Roller coaster: Distinctive prosodic cuing of turns preempting rejection resistance

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

This paper explores the linkage between intonation nested in conversation turns where the speaker is introducing something delicate (e.g., presenting information liable to provoke distancing) or pre-empting resistance to their proposal when there is a strong risk of rejection. These movements, which appear prosodically marked, deviate not only from the local context of the conversation, but from the conversation as a whole. A speech acoustic analysis of three examples of prosodic signalling within these turns suggests that speakers employ a distinct design and delivery which includes a high terminal peak in the intonation contour. We interpret this signalling to represent responsive and resistant local social actions in a rejection implicative sequential environment. Finally, they show evidence of being pre-planned and important to the speaker.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftInternational Journal of Applied Linguistics (United Kingdom)
Vol/bind29
Udgave nummer1
Sider (fra-til)17-29
Antal sider12
ISSN0802-6106
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 1 jan. 2018

ID: 215033053