Conversational Discourse Research Articles

Conversational Strategies Used by Women Speakers in Same-Sex Communication: A Research on Noor Tagouri Podcast

This article sought to explore women's language style through a regular conversation in a natural setting conducted by women speakers. Considering the potential of Podcast on Spotify as a means to gather the conversation discourse, the writers were fascinated by one of the Podcasts performed by an American journalist and activist named Noor Tagouri. She initiated and ran a program called The Process to disclose someone's struggle, unique costumes, and way of thinking behind his/her success. This Podcast was chosen in terms of personal and introspective topics developed by Tagouri and her guest, Lisa Ling, whose profession was also a journalist. Through personal and introspective ideas, the writers were able to identify women's linguistic features such as: minimal responses, hedges, tag questions, questions, commands and directives, swearing and taboo language, and compliments in order to build a cooperative environment. This article employed descriptive qualitative methods following the procedures proposed by Creswell (2014): collecting the data, analyzing the data, and interpreting the data. From thirty-four minutes of conversation, the result indicated that the speakers frequently used the features of hedges (55%). Then, followed by Minimal response occurred (20%), questions (12%), compliment (8%), tag questions (5%), and commands, directives, swearing and taboos (0%). It can be concluded that the use of hedges was more widely used to maintain the flow of conversations which in line with turn-taking, courtesy, and mitigating miscommunication between speakers.

Credible as Evidence? Multilayered Audience Reception of Narrative Arguments

Building on a view of both narration and argumentation as dynamic concepts, this paper considers ways of assessing the credibility of narrative arguments constructed in empirical examples of conversational discourse. I argue that the key in any such exercise is to pay close attention to both structural and pragmatic details, particularly how conversational storytelling gets embedded in the surrounding discourse and how the way this is discursively accomplished vis-à-vis the narrators’ multilayered audience may be reflective of their argumentative goals.

Form, frequency and sociolinguistic variation in depicting signs in New Zealand Sign Language

The lexicons and grammars of most signed languages include the use of productive, partly conventionalised semiotic resources, including depicting (‘classifier’) signs. Depicting signs are challenging to annotate and analyse in a corpus, and have to date been mainly described based on experimentally elicited datasets rather than in samples of natural discourse. This study contributes evidence on the distribution and variable use of depicting signs in a socially stratified sample of conversational discourse of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). Our investigation examines frequency, form, and correspondence with mouthing. Corpus-based evidence about distributional and usage characteristics of depicting signs has application to the design of reference materials, sign language teaching curricula, and interpreting. We also analyse whether usage of depicting signs varies by social factors of age, gender, ethnicity, finding that the use of depicting signs is more frequent and more diversified among younger signers than older signers, indicating generational change in the language.

Discourse Parsing for Contentious, Non-Convergent Online Discussions

Online discourse is often perceived as polarized and unproductive. While some conversational discourse parsing frameworks are available, they do not naturally lend themselves to the analysis of contentious and polarizing discussions. Inspired by the Bakhtinian theory of Dialogism, we propose a novel theoretical and computational framework, better suited for non-convergent discussions. We redefine the measure of a successful discussion, and develop a novel discourse annotation schema which reflects a hierarchy of discursive strategies. We consider an array of classification models -- from Logistic Regression to BERT. We also consider various feature types and representations, e.g., LIWC categories, standard embeddings, conversational sequences, and non-conversational discourse markers learnt separately. Given the 31 labels in the tagset, an average F-Score of 0.61 is achieved if we allow a different model for each tag, and 0.526 with a single model. The promising results achieved in annotating discussions according to the proposed schema paves the way for a number of downstream tasks and applications such as early detection of discussion trajectories, active moderation of open discussions, and teacher-assistive bots. Finally, we share the first labeled dataset of contentious non-convergent online discussions.

Spontaneous classroom engagement facilitating development of L2 pragmatic competence

Abstract The question of how to teach toward social, cultural and linguistic L2 pragmatic competence has raised serious challenges (Kasper, 1997). This is more the case for spoken rather than written discourse. As can be expected, the underlying pragmatic implications of spontaneous face-to-face communication naturally constrains the interactional scope and its potential pedagogical application. To address this issue, this naturalistic study explores two key potential contributors to the development of oral pragmatic competence: meta-pragmatic classroom conversational discourse and the course framework supporting that kind of relatively spontaneous interaction. An English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course provided fluency practice protocols, instruction in pragmatic categories, analysis of conversational data and “live” in-class intervention, focusing on meaning and alternate expressions and forms. Those interventions were designed to enhance learners’ ability to self-assess, monitor and expand their interactional repertoires. Part of a larger research project examining principles of pragmatics applied in EAP instruction, this study focuses on data from spontaneous classroom interactions situated within the integrated instructional framework of the course. Results present a range of strategies employed by the instructor consistent with current theoretical models of factors or pedagogical interventions that facilitate development of pragmatic competence.

Test item priorities for a screening tool to identify cognitive-communication disorder after right hemisphere stroke

ABSTRACT Background Early recognition of stroke signs and symptoms is critical to ensure people receive the right treatment at the right time. Communication impairment associated with left-hemisphere stroke is easily identifiable due to the recognisable signs of aphasia, whereas signs of cognitive-communication disorder (CCD) after right hemisphere (RH) stroke are often subtler. In contrast to aphasia, no sensitive screening tools exist to allow for early identification of CCD after RH stroke. Aims To prioritise test items required for a screening tool to identify CCD after RH stroke from the perspective of expert speech-language pathologists. Methods & Procedures The nominal group technique (NGT) was used with expert speech-language pathologists to determine the most important test items required for a screening tool to identify RH CCD. Results were analysed using a quantitative measure of item ranking and inductive content analysis. Outcomes & Results Five expert speech pathologists located across Australia and the USA, representing a mix of clinicians and researchers participated in the nominal group. The highest ranked test items across the four cognitive-communication domains (lexical semantics, discourse, pragmatics and prosody) were interpretation of sarcasm or humour, rating conversational discourse, a conversational skills checklist, and expressive prosody. Content analysis revealed three themes: Assessment Domains, Considerations in Item Design and Knowledge Gap. Conclusions The NGT revealed that multiple considerations exist in developing a screening tool for CCD after RH stroke.

Book review: Amy M Lindstrom, Unexpressed Subjects in English: An Empirical Analysis of Narrative and Conversational Discourse

Book review: Amy M Lindstrom, <i>Unexpressed Subjects in English: An Empirical Analysis of Narrative and Conversational Discourse</i>

A Comparative and Mutual Learning Analysis of the Localization of Second Language Teaching textbook in Macao from the Perspective of Third Space Theory

Macao has been producing and publishing comprehensive localized teaching materials in Portuguese and Chinese (Putonghua) since the 1980s. Based on the third space theory, the researcher explores the commonalities and differences in the cultural genre penetration and spatial presentation of Portuguese and Chinese teaching materials in Macao, and attempts to explore the paths of third space creation and mutual appreciation of Portuguese and Chinese localized teaching materials in Macao. Researcher selected Portuguese-language textbooks <em>Passo a passo...EM PORTUGUÊS</em> (IPOR, 2010) and <em>Português Global </em>(Instituto Politécnico de Macau, 2011), while the Chinese language textbooks <em>Putonghua Textbook</em> (Gabinete da Educação e Assuntos da Juventude, 2010) and A Course in International Chinese (Macao Polytechnic Institute, 2020) as typical samples to analyse and interpret. The results of the study show that: 1) the localised textbooks as a whole present a turn towards ethnorelativism and multiculturalism in the third space model by guiding the initial reshaping of a passive worldview and the horizontal juxtaposition of multicultural facts; 2) the role of the textbooks towards the third space model: The selection of material is presented through the overlap of two cultural spaces and the combination of the everyday and the situational, positioning the role of the "teacher's guide" . The selection of materials promotes the role of "pedagogical collaborator" by actively stepping out of the constraints of the first space, correcting the stereotypes of the second space and drawing a third cultural picture. 3) Based on the commonality of spatial presentation, <em>Passo</em> highlights the natural transition between the two cultures through the co-presentation and alternation of characters and scenes in the first and second spaces. <em>A Course in International Chinese</em> 's use of topic contemporaneity to guide learners to actively explore the advantages of negotiation between spaces is evident. <em>Portuguese Global</em> guides learners to explore the "cultural interface" and construct a third identity by creating two spatially permeable pathways of "intercultural interlocutors" and "intercultural content". <em>Putonghua Textbook </em>are constructed in an immersive first space element with conversational discourse, practice of local features, and life situations questions, which is worthy of study in other textbooks. To sum up, exploring the localized creation of third spaces in different language materials in the same region can further explore the value of writing materials for mutual learning and appreciation.

