Conversational features
An alphabet of conversational features
Conversations exhibit a very wide range of styles, nuances and linguistic strategies. If you approach analysis with a checklist of 'main features', you need to be careful to identify which ones are most appropriate to the conversation you are investigating. It is an interesting linguistic fact that alphabetical ordering confers neither more nor less importance on each item.
Remember that it is the concept behind the terminology that matters. If, for example, you have spotted an adverb or calculated a mean length of utterance, you need to decide if this is significant and if it is, explain its effect.
One final piece of advice: avoid saying 'He or she uses an adverb (for example) to persuade the listener that...'. The effect of an adverb (such as 'undoubtedly') may well indeed be persuasive but the expression above makes it sound as though a speaker consciously intended it. There is no need to prove intention at every stage. Many effects of language are achieved unintentionally, even accidentally, and are often derived from habits of expression rather than deliberate intention.
Address - the level of formality, intimacy, deference, equality and authority with which people address each other. It usually marks such things as status, role, age, gender, social class, ethnic difference, inclusion or exclusion, for example: 'mum'; 'sir'; 'my good woman' (admittedly old fashioned); 'hey you, mate'; 'pal' (which can be menacing despite its normal meaning); 'Madam Speaker'; you lot'; 'Customers for Huddersfield should change at...'.
Agenda - the topic, subject of conversation; 'the thing we're on about' or what we're on about is...'; 'what are you on about?' Agendas are interesting because in every conversation somebody, consciously or unconsciously, has to initiate one and participants have to perceive it and follow it. This does not have to be a formal process, nor will an agenda be fixed and
Conversations exhibit a very wide range of styles, nuances and linguistic strategies. If you approach analysis with a checklist of 'main features', you need to be careful to identify which ones are most appropriate to the conversation you are investigating. It is an interesting linguistic fact that alphabetical ordering confers neither more nor less importance on each item.
Remember that it is the concept behind the terminology that matters. If, for example, you have spotted an adverb or calculated a mean length of utterance, you need to decide if this is significant and if it is, explain its effect.
One final piece of advice: avoid saying 'He or she uses an adverb (for example) to persuade the listener that...'. The effect of an adverb (such as 'undoubtedly') may well indeed be persuasive but the expression above makes it sound as though a speaker consciously intended it. There is no need to prove intention at every stage. Many effects of language are achieved unintentionally, even accidentally, and are often derived from habits of expression rather than deliberate intention.
Address - the level of formality, intimacy, deference, equality and authority with which people address each other. It usually marks such things as status, role, age, gender, social class, ethnic difference, inclusion or exclusion, for example: 'mum'; 'sir'; 'my good woman' (admittedly old fashioned); 'hey you, mate'; 'pal' (which can be menacing despite its normal meaning); 'Madam Speaker'; you lot'; 'Customers for Huddersfield should change at...'.
Agenda - the topic, subject of conversation; 'the thing we're on about' or what we're on about is...'; 'what are you on about?' Agendas are interesting because in every conversation somebody, consciously or unconsciously, has to initiate one and participants have to perceive it and follow it. This does not have to be a formal process, nor will an agenda be fixed and