previous topic or the new topic. Sacks 1992:566 states that topic change is
continuously exchanging talk between one speaker to the other speaker.
In topic change, the speaker can use some strategies namely introducing a topic, terminating a topic, changing a topic, shifting a topic,
drifting a topic, digressing a topic and resuming a topic Stenström,1994:151- 160. The first strategy is introducing a topic. This strategy introduces the first
topic in the beginning of the conversation. The second strategy is terminating a topic. This strategy closes the previous topic before introduces a new topic
or before closes all conversation. It is signaled by filled pause or laughing. The other strategy is changing a topic. Changing a topic means leaving the current
topic to emerge unrelated topic. The next strategy is shifting a topic. Shifting a topic means moving from one topic to the other related topic and signaled by
pause or laughing. Drifting a topic also can be group as topic change strategy. It means moving the previous topic to the new topic implicitly. Further,
digressing a topic means moving further a new topic temporarily. The last strategy is resuming a topic. It means finishing a topic change and back to the
previous topic.
2.2.2.1.5 Silencepause
Silence occurs when there is a turn signal given by the previous speaker, but the receiver fails or refuses in continuing herhis turn Burton, 1980:78. It
shows that the participants fail in responding the other participant. Meanwhile, pause happens when the speaker finishes herhis talking in the middle or in the
end of conversations. According to Yule 1996:73 silence emerges when one of participants exchanging talk with the other speaker and the other speaker
does not speak. An example of silence can be seen on the conversation between Mr.Strait and Dave is as follows.
Mr. Strait : What‟s your major Dave?
Dave : English
– 3, 0 well I haven‟t really decided yet Mr Strait : So
– you want to be a teacher? Dave
: No 2, 5 not really – well not if I can help it
Mr Strait : WHa-- where do you – go ahead
Dave :
I mean it‟s a – oh sorry I em In above conversation, Dave‟s utterances as the response of the current
speaker indicate a pause. In responding his interlocutor, Dave stops and needs a long time to express his idea.
2.2.2.2 Turn Taking Mechanisms
Sacks et al. 1974:702 proposed the turn taking mechanism can be described in two components, namely Turn Constructional Unit TCU and
Turn Allocation Unit TAU.
2.2.2.2.1 Turn Constructional Unit TCU
Turn Constructional Unit TCU is a turn taking unit that consists of lexical construction, phrase, sentence or clause that refers to the end place of TCU.
This concept refers to the various kinds of unit type and forms a turn that is called Translation Relevance Place TRP.
2.2.2.2.2 Turn Allocation Unit TAU
Turn Allocation Unit TAU is divided into two roles that allocate the sequence of next turn taking. McCarthy 1991:127 adds that the participants
take the turn when the current speaker selects them to be the next speaker. If no one is selected, the participants take the turn by individual selection.
The roles in Turn Allocation Unit TAU are when the speaker selects the next speaker and when the next speaker is selected by self-selection. The
first role is selecting the next speaker. This role is allocated by the speaker who is talking to select the other speaker to be the next speaker. Then, the
pointed speaker should take the turn. Sack 1974 argues that in selecting the next speaker, the speaker uses four strategies. First, the speaker selects the
next speaker by using a basic technique with addressing name. It consists of calling addressee in the face interaction and encloses vocative in the beginning
or in the end of the conversation. Second, the speaker selects the next speaker by using question tag that aims to run out from the turn explicitly. Third, the
speaker selects the next speaker by using ellipsis which is disappearance of sentence. There are two kinds of disappearance of question that selected by
previous speaker, namely asking confirmation with rising intonation and interrogative question. The last strategy is used to select the next speaker is
declaring social identity. The second role is individual selection. In this role, the next turn
occurs when the speaker ‟s talking is not allocated by the other speaker.