Cognitive-communication performance following mild traumatic brain injury: Influence of sex, age, education, site of lesion and bilingualism.

Although previous research studies have defined several prognostic factors that affect cognitive-communication performance in patients with all traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity, little is known about what variables are associated with cognitive-communication impairment in complicated mild TBI (mTBI) specifically. To determine which demographic and trauma-related factors are associated with cognitive-communication performance in the early recovery phase of acute care following a complicated mTBI. Demographic and accident-related data as well as the scores on cognitive-communication skill measures in the areas of auditory comprehension (complex ideational material subtest of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination), verbal reasoning (verbal absurdities subtest of the Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude), confrontation naming (short form of the Boston Naming Test), verbal fluency (semantic category and letter category naming), and conversational discourse (conversational checklist of the Protocole Montréal d'évaluation de la communication) were retrospectively collected from the medical records of 128 patients with complicated mTBI admitted to a tertiary care trauma hospital. Multiple linear regressions analyses were carried out on the variables sex, age, education level, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, lesion site and bilingualism. Females performed better than males on letter-category naming, while those more advanced in age performed worse on most cognitive-communication measures. Patients with higher education achieved better confrontation and letter-category naming, whereas reading comprehension results were worse with a lower GCS score. Bilingual individuals presented more difficulty in conversational discourse skills than those who spoke only one language. In terms of site of lesion, the presence of a right frontal injury was associated with worse auditory and reading comprehension and an occipital lesion was related to worse confrontation naming. Cognitive-communication skills should be evaluated early in all patients with complicated mTBI, but especially in those who are advanced in age, those with fewer years of education and those who present with lower GCS scores, in order to determine rehabilitation needs. The findings of this study will allow acute care clinicians to better understand how various demographic and injury-related factors affect cognitive-communication skills after complicated mTBI and to better nuance the interpretation of their evaluation results in order to improve clinical care. Further study is required regarding the influence of lesion location, sex and bilingualism following complicated mTBI. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject In early acute recovery studies including all severity of TBI, cognitive-communication performance was poorer in individuals with more advanced age, those with fewer years of education and with more severe TBI. It is not yet known which demographic and injury-related variables predict cognitive-communication performance after a complicated mTBI specifically. What this paper adds to existing knowledge We confirmed that age, level of education and TBI severity, as measured with the GCS score, were associated with some areas of cognitive-communication performance for a group of patients in the acute stage of recovery from a complicated mTBI. We also identified that sex, bilingualism and site of lesion were new variables that show an influence on aspects of cognitive-communication skills in this group of patients. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The findings of this study on prognostic factors in the case of complicated mTBI will help acute care clinicians to better understand evaluation results knowing the variables that can influence cognitive-communication performance and to nuance the interpretation of these results with the goal of determining rehabilitation needs and enhancing clinical care.

