Abstract/Details

Discourse rhythm in overlapping utterances

Barrows, Catherine Gould.   University of South Carolina ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  1996. 9637091.

Abstract (summary)

This dissertation investigates and argues for the existence of the discourse rhythmic frame as separate from individual utterance rhythms (Couper-Kuhlen & Auer 1988). Using a primarily conversation analysis methodology, this research focuses on the nature of discourse rhythm as opposed to individual utterance rhythms and investigates the interactional function of the discourse rhythmic frame and divergence from that frame.

Selected data which were transcribed initially using a conversation analysis approach were examined through the additional linguistic approaches of phonology and sociolinguistics. The nature of the discourse rhythmic frame is investigated through the application of prosodic phonology (Nespor & Vogel 1986) to a set of sequentially related utterances. I construct the metrical grids which indicate the rhythms of these utterances from the prosodic trees. The results of mapping the simplified forms of these final metrical grids to the discourse rhythmic frame indicate that the discourse rhythmic frame does not impose primary and secondary status on the beats encoded in the frame and the discourse rhythmic frame offers a viable account for the phenomenon of simultaneous onset following a gap in the conversation. These findings offer an alternative to the rhythmic chain analysis of Couper-Kuhlen (1993).

In addition, the sociolinguistic theory of code-switching for the purpose of gaining interactional power (Scotton 1988; Myers-Scotton 1993) is used in the investigation of onset non-synchronic overlaps. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses are used. These data indicate that there is a tendency toward rhythmicization at transition-relevance positions (Jefferson 1973; Couper-Kuhlen 1993 inter alia) and provide support for my hypothesis that rhythm shifts in overlapping utterances are self-enhancing moves toward gaining interactional power.

Finally, a conversation analysis approach to these data indicates that the discourse rhythmic frame is crucial in the coordination of the actions in assessment activities (Goodwin & Goodwin 1987) and can account for the failure to correct certain types of speech errors as well as the occurrence of some repairs and/or repair markers in the absence of overt speech errors. In addition, the divergence from the discourse rhythmic frame may be a crucial element in the delineation of footing shift and reported speech.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Linguistics
Classification
0290: Linguistics
Identifier / keyword
Language, literature and linguistics; codeswitching; sociolinguistics
Title
Discourse rhythm in overlapping utterances
Author
Barrows, Catherine Gould
Number of pages
364
Degree date
1996
School code
0202
Source
DAI-A 57/07, Dissertation Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
ISBN
978-0-591-02813-3
Advisor
Goodwin, Charles
University/institution
University of South Carolina
University location
United States -- South Carolina
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
9637091
ProQuest document ID
304287699
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/304287699