In this article, I shall consider the organisational principle of turn taking in Moroccan Arabic conversational materials. Granted that the structure of a conversation is essentially interactional, the turn-taking principle is thus- the most likely determinant of this structure. Considering the fact that conversation, by definition, involves two or more persons, the distribution of talk among the participants is not merely random. It is governed by turn-taking norms which determine who talks, when, and for how long. Therefore, it is the aim of this chapter to examine the different aspects of turn-taking.
Table of Contents
I: Turn-taking system: A review
I.1: Turn Constructional Component
I.2: Turn Allocational Component.
I.3 The signalling view of turn-taking
I.4: Further clarifications on “turn”
II: A Descriptive study of Turn-Taking in Moroccan Arabic
II.1: Turn-Selection
II.1.2: Next-Speaker Selection
II.1.2: Next–Speaker Selection in Dyads
II.2: SELF-SELECTION
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This work examines the organizational principles of turn-taking within Moroccan Arabic conversations, analyzing how participants manage the distribution of talk, speaker transitions, and floor-holding. The primary objective is to describe the mechanisms of turn-selection and self-selection by analyzing natural conversational data, while considering the social and contextual factors that influence turn-taking behavior.
- The mechanical organization of turn-taking (Turn Constructional and Allocational components).
- Linguistic and paralinguistic strategies for next-speaker selection.
- The impact of "face-preservation" and social status on conversational participation.
- The role of self-selection and interruptions in managing conversational flow and repairs.
Excerpt from the Book
II.1.2: Next–Speaker Selection in Dyads
However important next-speaker selection is in multi-party conversation one should not lose sight of the fact it is also operative in dyadic conversation though the techniques used are somewhat different. By way of explanation, in dyads (characterized by dialogic format), which are characterized by adjacency pairs, the problem of which person is to take over the talking when the current speaker stops is contingent. Therefore, it seems easy for co-participants to adhere to the turn-taking principle (i,e when one speaker stops, the other can/must take over).
Consider this extract from a telephone conversation in a T.V programme (al muntada rriya:di “the sport club” on the Moroccan National Channel)
1 C: ssi X hada? (is this Mr X)
2 A: n3am assi. Marhaban. lʔism kamel?
(yes, sir. Welcome. Your full name?)
3 C: (giving her full name and the name of the city From which she is talking).
4 A: ʃnu ɣadi taxtari?
(What will you choose?)
5 C: rabʕa ʕamudi
(four, horizontal)
6 A: rabʕa ʕamudi. rabʕa ʕamudi, rabʕa ʕamudi . hada Rassam ispa:ni maʕruf. Minrassa:min lamaʃhu:ri:n
(four,horizontal(repeated three times):He is a Spanish painter. one of the famous painters).
Summary of Chapters
I: Turn-taking system: A review: This chapter provides a theoretical foundation by reviewing the established Sacks, Schegloff, and Jefferson (S.S.J.) model of turn-taking and comparing it with alternative "signalling" approaches.
I.1: Turn Constructional Component: Examines the syntactically defined units that constitute turns and the concept of "Transition Relevance Places" (TRP) where speaker change typically occurs.
I.2: Turn Allocational Component.: Details the specific rules regarding how current speakers select the next speaker or how others may self-select to take the floor.
I.3 The signalling view of turn-taking: Explores non-verbal signals, such as gaze and intonation, as essential components in the organization of conversational turn-exchanges.
I.4: Further clarifications on “turn”: Discusses the difficulties in defining a "turn" precisely and distinguishes between technical research definitions and the participants' own sense of turn-taking.
II: A Descriptive study of Turn-Taking in Moroccan Arabic: Transitions from theory to practice by analyzing transcripts from ordinary Moroccan Arabic conversations to demonstrate how these principles apply in real-world scenarios.
II.1: Turn-Selection: Explores the mechanisms used to control the distribution of turns, focusing on how speakers nominate their successors to ensure orderly communication.
II.1.2: Next-Speaker Selection: Analyzes the techniques of naming and clitic pronoun usage used to explicitly designate the next speaker in multi-party Moroccan Arabic contexts.
II.1.2: Next–Speaker Selection in Dyads: Compares turn-taking dynamics in two-person interactions, noting how adjacency pairs simplify transition compared to multi-party settings.
II.2: SELF-SELECTION: Investigates the motivations behind self-selection, particularly when used for remedial repairs, managing face, or circumventing potential communication breakdowns.
Keywords
Turn-taking, Moroccan Arabic, Conversational analysis, Turn constructional unit, Next-speaker selection, Self-selection, Adjacency pairs, Transition relevance place, Floor-holding, Politeness phenomena, Face-preservation, Interpersonal communication, Conversational structure, Discourse analysis, Interactional dynamics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this study?
The work focuses on the organizational principles of turn-taking in Moroccan Arabic conversations, analyzing how speakers coordinate the floor to ensure orderly interaction.
What are the primary themes explored in the research?
The core themes include the mechanics of turn construction, the strategies for selecting the next speaker, the impact of social context on interaction, and the use of self-selection and interruptions.
What is the main objective of the author's analysis?
The objective is to apply existing linguistic theories of turn-taking to empirical data from Moroccan Arabic to describe how conversational structure is mutually constructed by participants.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses Conversation Analysis (CA), examining transcriptions of natural, everyday speech to uncover the underlying rules and techniques that govern conversational turn-taking.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the S.S.J. model of turn-taking, the signalling approach, definitions of "turns," and practical analyses of next-speaker selection and self-selection in various social settings.
Which keywords define this research?
Key terms include turn-taking, Moroccan Arabic, next-speaker selection, self-selection, floor-holding, conversational organization, and interactional strategies.
How does the author define the difference between a "turn" and the "floor"?
The author highlights that a turn is a contribution on-record, whereas the "floor" represents the acknowledged "what is going on" in a conversation, noting that one can take a turn without necessarily holding the floor.
Why is "face-preservation" significant in this analysis?
Face-preservation is crucial because many turn-taking techniques, such as nomination versus allusion, are chosen to avoid face-threatening situations and maintain positive interpersonal relationships.
- Quote paper
- Nor-eddine Bourima (Author), 2016, Turn-taking in Moroccan Arabic conversation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/341140
