Collaborative Assessment in Mandarin Conversation: Grammar in interaction

• In Event: 2364 - Stance in Social Interaction

Abstract

The co-production of a sentence is a phenomenon that is widely observed in talk-in-interaction across languages (Lerner 1991, 1996, 2004), which displays moment-by-moment orientation to the TCUs in-progress, and to the projections of them by participants. However, despite a few exceptions (e.g. Goodwin and Goodwin 1987, 1992), the co-production of "sentences" within different activities and/or actions is largely yet to study. This study, by using 10 hours of video recorded data, examines the co-production of an assessment segment in Mandarin conversation, which we call "collaborative assessment".
It is found that speakers can use syntactic, prosodic, and embodied devices comprehensively to project an assessment and possibly the need for the other to collaborate, which is keenly oriented to by recipients through active engagement. These devices include 1) syntax within the clause: a) (Subj. + ) adv., b) (Subj. + ) V. + de (得), c) (Subj. + ) COP (X shi) (是); 2) bi-clausal structure: concessive connection; 3) prosodic feature: a) last-syllable lengthening, b) pause; 4) conversational operation: a) repetition of adverbs, b) use of filler (neige) and place holder (neige, neishenme), c) reformulation: abortion of the prior TCU and restart with other format; 5) embodied actions: eye gaze, etc. It is argued that these devices must be considered thoroughly in that there can be mismatch between different channels.
With detailed sequential analysis, it is indicated that collaborative assessment serves for three major functions. First, to resolve the production problem of assessment; second, to help complete the foreshadowing negative assessment; third, to show affiliation with the other in evaluative stance. Two factors can be relevant through these three functions, epistemics and intersubjectivity.
Through this study, the concept of "sentence" is re-examined and reflected. It is proved that the contingent treatment of ongoing unit of talk is not necessarily in accordance with the linguistic constituent from traditional view. In terms of turn-taking, it is also proved that the linguistic practices allowing for projection and the consequent uptake before TRP is not only language-specific, but also action-specific.

Author

• Di Fang, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences