Bringing together thirteen original papers by leading American and British researchers, this volume reflects fresh developments in the increasingly influential field of conversation analysis. It begins by outlining the theoretical and methodological foundations of the field and goes on to develop some of the main themes that have emerged from topical empirical research. These include the organisation of preference, topic, non-vocal activities, and apparently spontaneous responses such as laughter and applause. The collection represents the most comprehensive statement yet to be published on this type of research.

These essays reflects fresh developments in the increasingly influential field of conversation analysis.
Reviews
' ... an excellent contribution to a rapidly growing field, which is extremely important to a very wide range of disciplines.' Steven Levinson, University of Cambridge 'This will become the standard work on conversation analysis. No one reading it will be able to doubt the basic importance of the research reported therein to sociology and linguistics.' Anthony Giddens, University of Cambridge 'This excellent summary of conversation analysts' theoretical accomplishments lays bare the interactive, and therefore incontrovertibly social, nature of understanding in face-to-face encounters. It is the clearest and most explicit statement yet of the context-bound, sequentially ordered inferential processes that both constrain and make possible human understanding.' John Gumperz, University of California, Berkeley



Book Information
ISBN 9780521318624
Author J. Maxwell Atkinson
Format Paperback
Page Count 464
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 680g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 155mm * 29mm