Changing practices for connected discourse: Starting and developing topics in conversation

This paper investigates the actions and practices for connected discourse in English conversation. Three university students met weekly for 94 weeks to practice speaking and were video recorded. Each participant made a 10 min presentation about a topic of interest and then the three participants had a conversation. Using ethnomethodological conversation analysis (CA), we examined how participants moved from an orientation to one type of speech exchange system (the monologic presentation) to another (the ‘conversation’) and specifically, the actions and practices for getting the conversation started. We show how an orientation to an interview type of speech exchange system changes to something more conversation-like over the course of the 94 weeks and how changes in particular actions are concomitant with changes in turn allocation, turn construction, and turn taking practices. The findings provide further evidence for the co-constructed nature of language. Implications for understanding change or learning as a group enterprise are also considered.

The contribution of cognition to the rehabilitation of language and communication deficits

Background/AimsThere is growing evidence to suggest that cognitive processes, in particular working memory and executive functions, are related to language functions such as syntactic processing, reading comprehension, narration and conversational discourse. This article offers rehabilitation considerations for speech-language pathologists to include cognitive assessment and treatment in their clinical practice. The information presented will also be useful in promoting multidisciplinary rehabilitation.MethodsA critical review of the literature on the interaction between cognitive processes and linguistic functions in communication disorders was undertaken. Specific key terms including but not limited to executive functioning, working memory, language, assessment, intervention and communication disorders were searched on the Google Scholar database. Relevant literature from the last three decades pertaining to cognitive behavior, assessment and intervention in communication disorders of all age groups and severities is included in the review.ResultsThe review presents analyses of the multidimensional and dynamic interaction of language and cognition in children (specific language impairment, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stuttering) and adults (traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia) with communication disorders. The article elaborates on the speech-language pathologist's scope of practice in cognitive assessment and intervention that are consistent with the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework.ConclusionsBy documenting cognitive-communication behaviour, speech-language pathologists are able to effectively contribute to the clinical assessment and management of cognitive deficits. However, future research efforts are required to develop clinically reliable tests of cognitive functioning in communication disorders and promote evidence-based cognitive treatment practices.

The phenomenon of Skolombo in Calabar and the challenge of urban subalternism

This paper examines the phenomenon of Skolombo in Calabar (Nigeria) in relation to the challenge of urban subalternism in that context. This is against the backdrop of the evolution of the Skolombo into a rising urban subaltern category involved in the underworld and ant-social activities. By means of exploratory and conversational discourse that relies on extant literature as well as insights from personal communications, the paper posits that Skolombo phenomenon represents an existential struggle by abandoned and rejected street children who are surviving against structural societal victimization. Away from home, these children have found the streets, not only an inevitable abode but also a space for opportunistic survival. Over the years, they have evolved a pattern of street living characterized, among other things, by restiveness, touting, gangsterism, and criminality. Associated with this pattern of existence is an emerging subaltern identity that highlights a crisis of urbanity in Calabar metropolis of Nigeria.&#x0D; Keywords: Calabar, Skolombo, street living, subaltern identity, urban criminality, urban subalternism

Towards a taxonomy of conversational discourse types: An empirical corpus-based analysis

Scholars from several research traditions have explored the ways in which speakers sometimes employ larger coherent discourse units within a conversational interaction. For most scholars, conversation is normally structured as local sequences of turns; larger discourse units are atypical, used for special culturally-recognized speech genres embedded in the regular flow of conversation. However, Bakhtin (1979/1986) suggests a different possibility: that conversational talk is normally organized in terms of larger discourse units representing different speech genres.The present paper -- at the intersection of the sub-disciplines of conversation analysis, discourse pragmatics, corpus linguistics, and register analysis -- reports on a major corpus-based investigation that empirically explores this theoretical possibility raised by Bakhtin. Based on analysis of 2.3 million words of conversational interactions, taken from the British National Corpus 2014, we show that 1) most conversational talk consists of sequences of coherent discourse units that have identifiable communicative goals, and that 2) such discourse units can be categorized into conversational discourse types that have distinct communicative purposes but do not usually conform to a conventional genre structure. That is, while conversational discourse units rarely realize conventional genre structures like personal narratives or jokes, they can be categorized into discourse types that serve distinctive combinations of communicative purposes. Based on our corpus analysis, we identify and describe 16 conversational discourse types associated with combinations of 9 general communicative purposes. Not surprisingly, discourse types focused on the expression of personal stance, feelings, and evaluations are especially common in conversation. However, the study reveals a second pattern that is more surprising: that discourse types focused on conveying information are as common in conversation as personal stance discourse types.

