Structural-Functional Approaches to Conversation

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2.4.1. Structural-Functional Approaches to Conversation

Structural-functional approaches ask just what is conversational structure, and attempt to relate the description of conversational structure to that of other units, level and structure of language Eggins and Slade, 1997 . The Birmingham School : specifying the structure of the conversational exchange, how interactants can keep taking turns. It involved recognizing discourse as a level of language organization quite distinct from the levels of grammar and phonology. Distinct discourse units, as opposed to grammatical units were identified for the analysis of interactive talk. These units were seen to be related in terms of ranks or levels ; acts combined to make up moves, which in turn combined to make up exchanges. Exchanges combined to make up transaction, which finally made up lessons, which were the largest identifiable discourse unit in the pedagogic context. Eggins and Slade, 1997 The analysis sought to describe systematically the relationship between these discourse units and grammatical units such as the clause, but grammatical form and discourse function are not equivalent. From this approach, I analyze the speech function from the transactional and interpersonal conversation texts which is expressed through moves Halliday, 1994 . A move is a unit after which speaker change could occur without turn transfer being seen as an interruption Eggins and Slade, 1997 . From a practical perspective, move can be recognized in conversation from the grammatical unit although move is a unit of discourse organization, not of grammar, and is therefore a separate unit from the clause 31 Enggins and Slade, 1997 . The clause and the move are distinct units, so fundamental to language structure is the clause that most of the time a move is realized by a clause ; that is, most clause are moves, and most moves are clauses. A move is a unit after which speaker change could occur without turn transfer being seen as an interruption Eggins and Slade, 1997 . From a practical perspective, move can be recognized in conversation from the grammatical unit although move is a unit of discourse organization, not of grammar, and is therefore a separate unit from the clause. Enggins and Slade, 1997 The clause and the move are distinct units, so fundamental to language structure is the clause that most of the time a move is realized by a clause ; that is, most clause are moves, and most moves are clauses. 32 The speech function classes are presented in all move types Eggins and Slade, 1997 attend open give demand initiate good and services fact opinion move monitor elaborate continue prolong extend enhance elaborate append extend enhance sustain support respond confront react rejoinder support open close information 33 Figure 3 : Speech Function Classe Eggin and Slade, 1997 : 192

2.5. Linguistic Features Grammatical Pattern in Conversation