Assignment #3

Adjacency pairs are joint actions that take place in two statements spoken by different people. The two parts are distinctly ordered; they could not occur in reverse. In addition, the structure and subject of the second part of the pair depends on that of the first. Moreover, if a neutral party was presented with only the first part of the pair, he would expect something like the second to follow it. In the first part, the speaker presents a signal and proposes a joint project. The second part consists of the second speaker identifying the signal and taking up the suggestion for the joint project.

Clark asserts that conversation takes place on two levels: Track 1 and Track 2. Track 1 is what the conversation is explicitly about, and Track 2 is where the two speakers are attempting to successfully execute the joint communication. While the subject matter of Track 1 is the topic of conversation, the subject matter of Track 2 is the communication taking place in Track 1. Track 2 refers to whether the participants both understand what is taking place in Track 1. Usually the first speaker asks whether the second speaker understands his meaning, and the second speaker establishes his affirmation. Although this is usually unspoken, when a participant wishes to directly question or correct his partner's understanding of his meaning, the conversation moves into Track 2.

Cellphone conversation excerpt

(Assertion)B: I'm so behind on this project.

(Question)B: Don't you have class in five minutes?
(Answer)A: Four minutes.

(Assertion)A: But i'm walking so i can talk to you.
(Assent)B: Oh-
[Track 2]
(Question)B: on the hill?
(Answer)A: No, I'm almost there.

(Assent)A: It's ok.

(Request)A: Just get up and do it.
(Promise)B: I'm going to, but by the time i get there i'll only have one hour.

(Question)A: Why don't you do it now?
(Answer)B: Grrr, we don't have internet.

(Promise)A: i'll call you later
(Acknowledgment)B: Ok

AIM conversation excerpt

(Greeting)A: heyy
(Greeting)B: heyyy

(Question)A: how's it going?
(Answer) B: good good

(Question)B: you?
(Answer)A: good

(Assertion)A: busy and stuff
(Assent) B: ohh yeah very much so that too

(Question)A: what kind of art stuff are you doing now?
(Answer) B: still mainly graphic design and now into fashion as well

[Track 2]
(Question)A: fashion too??
(Answer) B: yes yes hehee