1887
Turn continuation in cross-linguistic perspective
  • ISSN 1018-2101
  • E-ISSN: 2406-4238

Abstract

How the status of further talk past the point of a turn’s possible completion should be described, and what functions different kinds of turn continuation might serve – these are questions that have engaged many scholars since Sacks, Schegloff and Jefferson’s turn-taking model (1974). In this paper, a general scheme is proposed with which one can tease out four interlocking strands in analyzing different kinds of turn continuation: Syntactic continuity vs. discontinuity, main vs. subordinate intonation, retrospective vs. prospective orientation, and information focus vs. non-focus. These parameters combine to form different configurations and interact in interesting ways, accounting for different kinds of turn continuation. The scheme is tested on, and illustrated with, a body of naturally occurring conversational data in Chinese.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/prag.17.4.04luk
2007-01-01
2024-10-15
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Auer, P
    (1992) The neverending sentence: Rightward expansion in spoken language. In Miklos Kontra & Tamas Varadi (eds.), Studies in spoken languages: English, German, Finno-Ugric. Budapest: Linguistics Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, pp. 41-59.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Auer, Peter
    (1996) On the prosody and syntax of turn-continuations. In Elizabeth Couper-Kuhlen and Margret Selting (eds.), Prosody in conversation: Interactional studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 57-100. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511597862.004
    https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511597862.004 [Google Scholar]
  3. Biber, D. , J. Stig , G. Leech , S. Conrad , & E. Finegan
    (1999) Longman grammar of spoken and written English. Harlow, Essex : Longman.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Bolinger, Dwight L
    (1951) Intonation: Levels versus configurations. Word7: 199-210.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Chao, Y.R
    (1968) A Grammar of spoken Chinese. University of California Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Couper-Kuhlen, E. , & M. Selting
    (1996) (eds.)Prosody in conversation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511597862
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511597862 [Google Scholar]
  7. Couper-Kuhlen, E. , & T. Ono
    (this volume) “Incrementing” in conversation. A comparison of practices in English, German and Japanese.
  8. Field, M
    . (this volume) Extensions in Navajo conversations.
  9. Ford, C.E. , & S.A. Thompson
    (1996) Interactional units in conversation: Syntactic, intonational, and pragmatic resources for the management of turns. In E. Ochs , E.A. Schegloff , & S.A. Thompson (eds.), Interaction and grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 134-184. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511620874.003
    https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511620874.003 [Google Scholar]
  10. (this volume) Pragmatic projection and the place of ‘action’ in turn construction.
  11. Ford, C.E. , B.A. Fox , & S.A. Thompson
    (1996) Practices in the construction of turns: The “TCU” revisited. Pragmatics 6.3: 427-454.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. (2002) (eds.)The language of turn and sequence. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. (2002) Constituency and the grammar of turn increments. In C.E. Ford , B.A. Fox , & S.A. Thompson (eds.), The language of turn andsSequence. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 14-38.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Fox, A
    (2000) Prosodic features and prosodic structure: The phonology of suprasegmentals. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Fox, A. , K.K. Luke , & O.T. Nancarrow
    (to appear) Aspects of Cantonese intonation. Journal of Chinese Linguistics.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Furo, H
    (2001) Turn-taking in English and Japanese: Projectability in grammar,iIntonation, and semantics. New York: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Givón, T
    (1983) Topic continuity in spoken English. In T. Givón (ed.), Topic continuity in discourse. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. doi: 10.1075/tsl.3
    https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.3 [Google Scholar]
  18. (2001) Syntax: An introduction. Vol.2. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. doi: 10.1075/z.syn2
    https://doi.org/10.1075/z.syn2 [Google Scholar]
  19. Goodwin, C
    (1979) The interactive construction of a sentence in natural conversation. In. G. Psathas (ed.), Everyday language: Studies in ethnomethodology. New York: Irvington.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. (1981) Conversational organization: Interaction between speakers and hearers. New York: Academic Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Halliday, Michael A.K
    (1963) Intonation in English grammar. Transactions of the Philological Society143-69. doi: 10.1111/j.1467‑968X.1963.tb01003.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-968X.1963.tb01003.x [Google Scholar]
  22. (1985) An Introduction to functional grammar. London: Edward Arnold.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Horowitz, Anthony
    (1987) Public enemy number two. London: Walker Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Hou, Xuechao
    (1998) Xiandai hanyu xuci cidian (A dictionary of form fords in Modern Chinese). Beijing: Peking University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Kim, K.H
    . (this volume) Turn increments in Korean conversation: Sequential implications.
