Conversational Style

Conversational style

There are some variations that can create some misunderstanding. Some individuals expect that their role in the conversation will be very active, that speaking rate will be relatively fast, with almost no pauses between turns of speak, and with some overlap or even completion od the other's turn. This kind of speaking style is called high involvement style. Another style is high considerateness style. It is non-interrupting and non-imposing style. It differs from the high involvement style, because speakers use a slower rate, expect longer pauses between turns and do not overlap and avoid interruption or completion of the other's turn.

When a speaker who typically uses the first style gets into a converst ation with speaker who normally uses the second style, the talk tends to become one-sided. The active participation style will tend to overwhelm the other style. The more rapid speaker may think the slower speaker doesn't have much to say, is shy and perhaps stupid. In return, rapid speaker is likely to be viewed as noisy and selfish.

Adjacency Pairs

There are many kinds in the structure of dialogue. Some clear examples are the greetings and goodbyes

A: Hello B: Hi

A: How are you? B: Fine

A: See you! B:Bye

These automatic sequences are called Adjacency Pairs. They always consist of a first part and second part, produced by different speakers. The utterance of a first part immediately creates an expectation of the utterance of a second part of the same pair.

These examples are typically found in opening sequences of a conversation.

A: How are things? B: The usual.

A: How's it going? B: Just hanging in there.

Other types of adjacency pairs are question-answer swquence, a thanking-response and a request-accept.

A: Could you pass me that glass of orange juice? B: Sure

A: Thanks B: You're welcome

Exercise:

A: What's up? B:.............

A: How are you doing? B:....................

A: See you! B:...........

A: What time is it? B: ….........

Insertion sequence

Not all first parts immediately receive theri second parts. It often happens that a question-answer sequence intervenes. The sequence will then taka a form of Q1-Q2-A2-A1 with the middle pair Q2-A2 being called an insertion sequence.

Q1= Agent: Do you want the early flight?

Q2= Client: What time does it arrive?

A2= Agent: Nine forty-five

A1= Client: Yeah, that's great.

Preference Structure

This term is used to indicate a socially determined structural pattern and does not refer to any individual's mental od emotional desires. Preference is an