Synopses & Reviews
The approach and findings of conversation analysis are having a growing impact across a range of social and behavioural science disciplines. This book reflects recent developments and current interests in the field by bringing together thirteen original papers by its leading American and British researchers. They report empirical findings from studies of audio- and video taped recordings of naturally occurring interaction in a variety of conversational and other contexts. Also included are two previously unpublished papers by the late Harvey Sacks, whose work has been highly influencial in shaping the field. The collection represents the most comprehensive statement yet to be published on this type of research. It begins with a general introductory section in which the theoretical and methodological foundations of conversation analysis are outlined. Subsequent chapters focus on the workings of particular sequences of interaction and develop some of the main themes to have emerged from previous research. These include the organization of preference, topic, 'nonvocal' activities, and apparently spontaneous responses such as laughter and applause. This book will be a valuable resource for all those interested in the study of social interaction and language use, as well as the research applications of audio- and video-recording technology in related fields throughout the human sciences.
Synopsis
These essays reflects fresh developments in the increasingly influential field of conversation analysis.
Table of Contents
Preface; Transcript notation; 1. Introduction John Heritage and J. Maxwell Atkinson; Part I. Orientations: 2. Notes on methodology Harvey Sacks; 3. On some questions and ambiguities in conversation Emanuel A. Schegloff; Part II. Preference Organization: 4. Agreeing and disagreeing with assessments: some features of preferred/dispreferred turn shapes Anita Pomerantz; 5. Subsequent versions of invitations, offers, requests, and proposals, dealing with potential or actual rejection Judy Davidson; 6. Speakers' reportings in invitation sequences Paul Drew; 7. Pursuing a response Anita Pomerantz; Part III. Topic Organization: 8. Generating topic: the use of topic initial elicitors Graham Button and Neil Casey; 9. On stepwise transition from talk about a trouble to inappropriately next-positioned matters Gail Jefferson; Part IV. The Integration of Talk With Nonvocal Activities: 10. Notes on story structure and the organization of participation Charles Goodwin; 11. Talk and recipiency: sequential organization in speech and body movement Christian Health; 12. On some gestures' relation to talk Emanuel A. Schegloff; Part V. Aspects of Response: 13. A change-of-state token and aspects of its sequential placement John Heritage; 14. On the organization of laughter in talk about troubles Gail Jefferson; 15. Public speaking and audience responses: some techniques for inviting applause J. Maxwell Atkinson; Part VI. Everyday Activities as Sociological Phenomena: 16. On doing 'being ordinary' Harvey Sacks; References; Subject index; Index of names.