Every conversation is different from all others. Nobody ever had exactly the same private conversation
again, even if he conversed about the same topic. Nevertheless there are certain
items in conversations that are very alike or completely alike, and which seem to be build on
certain schemes. Places in conversations where these schemes occur are openings and closings.
The aim of this paper is to examine the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and to examine if
and how these mechanisms have changed since they were first examined by Schegloff and
other linguists in the 1970’s. For providing the necessary background information, I will first
give some basic features of conversation analysis which are important for the topic, before
moving on to conversation openings and finally to conversation closings.
In openings I will especially focus on the summons-answer structure, identification and recognition
as well as on the changes that had to be made and were made to the structure since
the establishment of number identification. Closings will be examined by their components and
the different possibilities they provide will be analysed.
As stated by Levinson (1983: 309) telephone conversation is one of “social activities effectively
constituted by talk itself“. This is, that the conversation is not disturbed in its pureness by
extra-linguistic features like “physical doings and positionings” (Schegloff 1973: 323). Participating
hearers have to interpret the utterances with nothing more than voice, words, intonation
and pauses which can be analysed linguistically. Also the beginnings and endings – and because
of that also the opening and closing places - of such conversation can clearly be determined,
as telephone conversation usually has a duration of the time of the call. Therefore telephone
conversation is most suitable for linguistic research and I will focus on such conversation
only (Schegloff 1973: 325).
Table of Contents
1. CONVERSATION ANALYSIS
1.1 Basics
1.2 Adjacency Pairs
1.3 Preference Organisation
2. OPENINGS
2.1 Summons-Answer
2.2 Identification and Recognition
2.3 Mobile Telephones and Number Identification
3. CLOSINGS
3.1 Closing Section and Terminal Exchange
3.2 Closing Components and Pre-Closings
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary objective of this paper is to examine the sequential mechanisms that structure the beginnings and endings of telephone conversations. It investigates how established conversation analysis principles have evolved—particularly with the advent of number identification—and how participants navigate the transition points between opening sequences, topic talk, and closing sequences.
- Mechanisms of conversational openings and closings
- Application of conversation analysis to telephone communication
- The role of summons-answer sequences and identification strategies
- Structural impact of mobile technology and number identification
- Components and strategies for effective closing sequences
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 Mobile Telephones and Number Identification
When Schegloff and other conversation analysts started their work, mobile telephones were no subject. In the more than 30 years since the beginnings of conversation analysis it became a topic in real life conversation and should therefore also be discussed in conversation analysis. One aspect that influences the openings and closings is the number identification, a feature that is supported by all mobile telephones and many landline telephones as well. The difference between number identification on mobile and on landline is that usually a mobile telephone is answered by the owner only and by nobody else. The consequence of number identification for the conversation opening is, that the called knows who is calling. In addition to this in mobile telephone conversation the caller usually knows who will answer.
In landline telephone number identification this fact is not really important for the opening. The telephone is answered as usual. Sometimes, if the number is recognised the intonation is exaggerated and very seldom the caller is directly and personally greeted. But the called has the option to answer to the summons or not to. The curiosity and the conditional relevance that makes us answer the telephone can be ignored if the called already knows before he picks up the receiver who is calling and if he knows as well that he does not want to speak to the caller.
Summary of Chapters
1. CONVERSATION ANALYSIS: This chapter introduces the foundational concepts of conversational structure, focusing on the local management system, turn-taking mechanisms, and the sequential logic of adjacency pairs.
2. OPENINGS: This section explores how telephone conversations are initiated through summons-answer sequences, the importance of speaker identification, and how caller-ID technology alters traditional opening structures.
3. CLOSINGS: This chapter details the technical and social requirements for ending a conversation, focusing on pre-closing techniques and terminal exchanges that ensure a polite and orderly conclusion.
Keywords
Conversation analysis, Summons-answer, Adjacency pairs, Preference organisation, Telephone openings, Conversation closings, Number identification, Turn-taking, Transition relevance place, Pre-closings, Terminal exchange, Unmentioned mentionables, Discourse analysis, Pragmatics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper focuses on the linguistic mechanisms that structure the beginning and end of telephone conversations, analyzing how these sequences are produced, understood, and modified by technological changes.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The key themes include conversation analysis theory, the mechanics of openings (summons-answer, identification), the impact of caller identification on conversational sequences, and the strategies required to achieve polite conversation closings.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The goal is to examine how conversation sequences work, whether they have changed since the 1970s due to new technology like mobile phones, and how participants manage the transition into and out of topic talk.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The research utilizes conversation analysis (CA), an empirical approach that examines sequential organization in discourse, supported by theoretical frameworks from scholars like Schegloff, Levinson, and Coulthard.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main body covers basic CA concepts, the specific structure of telephone openings (including how modern number identification shifts these structures), and the components required to close a conversation successfully.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include conversation analysis, adjacency pairs, summons-answer sequences, pre-closings, terminal exchanges, and turn-taking, reflecting the focus on linguistic structure and social interaction.
How does number identification specifically change conversation openings?
Number identification allows the called party to recognize the caller before answering, which often enables them to skip formal identification turns and proceed directly to greetings, effectively shortening the opening sequence.
Why are "pre-closings" necessary in telephone conversations?
Pre-closings are necessary to signal an impending end to the conversation, providing the other party an opportunity to introduce "unmentioned mentionables" and ensuring the closure is accepted without being perceived as rude or premature.
- Quote paper
- Eva Kiss (Author), 2002, Conversation Openings and Closings, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/30747
