What is silence?

Definition
	Silence is the absence of speech.

Discussion
	Silence is assigned different significance by conversation analysts depending on such factors as the following:
	Its length Where it occurs in a conversation

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of silence:
	What is a hesitation pause? What is a switching pause?

Source
	Levinson 1983 298–299

Context for this page:

Concept module: silence
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): S
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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