1. Turn-Taking Presented by Sarah Friedman April 4, 2005 Based on: Sacks, H., Schegloff, E.A., Jefferson, G. (1974). A Simplest Systematics for the Organization of Turn-Taking for Conversation. Language, 50, 696- 735.

2. Introduction  Report on turn-taking system for conversation  Research using audio recording of naturally occuring conversations

3. Need for a New Turn-Taking Model  Investigators of small group interaction have difficulty explaining behaviors using turn-taking systems  Researchers of “interview” behavior are concerned with –The distribution of talk among the parties –Silences –The way talk shifts from one speaker to another These researchers dealt with turn-taking questions, but unsatisfactorily because of weaknesses in turn-taking models

4. Reasons for Research  Obvious that one party talks at a time, there are techniques for allocating turns, etc.  Can be applied to many contexts

5. Turn Allocation  Next turn is allocated by 1.Current speaker 2.Self-selection

6. Rules Governing Turn Construction 1. For any turn, at a transition- relevant place: a.If “current speaker selects next” then the person selected is obligated to take the next turn. b.If not, self-selection may be instituted. c.Or, the current speaker may continue unless someone self-selects. 2. If 1c occurs, then rules a-c reapply at the next transition-relevant place

7. The System Accounts for:  Speaker change  One party talking majority of the time  Occcurrences of more than one speaker at a time are common but brief

8. Types of Overlap  Accounted for by rule 1b (self-selection): Competing for next turn. Lil: Bertha’s lost, on our scale, about fourteen pounds. Damora: Oh[::no::, Jean: [Twelve pounds I think wasn’t it = Daisy: [Can you believe it? Lil: [Twelve pounds on the Weight Watcher’s scale.

9. Types of Overlap (cont…)  Assume you know how the speaker will finish. A: Well if you knew my argument why did you bother to a:[sk. A: Well if you knew my argument why did you bother to a:[sk. B: [Because I’d like to defend my argument.  The speaker added optional elements that can go after completion. A:Uh you been down here before [havenche, B:[Yeh.

10. Turn Order/Size  Turn Order –Not fixed yet it’s not random –Bias: Speaker before the current speaker is selected as the next speaker  Turn Size –Not fixed –Why?  Because of unit types (single-word turns, single phrase turns, etc.)  Because of rule 1C (current speaker can continue) the speaker can produce more than one unit type

11. More on Turns  The length and content of conversations are not specified in advance  Anyone can be the next speaker  Number of parties can vary. –With 4 you can have multiple conversations  Turns begin at “possible completion points”  Repairs exist for errors: –Who me? –Excuse me?

12. Continuous or Discontinuous  Talk can be continuous or discontinuous –Continuous = minimum gap or overlap –Discontinuous = a current speaker has stopped and no speaker starts, and non-talk is a lapse. J: Oh I could drive if you want me to. C: Well no I’ll drive (I don’ m//in’). J: hhh. (1.0) J: I meant to offah. (16.0) J: Those shoes look nice when you keep on putting stuff on ‘em. C: Yeah I ‘ave to get another can cuz cuz it ran out….

13. Turn Allocation Techniques: Select Next Speaker 1. “Type of Sequence” parts. (Adjacency pairs). Examples: –Complaint/denial Ken: Hey yuh took my chair by the way an’t I don’t think that was very nice. Al:I didn’ take yer chair, it’s my chair. –Compliment/rejection A: I’m glad I have you for a friend. B: That’s because you don’t have any others.

14. Turn Allocation Techniques: Select Next Speaker (cont…) 2. Repeat parts of prior utterance with a question intonation or one word question. Ben:They gotta – a garage sale Lori: Where. Ben: On Third Avenue.

15. Turn Allocation Techniques: Select Next Speaker (cont…) 3. Tag question  You know? Don’t you agree? 4. Introduce social identities  Two couples speaking. An invitation is made by a speaker to go to the movies. The next speaker should be a member of the other couple.

16. Turn Allocation Techniques: Self-Selection 1. Starting First 2. “Second Starters” R: Hey::, the place looks different F: Yeah::hh. K: Ya have to see all ou[r new-* D: [It does?* R: Oh yeah R: Oh yeah

17. Consequences of the Model  Motivation for listening to all utterances in a conversation –To see if you are the next speaker –If you want to speak, make sure no one else was selected to speak  When a new speaker is selected, the speaker has to perform the second part of the adjacency pair. –Shows he understood the prior turn’s talk as the first part