An overall structural organisation characterizes conversation as an activity constituted by sub-parts, such as the “beginning section” (where both greeting and non-topical talk), the “topical section” and the “closing section”, together with strategies for moving from one to the next (Ferrara (1980: 327-328)); that is already a structural claim. Accordingly, a description of some aspects of the structural organisation of conversations in Moroccan Arabic (hence MA) will be given with a special focus mainly on the “opening section” and the “closing section”. A priori, MA conversational structure is characterized in the “opening” and “closing” sections by being differently structured on linguistic as well cultural dimensions.
It is worthy note that Moroccan Arabic is considered as a variety historically related to classical Arabic, as well as a variety which denotes instances of a bilingual phenomenon (Bentahilla 1983). The aim to sketch over this point is to draw attention to the importance of their manifestation in both “opening” and “closing” sections in Moroccan Arabic conversational structure.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- I. OPENING SECTIONS
- Schegloff’s Summons-Answer Sequences
- Greeting-Greeting Adjacency Pairs
- Non-Occurrence of the Second Part of the Greeting
- Elaboration of Openings
- Non-Linguistic Moves as Opening Sequences
- Summons-Answer Sequences in Non-Telephone Conversations
- Nonterminality of Opening Sections
- A Complex Opening Section from a Three-Party Conversation
- II. CLOSING SECTION
- Exit Structure in MA Conversation
- Preclosing Sequences
- Closing Sections in Different Contexts
- Non-Linguistic Moves in Closing Sections
- Thanking as a Closing Move
- Farewell-Farewell as Closing Moves
- Reopening Sections
- Closing Sections in Multi-Person Conversations
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper explores the structural organisation of conversations in Moroccan Arabic (MA), specifically focusing on the opening and closing sections. The paper aims to describe and analyze how conversationalists in MA coordinate their entry into a conversation, achieve shared understanding, and collaboratively bring the interaction to a close.
- The role of adjacency pairs in opening and closing sections
- The significance of cultural norms and sociolinguistic factors in conversational structure
- The use of non-linguistic moves in opening and closing sequences
- The concept of "nonterminality" and its implications for conversational structure
- The complexities of closing sections in multi-person conversations
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter delves into the structure of opening sections in MA conversations, examining various greeting sequences and the role of adjacency pairs in establishing initial interaction. It explores the cultural significance of greetings and the phenomenon of non-occurrence of the second part of a greeting, discussing how these non-occurrences are compensated for by subsequent conversation. The chapter further examines the use of non-linguistic moves as opening sequences and the three-turn structure of summons-answer sequences in non-telephone conversations. Finally, it analyzes the feature of "nonterminality" in opening sections and provides an example of a complex opening section from a three-party conversation.
The second chapter focuses on the closing sections of MA conversations, exploring how conversationalists collaboratively end interactions. It investigates the "exit structure" in MA, examining preclosing sequences, different types of closing sections in various contexts, and the role of non-linguistic moves in closing sections. The chapter also analyzes the use of thanking and farewells as closing moves, with specific examples highlighting their sociocultural significance. It then introduces the concept of "reopening sections" and examines the complexities of closing sections in multi-person conversations.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Moroccan Arabic, conversation analysis, opening sections, closing sections, adjacency pairs, cultural norms, sociolinguistics, non-linguistic moves, nonterminality, preclosing sequences, topic bounding sequences, reopening sections, multi-person conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are conversations structured in Moroccan Arabic (MA)?
MA conversations follow a structural organization consisting of opening sections (greetings), topical sections, and closing sections, influenced by both linguistic rules and cultural norms.
What are Schegloff’s Summons-Answer sequences?
These are initial conversational moves where one party calls for attention (summons) and the other responds (answer), establishing the availability for interaction.
What is an 'adjacency pair' in the context of greetings?
An adjacency pair is a sequence of two related utterances by different speakers, such as a Greeting followed by a return Greeting, which is fundamental to MA openings.
How do closing sections work in Moroccan Arabic?
Closings involve 'preclosing sequences' where participants signal the end of a topic, followed by moves like thanking or farewells to collaboratively exit the conversation.
What is 'nonterminality' in opening sections?
Nonterminality refers to the fact that opening sequences are not ends in themselves but are designed to lead into further interaction or topical talk.
- Citation du texte
- Nor-eddine Bourima (Auteur), 2014, Overall Organisation. Openings and Closings in Moroccan Arabic, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/334444
