Publications

Publication details [#59315]

Li, Xiaoting. 2014. Multimodality, Interaction and Turn-taking in Mandarin Conversation. (Studies in Chinese Language and Discourse 3). John Benjamins. xi, 265 pp.
Publication type
Book – monograph
Publication language
English
Language as a subject

Annotation

One major feature of conversation is that people take turns to speak. Based on audio and video recordings of naturally-occurring Mandarin conversation, this book explores the role of syntax, prosody, body movements as well as their interplay in turn organization in the temporal unfolding of action and interaction. Adopting the methodology of interactional linguistics, this book offers a fine-grained analysis of the three multimodal resources and the sequential environments in which they appear. It demonstrates that syntax, prosody and body movements not only converge but also diverge in projecting possible turn completion.