ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC:
Turn Types
Subject:
Discourse Analysis
Submitted to:
Ma’am Hania Munir
CLASS:
BS ENGLISH( 6th SEMESTER)
SUBMITTED BY:
( GROUP 3)
SHAHANA SAJJAD ROLL#11
IQRA SARWAR ROLL#07
HIBBA GULL ROLL#15
HUDA FAYAZ ROLL#17
HIJAB FATIMA ROLL#26
ESHA MARYAM ROLL#30
MARIA SAEED ROLL#34
QANITA NAJAM ROLL#38
SANA KALEEM ROLL#41
IQRA KHAN ROLL#48
ASMA SAEED ROLL#50

Conversation Analysis:
Conversation analysis is a linguistic discipline that mainly handles
coherence and sequential organisation in discourse – for example,
the opening and closing sequences (Levinson 1983: 286).
Conversation analysis claims that the existence of certain mechanisms that guide our
conversations. People are interested in understanding how social interaction work.
Linguists discover the ways in which how social interaction are organized, they tried to
describe and analyze those features appeared in conversation; they use scientific
methods to examine the phenomena.

Turn Taking:
In conversation analysis, turn-taking is a term for the manner in which
orderly conversation normally takes place. A basic understanding can
come right from the term itself: It's the notion that people in a
conversation take turns in speaking.
When studied by sociologists, however, the analysis goes deeper, into
topics such as
 How people know when it's their turn to speak
 How much overlap there is between speakers
 When it's OK to have overlap
 How to consider regional or gender differences.
The underlying principles of turn-taking were first described
by sociologists Harvey Sacks, Emanuel A. Schegloff, and Gail
Jefferson.
Importance of Turn Taking:
 By waiting your turn to speak and avoiding interrupting another
person, you not only show your desire to work together with the other
members of your society, you also show respect for your fellow
members.

 The significance of this approach for the language learner is

considerable. Turn-taking mechanisms, the way in which speakers
hold or pass the floor, vary between cultures and between languages.
Overlap in a given situation is more or less tolerated in some
societies than in other.

 Cultural differences in matters of turn-taking can lead to

conversational breakdown, misinterpretation of intentions, and
interpersonal intergroup conflict.
 Turn Types:

 Adjacency Pair:
In conversation analysis, an adjacency pair is a two-part exchange in
which the second utterance is functionally dependent on the first, as
exhibited in conventional greetings, invitations, and requests. It is also
known as the concept of “nextness”. Each pair is spoken by a different
person.
One of the most significant contributions of CA [conversation analysis] is
the concept of the adjacency pair. Adjacency pairs include such exchanges
as
 Question/answer
 Complaint/denial
 Offer/accept
 Request/grant
 Compliment/rejection
 Challenge/rejection
 Instruct/receipt.
Characteristics:
Adjacency pairs typically have three characteristics:
-They consist of two utterances;
-The utterances are adjacent, that is the first immediately follows the
second.
-Different speakers produce each utterance
Breaking adjacency pair :
If one breaks adjacency pair such as not answering a question,
answering “hello” with “goodbye” one is causing “trouble” in the
conversation which needs to be repaired.
 Repair:

Repair is needed when the turn taking rules are failing to operate.
Simultaneous speech often needs repair when two people are speaking at
once. Silence needs repair because no one is talking.
 Self-repair:

A: I’m going to the movies tomorrow.... I mean, the opera.

 Other-repair:

A: I’m going to that restaurant we went to last week. You know the
Italian one in Brunswick Street.
B: You mean Lygon Street don’t you.
A: Yeah. That’s right Lygon Street.
Preference Organization:
The term, 'Preference organization' refers to the phenomenon that son
first pair parts allow for alternative seconds.

For example, Thanks’ is preferred after 'congratulations'.

 When one invites other one, the other person usually accepts the
invitation and it is termed preferred organization.
 But when the invitation is not accepted and the other person
expresses regrets, it is ‘Dispreferred organization’

Example:

A: Why don't you come up and see me some/ /times.

B: I would like to.
A: Uh if you'd care to come and visit a little while this morning I'll give you a
cup of coffee.
B: Hehheh well! that's awfully sweet of you
          (DELAY) (MARKER) (APPRECIATION)
OR
           I don't think I can make it this morning
(REFUSAL OF DECLINATION)

Insertion Sequences:

An insertion sequence is a sequence of turns that intervenes between the

first and second parts of an adjacency pair.
 It can be defined as, “the phenomenon of embedding; of one pair
occurring inside another is noticeable in conversations”. Schegloff
(1972) terms this type of embedded pairs Inserted sequence.
Example 1:
     P: Martin would you like to dance
     M: Is the floor is slippery?

     P: No its fine.

     M: then I’d be happy to dance

Example 2:
A: Did you enjoy the meal?
(B: Did you?
A: Yes.)
B: so did I.
The person towards whom the first part of an adjacency pair has been
directed may want to undertake some preliminary action before responding
with the second part , a request for clarification by the recipient will take
place after the first pair part but before the second pair part , this is an
insertion sequence.

Pre-sequence:
Sometimes, an adjacency pair is inserted before another (related) adjacency pair,
in order to
 Set the stage ( Pre-announcement)

A : Did you hear the news?

B : No. What?
A : I’m getting married?
B : WOW!
 Protect the speaker (Pre-invitation)

A : Are you busy today?

B : No, no plans.
A : Shall we go to the market?
B : Ok ,Sure.

Conclusion:
In conversation analysis, turn taking is the notion that people in a
conversation take turns in speaking. It plays an important role in
conversation as it leads to the correct interpretation of intentions and can
help to avoid conversation gap. Turn Types gives us a better understanding
of what the speaker wants to convey to the listener.