake?B: Well, he was unfriendly.A: He’s just shy. That’s all

Initiating Moves(Primary Speech Functions)

Command – Statement – Offer – Question – Rhetorical A: What do you think of Jake?

TURNTAKING IN CONVERSATIONThe way speakers take turns in a conversation to make it keep sense and flow coherently. This involves the implicit

signals that are understood by participants.

Turn-Constructional Unit(TCU)

The clear and systematic semantic units that

constitute a complete turn of a talk.

One speaker at a time.Speaker change recurs.

Examples:

A: Do you want to have a drink? B: That sounds great!

A: Do you want a drink? We could go somewhere after work.

Reference: Thornbury, S. and Slade, D. (2006). Conversation: From description to pedagogy. Cambridge University Press

Thanks for your attention!