4.3.1.5 Turn Allocation, Repair, Overlapping Talk, Silence
Turn allocation techniques as have been analysed refer to three rules : 1 CSSN, 2 SS, and 3 SC. These three techniques have to do with repair, silence and overlapping talk
in terms of normative character of the rules. As normative rules they are constrained by problems in speaking. In informal talk, like in daily talk or conversation, speakers and
listeners are constraints in a number of ways, for example they must act quickly to avoid long pauses, to compete to take turns , etc Donaldson and Cohen, 1997 : 87.
TB conversation constrains its speakers in the following ways. Rule 1a, CSSN, in Toba Batak is not always conformed to the next speaker selected by current speaker, takes
the turn, or gives the required answer. As Sacks et.al 1974 noted that rule 1a implies the speaker selected by the current speaker must take the turn at the next TRP, this is
not always the case in TB conversation as has been explained above. Rule 1b, SS leads to speakers’ competition on turn that makes overlapping talk, and the recipient of SS
speaker can do repair initiation like that of CSSN. Rule 1c, SC, is preceded by a longer silence. The following discussions are about how CSSN which is basically structured in
AP constrained by repair when the speaker selected delays the required answer, how SS causes overlapping talk, and how SC is preceded by a longer silence.
The first constraint found in CSSN is that the speaker selected is not always coming to respond that causes the speaker initiates and resolves the repair, SISR
excerpt 50, line 7 and 8. The second constraint found in CSSN is that the response to greeting in AP is delayed and repair initiation has to be launched by other speaker, and
the repair is resolved by the producer of trouble items, that is, OISR excerpt 7, line 2
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and 3. So, the delayed response here leads to such kind of repair. The third is found in such an offer that is rejected by the recipient, and this rejection makes the speaker
initiate a repair which is resolved by the reipient or other speaker, SIOR excerpt 24, line 3 and 4. The fourth is found in CSSN in which the question as selecting the next
speaker is responded by question by other speaker. This repair initiationis is also resolved by the same speaker, OIOR excerpt 27, line 2.
CSSN is considered to have constraints in overlapping talk; terminal overlap and choral talk. In terminal overlap its speaker overlaps at the possible completion
point before the CSSN speaker complete his turn, and the overlap is not an interruption as it occurs at possible TRP excerpt 46, line 2. When CSSN is apllied, constrained by
a choral talk, one of its speaker overlapped when the selected speaker starts his turn exerpt 46, line 15, 16.
CSSN can be constrained by a silence in the SPP of an AP. This makes the speaker of FPP initiate a repair, and other speaker resolve it. As has been said that not
all selected speakers response the utterance in FPP. This also makes CSSN deals with the three kinds of pauses. The first kind occurs when CSSN speaker makes a pause
within his turn, that is, the turn itself is not yet completed excerpt 46, line 1. The second pause occurs when CSSN is applied, there is a silence at TRP, no listener self-
selects, then the current speaker continues exerpt 2, line 1-3. And the third kind of pause constrains CSSN in which this CSSN also consitutes speaker continuation
excerpt 46, line 4-5. This condition makes it possible that silence and repair occur as
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to make the turn go smoothly. Therefore, rule 1a CSSN, based on the constraint, is linked to repair work; SISR, OISR, SIOR, OIOR, overlapping talk as well as silence.
Rule 1b SS as has been explained, allocates a turn to self-selector who starts first. This encourages the earliest possible start for each self-selector and will produce
an overlap because they compete for turns at possible transition-relevance place. When the overlapping is not supportive it does not occur at or near TRP, it is considered
interruption. This means that rule 1b can produce an overlap before TRP. SS is also linked to repair work. A speaker of self-select can both initiate and
resolve the repair which is called SISR excerpt 45, line 1. When a speaker self-selects or when his utterance is addressed to the enitre group, the other self-select speaker who
takes the turn can initiate a repair and the first speaker resolve the repair as what is called OISR excerpt 44, line 1 and 2. The other self-select speaker can both initiate
and resolve the repair, as called OIOR excerpt 42, line 9. When the self-select speaker does the initiation of repair and other speaker resolves it, the process is called SIOR.
This occurs when the self-select speaker found problem in selecting a word or forgot a word or term to complete his turn.
SS which is linked to overlapping talk occurs in continuers excerpt 44, 48, 49, collaborative utterance excerpt 43, terminal overlap and choral talk excerpt 43, 46.
The continuer which marks overlapping talk is considered an interruption because it is not supportive to the speaker excerpt 44, line 2. And those which are supportive are
considered a non-interruption excerpt 48, line 33, excerpt 49, line 6. Collaborative utterance which marks overlapping talk is not an interruption excerpt 43, line 5. A
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non-interrupted overlap is realized in terminal overlap which is supportive, excerpt 43, line 12. And this is also shown by a choral talk excerpt 43, line 13-14.
