Contingent Requests: Their Sequential Organization and Turn Shape

Abstract

In this article I provide two examples of extended stretches of talk to illustrate a particular request type, namely, contingent requests. In particular, I demonstrate how contingent requests and their turn shapes are occasioned by some conditional circumstances that are set up during their prerequest expansion. One of the main characteristics of such contingent requests is that they contain a conditional wenn-clause (if-clause), which may be a linguistic realization of the contingent circumstances. Such conditional wenn-clauses may occur in initial or midposition of a request turn. The analysis suggests that the contingencies expressed by the wenn-clause in the request turn, and its position in that request turn, may be connected to preference organization..