Generic solicitude in sequence-initial position as a practice for pre-closing proposals in Mandarin telephone calls
Issue: Vol 5 No. 3 (2020)
Journal: East Asian Pragmatics
Subject Areas:
DOI: 10.1558/eap.39605
Abstract:
Based on 200 mundane Mandarin Chinese telephone calls, this paper describes composition of generic solicitude in sequence initial position in the closing section. Two compositions of generic solicitude are found which are stand-alone generic solicitude and composite generic solicitude. Stand-alone generic solicitude is in a single unit turn and usually in imperatives like Adj. + dianr+V. The recipients frequently accept the generic solicitude by minimal response followed by terminal sequence. Composite generic solicitude is in a multi-unit turn which includes closing components and generic solicitude. The recipients may accept or reject the pre-closing proposal by the composite generic solicitude. The generic solicitude could be expanded by both participants. The paper concludes that generic solicitude is a practice for pre-closing proposal in Mandarin telephone calls. Generic solicitudes in closing section function to establish the closing-relevant environment and reaffirm relationship work. This paper contributes to our understanding of the organization of telephone closings in Mandarin interaction.
Author: Boyu Dong, Yaxin Wu
References :
Bi Jiwan.(1997).‘hànyīng gàobiéyǔ de chāyì’ (The differences between China-UK leave-taking expressions). Yuwen Jianshe, 7, 37-39.
Button, G.(1990). On varieties of closings. In Psathas (Eds.), Studies in ethnomethodology and conversation analysis (pp.93-148). Washington, D.C.: International Institute of Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis & University Press of America.
Clift, R., Drew, P. and Local, J. (2013). ‘Why that now?’: Position and composition in interaction (Or, don’t forget the position in composition). In Orwin M. Howes C. and Kempson R.(Ed.), Language, music and interaction (pp.211-232). College Publications.
Danielle Pillet-Shore. (2018). How to begin. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 51(3), 213-231. https://doi.org/10.1080/08351813.2018.1485224
Drew, P., & Holt E. (1998). Figures of speech: Figurative expressions and the management of topic transition in conversation. Language in Society, 27, 495-522. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404598004035
Drew, P., & K. Chilton. (2000) Calling just to keep in touch: regular and habitualised telephone calls as an environment for small talk. In Coupland, J. (Eds.), Small Talk (pp.137-162). Essex: Pearson Education Limited.
Enfield, N.J. (2013). Relationship thinking: Agency, enchrony, and human Sociality. Oxford University Press, New York.
Goffman, E. 1971. Relations Public: Microstudies of the public order. Basic books Inc. Publishers. New York.
Hoey, E.M. & Kendrick, K.H. (2017) Conversation Analysis. In de Groot A.M.B. & Hagoort P. (Eds.) Research Methods in Psycholinguistics : A Practical Guide (pp.151-173). Wiley Blackwell. In press.
Holt, E. (2010). The last laugh: Shared laugher and topic termination. Journal of Pragmatics, 42(6), 1513-1525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2010.01.011.
Hu Mingyang. (1987). ‘wènhòuyǔ de wénhuà xīnlǐ bèijǐng’ (The culture psychology of greetings). Shijie Hanyu Jiaoxue, 2. 30-33.
Hutchby. I. 2001. Conversation and technology: from the telephone to the internet. Polity Press in association with Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Cambridge.
Jefferson, G. (1973). A case of precision timing in ordinary conversation: Overlapped tag-positioned address terms in closing sequence. Semiotica, 9 (1), 47-96. http://doi:10.1515/semi.1973.9.1.47.
Jefferson, G. (2004). Glossary of transcript symbols with an introduction. In Lerner, G.H. (Eds.), Conversation analysis: Studies from the first generation (pp.13-31.) John Benjamins, Amsterdam.
Levinson, S. C. (2013). Action formation and ascription. In. J. Sidnell & T. Stivers (Eds.), The handbook of conversation analysis (pp. 103-130). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Pavlidou, T.S. (2002) Moving towards closing: Greek telephone calls between familiars. In Luke, K.K. & T. S. Pavlidou (Eds.), Telephone calls: Unity and diversity in conversation structure across languages and cultures.
Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2002. 201-229. Doi:10.1075/pbns.101.13pav.
Qu Weiguo & Chen Liufang. (2005). ‘gàobiéyǔ baibai yǔ hànyǔ kǒuyǔ yǔtǐ de quēhuán xiànxiàng ’(Leaving-taking expressions Byebye and the phenomenon of the lack of oral style expressions). Contemporary Rhetoric, (3). 25-27.
Rossi, G. (2018). Composite social actions: The case of factual declaratives in everyday interaction. Research on Language and Social Interaction.51 (4):379-397. http://doi.org/10.1080/08351813.2018.15245662.
Schegloff, E. A. & H. Sacks (1973). Opening up closings. Semiotica, (8): 289-327. Doi:10.1515/semi.1973.8.4.289.
Schegloff, E.A. (2007). Sequence organization in interaction: A primer in conversation analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Stevanovic M. & Svennevig J. (2015). Introduction: Epistemics and deontics in conversational directive. Journal of Pragmatics 78, 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2015.01.008.
Yu, Guodong. & Yaxin.Wu. (2018). Inviting in Mandarin: Anticipating the likelihood of the success of an invitation. Journal of Pragmatics, (125):130-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2017.06.013