how a conversation works

• openings

  conversations starters

  “excuse me“
• turn taking

  we are sensitive to cues that someone else wants to speak
• tag questions

  questions attached to the end of statements.

  can be used to invite turn taking
• repair

  correcting your own mistakes after saying something
• feedback

  shows your listening.

  can be verbal or non verbal
• pre closing signals

  ways of indicating the conversation is ending
• accommodation theory

  we adjust our speech to suit others
• convergence and divergence


  we move speech closer or further apart
• downward divergence

  someone may tone down their accent when talking to others to fit in better
• upward divergence

  often to suit a more formal situation
• mutual convergence

  speakers both change idiolect to accommodate the other
• what does Grice’s Maxims contain

  maxim of quantity, maxim of relevance, maxim of manner, maxim of quality
• what is Grice’s Maxim

  the ideal conversation
• maxim of quantity

  saying not more or less than is required
• maxim of relevance

  what is said should be relevant
• maxim of manner

  avoidance of ambiguity and obscurity, being orderly and coherent
• maxim of quality

  being truthful as far as you know
• face


  the image of ourselves we present when we speak
• The politeness principles: what are the rules

  don’t impose

  give options

  make your receiver feel good
• positive politeness

  showing we like another person by valuing them in our conversation
• negative politeness


  we try to avoid intruding on others