Evasion in Police-Suspect Interrogating Discourse: A Discourse Analytic Study of the Transcript of the Interrogation of Anthony Sowell

This research paper attempts to study evasion in police- suspect interrogating discourse. It selects the transcript of the interrogation of Anthony Sowell as its data for analysis. It shows that evasion exists only in conversational discourse that is mainly based on question- answer sequences. And in most of the cases, it is intentional. So, a discourse analytic approach is appropriate. In the case of this research, the police officers interrogate Anthony Sowell, a real serial killer, to get confessions from him about his crimes. But Anthony does his best to offer them evasive answers. His cunningness lies in his ability to afford answers which are semantically irrelevant and pragmatically coherent at the same time. He pretends to be cooperative whereas in fact he is not. The framework of this research is two- fold. It studies evasion and the detection of evasion through questioning. On one hand, it works on the level of evasion from the part of the suspect. It shows that the evasive answers of the suspects are covert and overt. And on the other hand, it inspects the detection of evasion through questioning by the police interrogators. Regarding covert evasion, the research applies a theoretical framework that studies it from the following three perspectives: 1) changing the textual context of the question; 2) changing the focus of the question; and 3) changing the focus and the textual context of the question (Galasinski, 2000). And concerning overt evasion, the theoretical framework focuses on ‘opting out’. The research shows that evasion with its two types is deceiving because on the surface, the suspect seems cooperative, but underneath, he is not. As for the detection of evasion, the theoretical framework of this research spots light on the interviewers’ reactions towards this evasion. It uses ‘contingent questions’, ‘presupposition triggers’ and ‘next questions’ as frameworks for the detection of evasion. Two types of contingent questions are discussed: ‘and- and so- prefacing questions. The research concludes that the conflict between interrogators and suspects is endless. Interrogators still need to exert more effort to be able to elicit true information and detect evasion during their cross interrogation of the suspects.

Cognitive-communication skills and acute outcome following mild traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Purpose Little is known about cognitive-communication skills post mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We aimed to determine how performance on cognitive-communication measures in the acute recovery period relates to early outcome following complicated mTBI. Method Results of language and communication skill measures, demographic and accident-related data, length of stay (LOS), Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) scores and discharge destinations were retrospectively gathered for 128 admitted patients with complicated mTBI. Results More than half of the individuals required rehabilitation services post discharge from hospital with over a third needing in-patient rehabilitation. Patients with poorer skills in auditory comprehension, verbal reasoning, confrontation naming, verbal fluency and conversational discourse were more likely to require in-patient rehabilitation. Subjects with worse skills in naming, conversational discourse and letter-category verbal fluency had a greater chance of being referred to out-patient rehabilitation services. Thus patients with both auditory comprehension and oral expression deficits were more likely to require in-patient services whereas those who had oral expression deficits but no significant difficulty in auditory comprehension were more often referred to out-patient services. Also, worse conversational discourse skills and semantic-category naming ability were related to lower GOSE scores and the chance of a longer LOS was greater when letter-category naming was poorer. Conclusion The likelihood of individuals requiring rehabilitation services post mTBI was related to performance on several oral expression and auditory comprehension measures. It is therefore important to evaluate cognitive-communication skills early to determine rehabilitation needs.