  26. Lambrecht, Knud
    (1996) Information structure and sentence form: Topic, focus, and the mental representations of discourse referents. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Lerner, Gene H
    (1991) On the syntax of sentences-in-progress. Language in Society20: 441-458. doi: 10.1017/S0047404500016572
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0047404500016572 [Google Scholar]
  28. Li, C.N. , & S.A. Thompson
    (1976) Subject and topic: A new typology of language. In C.N. Li (ed.), Topic and subject. New York: Academic Press, pp. 457-489.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. (1981) Mandarin Chinese: A functional reference grammar. Berkeley : University of California Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Liang, Y
    (2002) Dislocation in Cantonese: Sentence form, information structure, and discourse function. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Hong Kong.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Lu, Jianmin
    (1980) Hanyu kouyu jufa li de yiwei xianxiang (Transposition in the grammar of spoken Chinese). Zhongguo Yuwen 1.154: 28-41.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Luke, K.K
    (2000) Juzi chengfen de houzhi yu hualun jiaoti jizhi zhong de hualun houxu shouduan (Postposed sentential constituents as post-completion devices in conversational turn-taking). Zhongguo Yuwen, 4: 303-310.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. (2002) Zai jinxing zhong de juzi li bianshi jumo (Recognizing the end of a sentence-in-progress). In Xu Liejiong and Shao Jingmin (eds.)Hanyu yufa yanjiu de xin tuozhan (New development in Chinese grammar (1): Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Modern Chinese Grammar for the New Millennium), 356-374. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Education Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. (2004) Yanshenju de kua yuyan duibi (A cross-linguistic study of incremental sentences). InYuyan jiaoxue yu yanjiu (Language teaching and linguistic Studies), 1-9.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. (2005) Shuo yanshenju (On incremental sentences). InPapers in Commemoration of the 50th Anniversity of Zhongguo Yuwen, 39-48. Beijing: Commercial Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Ochs, E. , E.A. Schegloff , & S.A. Thompson
    (1996) (eds.)Interaction and grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511620874
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511620874 [Google Scholar]
  37. Packard, J.L
    (1986) A left-dislocation analysis of ‘afterthought’ sentences in Peking Mandarin. Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association 21.3: 1-12.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Pike, Kenneth L
    (1945) The intonation of American English. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Prince, Ellen F
    (1981) Topicalization, focus-movement, and Yiddish-movement: A pragmatic differentiation. InProceedings of the Seventh Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, pp. 249-264.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Sacks, H. , E.A. Schegloff , & G. Jefferson
    (1974) A simplest systematics for the organization of turn-taking for conversation. Language 50.4: 696-735. doi: 10.2307/412243
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/412243 [Google Scholar]
  41. Schegloff, E.A
    (1979) The relevance of repair to syntax-for-conversation. In Talmy Givon (ed.), Syntax and semantics vol. 12: Discourse and syntax. New York: Academic Press, pp. 261-286.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. (1996) Turn organization: One intersection of grammar and interaction. In E. Ochs , E.A. Schgloff , & S.A. Thompson (eds.), Interaction and grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 52-133. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511620874
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511620874 [Google Scholar]
  43. (2000) On turn’s possible completion, more or less: Increments and trail-offs. Paper presented atthe Euro-Conferences on Interactional Linguistics, Spa, Belgium, September 2000.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Schegloff, E.A. , G. Jefferson , & H. Sacks
    (1977) The preference for self-correction in the organisation of repair in conversation. Language53: 361-382. doi: 10.1353/lan.1977.0041
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lan.1977.0041 [Google Scholar]
  45. Selting, M. , & E. Couper-Kuhlen
    (2001) (eds.)Studies in interactional linguistics. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. doi: 10.1075/sidag.10.12sel
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1075/sidag.10.12sel [Google Scholar]
  46. Selting, M
    (1996) On the interplay of syntax and prosody in the constitution of turn-constructional units and turns in conversation. Pragmatics 6.3: 371-388.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Seppanen, E.L. , & R. Laury
    (this volume) Complement clauses as turn continuations: The Finnish ‘et(ta)’-clause.
  48. Tanaka, H
    (1999) Turn-taking in Japanese: A study in grammar and interaction. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. doi: 10.1075/pbns.56
    https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.56 [Google Scholar]
  49. (2000) Turn-projection in Japanese talk-in-interaction. Research on language and social interaction 33.1: 1-38. doi: 10.1207/S15327973RLSI3301_1
    https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327973RLSI3301_1 [Google Scholar]
  50. Tao, H
    (1996) Units in Mandarin conversaion: Prosody, discourse, and grammar. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. doi: 10.1075/sidag.5
    https://doi.org/10.1075/sidag.5 [Google Scholar]
  51. Tao, H. , & M.J. McCarthy
    (2001) Understanding non-restrictive which-clauses in spoken English, which is not an easy thing. Language Sciences23: 651-677. doi: 10.1016/S0388‑0001(00)00026‑7
    https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0388-0001(00)00026-7 [Google Scholar]
  52. Vorreiter, S
    (2003) Turn continuations: Towards a cross-linguistic classification. InList No. 39, Interaction and linguistic structures.
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Zhang, W. , & K.K. Luke
    (2000) Sentence planning and execution in conversation: Evidence from item replacement in Chinese. Paper presented at the 7th International Pragmatics Conference . Budapest, 9-14July 2000.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. (2003) Turn incrementation in Chinese conversation. Paper presented atthe 8th IPrA conference. Toronto, 13-18July 2003.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Zhang, W
    (1998) Repair in Chinese conversation. Ph.D. thesis, University of Hong Kong.
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Zhu, Dexi
    (1982) Yufa jiangyi (Lectures on Chinese grammar). Beijing: Commercial Press.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/prag.17.4.04luk
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): Chinese; Mandarin; Prosody; Right Dislocation; Syntax; Turn-taking
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error