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Watching paint dry: the sequentiality of idiomatic expressions in NS-NS and NS-NNS talk-in-interaction

University of Bologna, eerdmans{at}lingue.unibo.it

Micaela Di Candia

University of Bologna, micaela_di_candia{at}hotmail.com

Conversation analysis research on naturally occurring NS-NS talk-in-interaction (Drew and Holt, 1988, 1995, 1998; Holt and Drew, 2005) has revealed that participants observably orient to shared expectations of the socio-interactional role of idiomatic expressions, particularly with regard to topic termination and transition. This study has analysed NS-NNS, as well as NS-NS, spontaneous conversation in order to evaluate and uncover recurrent features associated with the use of such expressions. Two main sequential patterns have been observed: one, occurring in both NS-NS and NS-NNS talk, is connected with topic termination and transition, in some (NS-NS) cases being extended to allow for the negotiation of interactional alignment between participants; the other, a `negotiative metatalk sequence', follows idiomatic expressions at points of possible topic conclusion and deals with NS-NNS trouble spots in which conversational participants' lack of shared understanding triggers coordinated negotiatory action that clears the way for the introduction of a new topic.

Key Words: idiomatic expressions • interactional alignment • negotiative metatalk sequence • NS-NS and NS-NNS talk-in-interaction • socio-interactional functions • topic termination and transition

Discourse Studies, Vol. 9, No. 5, 579-595 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1461445607081268


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