The Predictability of Informal Conversation

Introduction: theoretical context; goal as a determining factor in speech encounters; status as a framework for speech encounters; nature and function of data. Part 1 Some approaches to interactional encounters: discourse manangement and topical goal; placement of topics; progression towards and digression from topical goal; interactional encounters and the classroom discourse model; interactional encounters and phatic communion; Malinowski and language as a mode of behaviour; phatic communion as interactional language. Part 2 Goal and status: fixed status and transactional encounters; variable status and interactional encounters. Part 3 Transactional (fixed status) encounters: an analysis of job interviews; opening and closing phases in job interviews; interactional breaks during transaction; turn taking; an analysis of a tutorial; opening and closing phases in tutorial; interaction and topic movement. Part 4 Interactional (variable status) encounters: categories defined; speech-in-action; story; closing; analysis of interactions with examples; telephone interactions; face to face interactions; Laver's model and introductions. Part 5 Repairs in interactional dialogue: practical troubles and their repairs; interactional troubles and their repairs; status as a source of interactional trouble; where interactional trouble can arise; causes of trouble and resulting repair work; covertly acknowledged trouble and scapegoat repairs; depersonification; alienation by imperative; evaluation conflict; scapegoat repairs in the London-Lund Corpus; negative evaluation unconnected with repairs.