What is conversation analysis?

Definition
	Conversation analysis is an approach to the study of natural conversation, especially with a view to determining the following:
	Participants’ methods of turn-taking constructing sequences of utterances across turns identifying and repairing problems, and employing gaze and movement How conversation works in different conventional settings

Examples (English)
	Here are some examples of conventional settings in which conversation analysis could take place:
	Interviews Court hearings Telephone conversations Card games

Generic
	A conversation analysis is a kind of
	What is meaning and pragmatic function?

Sources
	Levinson 1983 294–296
	Hopper, Koch, and Mandelbaum 1986 169–170, 173

Context for this page:

Concept module: conversation analysis
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): C
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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