Phonetic and Sequential Differences of Other-Repetitions in Repair Initiation

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article analyzes two different repair initiation practices that both utilize other-repetition. We call these framing and prefacing other-repetitions and show that they are treated as making different claims about the speakers’ depth of understanding of the prior talk. Framing repetitions repeat the turn-initial components of the prior turn with a particular “long and flat” phonetic pattern; prefacing repetitions consist of a minimal repetition of the final grammatical structures of the prior speaker’s talk, produced quietly and with a falling intonation contour. While framing repetitions are treated as displays of either a hearing or simple understanding problem, prefacing repetitions claim a more serious breakdown of understanding. Data are in British and American English.