Rhythm in Telephone Closings: An Analysis of Italian and German Data

Abstract

Abstract In contrast to prior chapters, this chapter introduces an explicitly contrastive perspective: We discuss the same discourse-contextualizing functions of rhythm and tempo in similar conversational environments, using German and Italian data. The topic is telephone closings, another classic object of study in conversation analysis. As in the case of turn taking and preference organization, the role prosodic parameters play in achieving telephone closings has not been investigated in detail in orthodox CA. We try to show that a purely segmental treatment of telephone closings misses an essential aspect of their structuring.