Language Choice Among Commuter Bus Conductors (Drivers' Mates) and Passengers at Kumasi Kejetia Bus Terminal, Ghana

This research aims to examine the language used by the commuter bus conductors and passengers moving to and from Kejetia bus terminal in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. This research basically focuses on sociolinguistics approach. The source of the data is purely the utterances of the bus conductors and the passengers on board in the commuter buses. Observation and recording were used as the data collection instruments in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data gathered. The study found Asante Twi dialect as the most dominant language choice of the majority of the sampled population (passengers and drivers' mates). The use of unmarked code switching in conversational discourse was not uncommon among participants. Finally, the study found English language to be the second most dominant language choice in the participants' verbal discourse. The implication is that apart from Akan language, all the other seven languages stand the risk of experiencing language shift leading to eventual language death should the ethnic groups concerned fail to maintain their languages.

Communication Strategy Use in English Conversational Discourse

The ultimate goal of language learners is to communicate efficiently and fluently in the given second language, which is hard work to reach. They are learning the language for long years, and it may happen that theoretically they are familiar with all the grammar intricacies, but practically they are not able to ask for even a glass of water in real situations. The question is whether the use of communication strategies could help to cope with the difficulties by their direct teaching. A few years ago I conducted a research to find out what kind of interactive strategies the learners are using and to provide a full list of them. The publications at that time did not deal with strategies specifically in the teaching material. I used my own list. The latest books, however, put a stress on useful phrases. So the question is whether the fact that they draw attention to strategies in separate sections, will bring significant changes in the learners’ communication.

El marcador del discurso del español peninsular claro y sus posibles traducciones en italiano

In the previous works we analyzed, in contrast to Italian, two abundant conversational discourse markers in European Spanish, hombre and bueno . Now we want to analyze, also in contrast to Italian, another common conversational discourse marker in European Spanish, claro , because we have observed that a very few number of studies have focused on it with a contrastive linguistic perspective. For this purpose, first we will make a brief summary of claro ’s main characteristics, then we will dedicate a few paragraphs to the treatment that this discourse marker received in some monolingual dictionaries and in other bilingual Italian-Spanish-Italian dictionaries. After that, we will recapitulate its main usage and value and, finally, we will discuss the translation solutions that we considered more appropriate in Italian, certainly the most interesting aspects of our work. Through them we will try to demonstrate that although at first sight claro tends to be almost automatically (and almost exclusively) translated as certo , which would imply the presence of few translation options compared with the translations of others conversational discourse markers as bien , hombre and bueno , on the other hand this discourse marker offers a wide range of translation solutions in the target language. This is the first of two works that we will dedicate to this subject. In our second article, which is in press, we will focus, always in contrast to Italian, on the combination between claro and others discourse markers of European Spanish. So far, there are not many pages that have been dedicated to this issue.

Німецькі лексичні запозичення в українському розмовному дискурсі

The paper is devoted to researching of the phenomenon of German lexical borrowings that have been included into the vocabulary of the Ukrainian society. The chronology of spreading of Germanisms on the territory of Ukraine was traced. It is emphasized that the influence of the German language on the Ukrainian language has continued and increased throughout the period of its formation and development as an European language. The enrichment of the Ukrainian language with German vocabulary was directly dependent on the impact of German economic development on Ukrainian realities of that period. Using data from competent sources, printed works, dictionaries, online publications containing a list of German lexemes used by Ukrainians in everyday conversational discourse, the authors distinguish and provide examples of the most commonly used lexemes in the contemporary Ukrainian environment, harmoniously included in its composition.

Participatory, self-organising, and learning

Abstract This article presents a case study on communication in online collaborative translation projects, drawing on a community of amateur Chinese translators called Yeeyan. Centring on the concept of ‘translaboration’, the study explores the collaborative dimension of translation by examining conversational discourse during the translation process. It argues that participants play the role not only of translators, but also of translaborators, who self-organise and resolve various kinds of issues through collaboration. The study uses dialogue act analysis and social network analysis to investigate the features and influence of communication that drive and shape translation and other collaborative activities. The findings show that communication can help mitigate organisational and quality risks in online collaborative translation. A learning process embedded in peer communication is also found. The study enriches existing knowledge of translaboration as a model of transdisciplinary research of collaborative practices in multi-agent relationships, collective problem-solving and knowledge communication.