Conversation

The tools of trade for conversation analysis include:

  • Turn taking includes: i) A turn-taking constructional component which defines the types of units a speaker can use in a conversation, [e.g., hello, to full sentences). Speakers predict from the type of unit where the turn will end, this called the transition-relevant point or the moment when a change of speaker may (but does not have to) take place. This component not only explains how a speaker knows the floor is available but also explains why overlaps occur, that is, when the point of possible completion, as predicted, is for some reason delayed
    ii) The turn-allocation component specifies how a speaker is chosen. This happens in two ways:
    • Other-selection – where the current speaker selects who will be next.
    • Self-selection – where the next speaker selects him/herself and keeps on talking.

  • Adjacency pairs are sequences of two utterances next to each other produced by two different speakers.
    e.g., A greeting, or a closing Goodbye/ See you or ciao/ciao or with a question and answer. A: What's the name of that colour?
    B: Blue
  • Conversational repair occurs when speakers feel the need to 'fix' what they have said: A: Someone said that he.. she will come At other times the need for repair may be signalled by another speaker (a repair initiator): A: Well who are you working for?
    B: Well I'm working through the Ferado Corporation
    A: The who?
    B: The Ferado Corporation. It's a holding company
    A: Oh         Another type of repair used in teaching situations is called feedback, where correction (or recast) takes place and may or may not be taken up:

    Student: We finish reading now
    Teacher: You have finished reading?
    Student: Have finished reading.
    (An example where the correction is taken up)

    Student: We finish reading now
    Teacher: You have finished reading?
    Student: Play Bingo now?
    (An example where the correction is ignored)