2. Is a popular approach to the study of discourse. It is a
way of thinking about and analyzing the pragmatics of
ordinary conversation, focusing on the interactive,
practical construction of everyday interchanges
3. What is Conversation Analysis?
Origins in Ethnomethodology
Conversation analysis... has been pioneered by a break-away group of sociologists, often known
as ethnomethodologists
What is a conversation?
A conversation is the impromptu, spontaneous, everyday exchange of talk between two or more
people
What is the method of CA?
The CA seeks to describe conversation in a way that builds upon the way it is taken up by the
people who are participating in it
4. Speech Acts
Utterances are used to do things; they are actions. Speech acts can be
grouped into several families, each containing similar types of performative
5. Commissives
Their point is to commit the speaker to a course of action
EXAMPLES
make a vow
take a pledge
give a guarante
promise "I will tell noone what you have said."
offer "Shall I do that?"
6.
7. Directives
Their point is to get the recipient to do something
EXAMPLES :
request "Please tell me more."
command "Tell me about that"
suggest "Why do not you describe what happened."
give permission "You can share that if you wish."
question "What is your family like?"
8. Assertives
Their point is to display the speaker is belief in the propositional content of the utterance
EXAMPLES :
speculate "I wonder whether it will rain tomorrow"
assert "This rain is heavy."
predict "It will surely rain tomorrow."
9.
10. Expressives
Their point is to express the speaker is psychological state
compliment "Great dress!"
apologise "I am really sorry I did that."
greet "Hi!"
acknowledge "uh huh"
welcome "Nice to see you."
thank "Thanks very much!"
11. Declarations
Done by an appropriately authorized speaker
Examples:
sentence "I sentence you to thirty days in jail"
fire "You are fired!"
appoint "You are in charge."
