The term 'interaction' could actually apply to a very large number of quite different social encounters, such as teacher-student and doctor-patient interactions in which there is interpersonal exchange of talk. The kind of talk is likely to differ according to the different contexts of interaction. However, the structure of the talk, the basic pattern of “I speak- - you speak --I speak-- you speak” will derive from that fundamental kind of interaction we acquire first and use most often. This is the structure of conversation.

Conversation analysis There are many metaphors used to describe conversation structure. The most widely used analytic approach is based on an analogy with the workings of a market economy. In this market, there is a scarce commodity called floor.

Floor The right to speak Turn having control of the scarce commodity at any time turn-taking when control is not fixed in advance, anyone can attempt to get control. Turn-taking operates according to a local management system which is known to all members of the same social group.

Local management system is a set of conventions for getting turns, keeping them, or giving them away. This system is needed most at those points where there is a possible change in who has the turn. Any possible change of turn point is called Transition relevance place (TRP). Within any social group, there will be features of talk (or absence of talk) typically associated with a TPR.

 When two people attempt to have a conversation and discover that there is no ‘flow’, or smooth rhythm to their transitions, much more is communicated than is said. There is a sense of distance, an absence of familiarity or ease.  Short pauses ---> hesitations  Long pauses ---> silences

 It is the silence attributed to the second speaker who is given the turn but does not speak, as in [2] below. [2] Jan : Dave I’m going to the store. (2 seconds) Jan : Dave? (2 seconds) Jan : Dave – is something wrong? Dave: What? What’s wrong? Jan : Never mind.

 Overlap occurs when both speakers try to speak at the same time. According to the local management system, only one person speaks at a time. Thus, overlap can be a serious problem.

 1- it can be part of a difficult first conversation with an unfamiliar person (cf. [1] p.73).  2- it can be an expression of solidarity and closeness (cf. [3] p. 74).  3- it can be competition/interruption (cf. [4] p. 74).

 The most obvious markers of a TRP are the end of a structural unit (a phrase or clause) and a pause.  Those holding the floor in a competitive environment will avoid providing TRPs by avoiding an open pause at the end of a syntactic unit ([5]).  Or by indicating that there is a larger structure to their turn by beginning with expressions of the type shown in ([6]).

Backchannel By:Israa Rawah

What is a Backchannel? A backchannel (or listener's feedback) is the response of a listener during a conversation. These responses can be spoken or non-verbal, done at the same time in a conversation. Backchannels are feedback given while someone else is talking, to show interest, attention or a willingness to keep listening. Backchannels are done sometimes with words, but more often with gesture, gaze, and backchannel utterances are typically short such as uh- huh.

Non-lexical backchannels 1. Typically, these are a vocalized word-less sounds or grunts that have little or no intrinsic meaning. For example, “Uh-huh” or “Mmm”. They also include head nodding and other facial or bodily features with no utterances at all.

Conversational Style By: Salma Mansoor Masha’il Al-Qurashi

High involvement style: when participation in a conversation is very active, that speaking rate is fast, with no pause between turns, and with some overlap or even completion of the other’s turn. High considerateness style: when speakers use a slower rate, expect longer pauses between turns, do not overlap and avoid interruption or completion of the other’s turn.

 If two persons from these two different styles get into a conversation, the talk tends to be one-sided.  The high involvement style speaker would overwhelm the other.  Misunderstanding might happen, as the first style might think the second style person is shy, boring or stupid. In return, he is likely to be viewed as noisy, pushy, domineering, selfish, and even tiresome

Adjacency pair

 There are many automatic patterns in the structure of conversation. Some clear examples are the greetings and goodbyes, shown in the following examples.

 Example: A: Hello. B: Hello A: How are you? B: I'm fine, thank you. A: See ya later! B: bye!  These automatic sequences are called adjacency pairs. They consist of a first part and a second part produced by different speakers. Other types of adjacency pairs are a question-answer sequence, a thanking-response and a request-accept.

Insertion sequence: It often happens that a question-answer sequence will be delayed while another question-answer intervenes. The sequence will then take the form Q1-Q2-A2-A1, with the middle pair (Q2-A2) being called insertion sequence Agent: Do you want the early flight? (= Q1) Client: What time does it arrive? (= Q2) Agent: Nine forty-five. (= A2) Client: Yeah-that’s great. (= A1)

 Other forms of social actions are accomplished within this pattern such as making a request-accepting the request. A: Could you please bring me some coffee? (Q1= request) B: With sugar or no sugar? (Q2) A: No sugar. (A2) B: Right away. (A1= acceptance)  Delay of acceptance caused by the insertion sequence indicates unavailability of the immediate expected response.

Preference Structure Prepared by:- Aziza Alwani Manal Alshmrani

Adjacency pairs represent social actions, and not all social actions are equal when they occur as second parts of some pairs, e.g., a first part request expects an acceptance. Acceptance is structurally more likely than refusal. This structural likelihood is called preference Preference Structure Preference structure divides second parts into PREFERRED and DISPREFERRED social acts

First part The preferred is the structurally expected next act and the dispreferred is the structurally unexpected next act. Second part PreferredDispreferred Assessment Isn't that really great? agree Yes, it is disagree Invitation Why not join us tonight? accept I’d love to refuse offer Want some coffee? accept Yes, please decline proposal Maybe we could go for a walk. agree That'd be great disagree request Can you help me? accept Sure refuse

Silence is always a dispreferred response, leading to a revision of the first part to get a second part that is not silence. (Non-response communicates that the speaker is not in a position to provide the preferred response) Sandy:But I'm sure they'll have good food there (1.6 seconds) Sandy: Hmm—I guess the food isn't great Jack: Nah—people mostly go for the music Silence is risky as it may give the impression of non-participation in the conversational Structure. Speakers often signal that they are producing the marked, dispreferred structure Silence is risky as it may give the impression of non-participation in the conversational Structure. Speakers often signal that they are producing the marked, dispreferred structure

Dispreferred second part indicates something very marked as if it is difficult to disagree or correct the other, as shown in the following example. Cindy: So chiropodists do hands I guess Julie: Em - well - out there - they they mostly work on people's feet - initial hesitation: delay (em + pause) - preface: well - appeal to the views of others: out there - stumbling repetition: they they - relativizing statement/mitigation: mostly - initial hesitation: delay (em + pause) - preface: well - appeal to the views of others: out there - stumbling repetition: they they - relativizing statement/mitigation: mostly

Hesitations and prefaces are also found in dispreferred second part to invitations. Becky: Come over for some coffee later Wally: Oh - eh - I'd love to - but you see - I - I'm supposed to get this finished - you know - hesitation: oh - eh - preface: I'd love to (token acceptance) - stumbling repetition: I - I'm - account: I'm supposed to get this finished - invocation of understanding: but you see, you know - hesitation: oh - eh - preface: I'd love to (token acceptance) - stumbling repetition: I - I'm - account: I'm supposed to get this finished - invocation of understanding: but you see, you know

How to do a dispreferred second part? delay/hesitate pause; er; em; ah preface well; oh express doubt I'm not sure; I don't know token acceptance that's great; I'd love to apology I'm sorry; what a pity mention obligation I must do X; I'm expected in Y appeal for understanding you see; you know make it non-personal everbody else; out there give an account too much work; no time left use mitigators really; mostly; sort of; kinda hedge the negative I guess not; not possible

*Dispreferreds take more time and language than preferred *More language creates more distance between first and second part *Preferred represents closeness and quick connection *Dispreferred represents distance and lack of connection *Participants in a conversation try to avoid creating contexts for dispreferreds by using different devices such as using pre- sequences