2. In communication, we expect to receive
our fair share of turns at talk.
That “Fair” is different across culture.
The gaps, or small silences, between turns
at talk also differ across language and
culture.
What is important is not differences in
length of gaps but the social interpretation
made of this small difference.
3. Overlaps
• Where overlaps signal
encouragement
• Where there are lots of
collaborative
completion
• Where everyone
“chimes in” as a story is
told
Overlaps > Let the
speaker know that she
or he is not talking to
the wall – everyone is
participating.
4.
5. Social consequences are
obvious when messages
are either too
acoustically adequate or
acoustically inadequate.
For examples, in ordinary
conversation, friends use a
relaxed register of speech
where careful enunciation is
not demanded. In fact, if they
enunciate each other clearly, or
if they are unable to match the
general articulation patterns
of those around them, there
are sure to be social
consequences.
Beebe and G9les (1984) with
“Gile’s Accommodation
Theory – A theory which
shows that people try to
match the language of the
whom they interact as much
as possible in order to show
that they are aligned identify
with that social group.
Related to the adjustment are
being made, most language
learners quite aware because
registers may have deleterious
social consequences. But, when
registers are used in a
thoughtful and help manner,
both partners take part in a
benevolent conspiracy to mask
any inadequacies that take
place during communication.