SS which is related to silence is realized in gap, pauses and lapse. In gap, the silence occurs at the end of current speaker’s turn with no CSSN, and a self-select
speaker has not yet started excerpt 48, 24. In pauses it can be found in the first and the second kind. In the first kind of pause, silence is indicated within the current speaker’s
turn. When the current speaker makes a self-select turn, before ending it he stops a moment excerpt 41, line 10. Silence in the second kind of pause occurs at TRP and
the current speaker does not select the next speaker, then there is no a self-select so that the current speaker continued excerpt 44, line 6. SS can be constrained by a lapse,
that is, a longer silence than in gap and pause which occurs at the end of the current speaker who does not apply CSSN excerpt 42, line 13, and excerpt 43, line 6.
Speaker continuation SC is constrained by SISR, SIOR, and OIOR. When the current speaker does not select the next speaker and no participant self-selects, at TRP
the current speaker may continue. This speaker continuation can be a place of initiating and resolving a repair, SISR excerpt 50, line 8. When the current speaker continues
Speaker continuation SC is constrained by SISR, SIOR, and OIOR. When the current speaker continues and in his turn he has trouble in finding a term by which it is
initiated by him as current speaker to be repaired and resolved by other, so as to make SIOR excerpt 45, line 3-4. The speaker continuation is also used to resolve the repair
which has been initiated in his prior turn. So it is initiated and resolved by the speaker other than one who has produced the problematic item, OIOR excerpt 42, line 9-10.
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Overlapping talks which constrain speaker continuation SC are continuer, collaborative utterance, terminal overlap, and choral talk. Continuer occurs when the
current speaker continues, but as an overlap it is supportive and thus non-interruptive excerpt 49, line 6. Overlap in collaborative utterance is also non-interruptive as when
the speaker continues the overlap comes before TRP but supporting the utterance of the speaker’s continuation excerpt 43, line 5. In terminal overlap too, it comes at TRP or
near TRP after the speaker continuation, it supports what the speaker after continuing his utterance said excerpt 43, line 12. For choral talk, more than one speakers talk
simultaneously after the speaker’s continuation which support what the speaker continues in his turn excerpt 43, line 13-14. So, the overlapping talks which constrain
speaker continuation are all non-interruptive. Speaker continuation SC is linked with a longer silence before the extended
turn taken by the first speaker. Silence here refers to that of pause of second kind. The pause of this kind occurs after a silence, and at TRP no listener self selects, then the
current speaker continues. At the time it was silent, the current speaker actually gave the longer chance to the self select speaker to take turn excerpt 44, line 6. So, the
speaker who gives the longer chance for self-select is tolerate that the process of turn- taking go smoothly.
CSSN, SS, and SC are intersected by silence in terms of gap, pause, and lapse. CSSN, when it is applied in relation with silence, it overlaps SC. The silence is
categorized as the third kind of pause, that is, the delay of the speaker selected by the current speaker, and pause occurs at this place excerpt 46, line 4, 5 Whereas when, in
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the same case SS is applied the kind of silence which occurs is gap excerpt 47, line 8, 9. If CSSN is not applied, and there is no self select , the current speaker does not
continue, lapse occurs in a significant length of time excerpt 43, line 5, 6. SS and SC are linked by silence in terms of pause of the second kind. Before
the speaker continuation there is a longer pause. This pause bridges the current speaker self- select with the speaker continuation that the conversation keeps on track and goes
smoothly excerpt 44, line 6. CSSN has also to do with the pause within speaker’s turn or that of the first
kind. When the current speaker selects the next speaker, he, before ending his turn stops a moment to select the most appropriate term for the interlocutor.
The following table shows how Turn Allocation, Repair, Overlapping Talk, and Silence are linked as to display the constraint of their structures.
Table 2. Turn Allocation and Its constraint
SISR OISR SIOR OIOR REPAIR
NI I
NI I
NI I
NI I
GAP PAUSE
1
SILENCE CSSN
SS SC
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ -
+ +
- -
- -
+ +
- +
- +
- +
- +
- +
- +
- +
- +
- +
- +
-
CONSTRAINT TURN
ALLOCATION
CONTINUER CU
TO CT
OVERLAPPING TALK PAUSE
2
PAUSE
3
LAPSE +
+ +
- +
+ -
+ -
+ -
-
Note : CSSN = Current Speaker Selects Next
SS = Self-Select
SC = Speaker Continuation
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SISR = Self-initiated, Self-repair OISR = Other-initiated, Self-repair
SIOR = Self-initiated, Other-repair OIOR = Other-initiated, Other-repair
CU = Collaborative Utterance TO = Terminal Overlap
CT = Choral Talk I = Interruption
NI = Non-interruption + indicates a system constraint, meaning that in the occurance of turn
other organization also occurs. - indicates the absence of constraint
4.3.2. Ritual Constrain 4.3.2.1 Question-answer, Greeting-Greeting, Summon-Answer