Conversation analysis: Difference between revisions
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==Subject Index of the Conversation Analysis Literature== |
==Subject Index of the Conversation Analysis Literature== |
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The following is a list of important terms in the conversation analysis literature, each followed by a brief citation to all articles that examine the named phenomenon either empirically or theoretically. Terms should be entered in alphabetical order, written in '''bold''' (by bracketing terms with triple apostrophes), and entered as an unnumbered member of a |
The following is a list of important terms in the conversation analysis literature, each followed by a brief citation to all articles that examine the named phenomenon either empirically or theoretically. Terms should be entered in alphabetical order, written in '''bold''' (by bracketing terms with triple apostrophes), and entered as an unnumbered member of a list. Citations should be written in APA style. E.g.,<br> |
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'''Turn-taking'''--Sacks, Schegloff, & Jefferson, 1974; ...<br> |
'''Turn-taking'''--Sacks, Schegloff, & Jefferson, 1974; ...<br> |
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For full bibliographic information of cited work, see the [http://www.emca.net/bib-comp.html online bibliography of pre-1990 conversation analytic literature] or a [http://www2.fmg.uva.nl/emca/bib90's.htm continually updated, online bibliogrphy of the post-1989]. |
For full bibliographic information of cited work, see the [http://www.emca.net/bib-comp.html online bibliography of pre-1990 conversation analytic literature] or a [http://www2.fmg.uva.nl/emca/bib90's.htm continually updated, online bibliogrphy of the post-1989]. |
Revision as of 20:40, 8 February 2006
Conversation analysis (commonly abbreviated to CA) is the study of talk in interaction. CA generally attempts to describe the orderliness, structure and sequential patterns of interaction, whether this is institutional (in the school, doctor's surgery, courts or elsewhere) or casual conversation.
Inspired by ethnomethodology, it was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s principally by the sociologist Harvey Sacks and, among others, his close associates Emanuel A. Schegloff and Gail Jefferson. Sacks died early in his career, but his work was championed by others in his field, and CA has now become an established force in sociology, anthropology, linguistics, speech-communication and psychology. It is particularly influential in interactional sociolinguistics, discourse analysis and discursive psychology, as well as being a coherent discipline in its own right.
Basic Structures
Turn-taking Organization
The nature by which a conversation is done in and through turns. Turn-taking is one of the fundamental organizations of conversation. According to CA, the turn-taking is one of three basic components out of which conversation is constructed. The other two components are: the turn-constructional component, that is, the basic units out of which turns are composed, and the "practice component," often called the "rule set" that is administered by parties in interaction. While CA does not explicitly claim that turn-taking is universal, as reaserach is conducted on more languages, it is possible that if there were any basis for a claim to universality in language, turn-taking is a good candidate. The turn-taking model for conversation was arrived at inductively through empirical investigation of field recordings of conversation and fitted to such observationally arrived at fact as overwhelmingly, participants in conversation talk one at a time.
Turn Constructional Component
The turn constructional component are the basic units out of which turns are fashioned. Unit types include: word/lexical item, clause/phrase, and sentence. Note that not all unit types may exist in all languages. Further, it is possible that there other units may exist in other languges, such as particles for Asian languages, may not exist in English.
Turn Allocational Component
Current Speaker selects Next Speaker (SSN) Next Speaker Self-selects as Next (SS)
Sequence Organisation
This concerns how actions are ordered in conversation.
Adjacency pairs
Talk tends to occur in responsive pairs; how these pairs may be split over a sequence of turns.
Pre-sequences
Use of sequences of talk prior to purposeful talk.
Preference organisation
There are structural (i.e. practice-underwritten) preferences for some types of actions (within sequences of action) in conversation over other actions.
Repair
Repair organization addresses problems in speaking, hearing, or understanding in conversation. Repair has two broad classes: self-repair and other repair.
Action Formation
This concerns the description of the practices by which turns at talk are composed and positioned so as to realize one or another actions.
References
- Levinson, Stephen C. (1983). Pragmatics. pp 284-370. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-29414-2.
- Sacks, Harvey. (1995). Lectures on Conversation. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55786-705-4.
Subject Index of the Conversation Analysis Literature
The following is a list of important terms in the conversation analysis literature, each followed by a brief citation to all articles that examine the named phenomenon either empirically or theoretically. Terms should be entered in alphabetical order, written in bold (by bracketing terms with triple apostrophes), and entered as an unnumbered member of a list. Citations should be written in APA style. E.g.,
Turn-taking--Sacks, Schegloff, & Jefferson, 1974; ...
For full bibliographic information of cited work, see the online bibliography of pre-1990 conversation analytic literature or a continually updated, online bibliogrphy of the post-1989.