Other-initiated repair and membership categorization—some conversational events that trigger linguistic and regional membership categorization

Abstract

In continuation of recent discussions in JoP and elsewhere concerning the aptness of conversation analysis (''CA'') as a research methodology for ''intercultural'' interaction, this CA-study shows some procedures by which interactants overtly or covertly orient to regional or linguistic category membership where apparent trouble in hearing or understanding the talk are addressed (''otherinitiated repair'' [Language 54 (2) (1977) 361]). These practices of membership categorizing are inferred from different kinds of structural elaborateness beyond the basic two-part repair sequence. CA is shown to provide analytic tools which are highly suitable to detecting and describing practices of membership categorizing along regional or linguistic lines both in so-called ''native/native'' and ''native/nonnative'' interaction.

On the Organization of Repair in Multiperson Conversation: The Case of “Other”-Selection in Other-Initiated Repair Sequences

“…When interacting with individuals who are possibly lacking full interactional competencies-such as young children or language learners/novices-participants may use a range of resources to make interactional competencies relevant and "procedurally consequential" (Schegloff, 1991, p. 52). For example, interlocutors' orientations to divergent interactional competencies may become evident in how repair is initiated and resolved (e.g., Bolden, in press;Egbert, 2004;Hosoda, 2003). Here I show that "other"-selection may convey the repair initiator's claim that the speaker of the trouble-source turn may not be capable of providing an adequate repair solution and that the addressee of the repair initiation is better equipped to do so.…”

Germanachandachsoin repair uptake: Resources to sustain or remove epistemic asymmetry

“…In these publications, however, this labeling was not based on a systematic analysis of ach and achso across a large collection of segments, but instead on the analysis of individual instances. In terms of the tokens' translations into English, we find various suggestions: Ach is typically translated as oh (Auer 1984: 644;Egbert 1997: 613;2004: 1491Golato 2002: 68, 72;Günthner 1999: 702;Selting 1988: 313;Taleghani-Nikazm 2006: 53, 72) but also as well (Golato 2005: 79, 103). For achso we find even greater variation: It has been translated 1.…”

“…which repair can be initiated (Auer 2005;Egbert 1996Egbert , 2002Selting 1987aSelting , 1987bSelting , 1987cUhmann 1997Uhmann , 2001), on repair initiators (Egbert 1996(Egbert , 2002Selting 1987aSelting , 1987cStreeck 1996;Uhmann 1997Uhmann , 2001), on trouble sources (Auer 1984;Egbert 2002;Selting 1987c;Weber 1998), on functions of repair (Auer 2005;Egbert 1997Egbert , 2002Egbert , 2004Fischer 1992;Selting 1987c), and on the role of prosody in repair (Rabanus 2003;Selting 1988Selting , 1996. 1 In addition to these studies mostly conducted on ordinary conversation, there is also work that looks at the form and function of repair in other settings such as city administration offices (Selting 1987c), the language classroom (Liebscher & Dailey-O'Cain 2003), proficiency interviews (Egbert 1998;Kasper & Ross 2001), and bilingual communication (Egbert 2002;Rieger 2003).…”

“…Others have also labeled German ach and achso as change-of-state tokens (Egbert 1997(Egbert , 2004Selting 1992;Weber 1998). In these publications, however, this labeling was not based on a systematic analysis of ach and achso across a large collection of segments, but instead on the analysis of individual instances.…”

“…variously as got it (Weber 1998: 172, 185), I see (Auer 1984: 637;Auer & Kern 2001: 107) or oh I see (Auer 1984: 637;Egbert 2004Egbert : 1477Egbert , 1478, as oh so (Taleghani-Nikazm 2006: 23), oh really? (Taleghani-Nikazm 2006: 74), oh okay (Weber 1998: 204), oh (Selting 1992: 325;Selting, 1996: 258, 259), oh well (Selting 1992: 323), really (Scheutz 2001:126) and ah so (Selting 1988: 302).…”