Spoken Language Features

Question 1

Adjacency Pairs

Answer 1

Parallel expressions used across the boundaries of individual speaking turns. They are usually ritualistic and formulaic socially.

Question 2

Back-channel

Answer 2

Words, phrases and non-verbal utterances used by a listener to give feedback to a speaker that the message is being followed and understood.

Question 3

Contraction

Answer 3

A reduced form often marked by an apostrophe in writing.
Can’t = Cannot. She’ll = She will

Question 4

Deixis / deictics

Answer 4

Words such as ‘this’, ‘that’ which refer backwards or forwards or outside a text - a sort of verbal pointing. Very much a context dependent feature of talk.

Question 5

Discourse marker

Answer 5

Words and phrases which are used to signal the relationship and connections between utterances and to signpost that what is said can be followed by the listener or reader.

Question 6

Elision

Answer 6

The omission of slurring of one or more sounds or syllables.
Gonna = going to. Wannabe = want to be

Question 7

Ellipsis

Answer 7

The omission of part of a grammatical structure. The resulting ellipsis conveys a more casual and informal tone.
“You going to the party?” “Might be”

Question 8

False start

Answer 8

This is when the speaker begins an utterance, then stops and either repeats or reformulates it. Sometimes called self-correction.

Question 9

Filler

Answer 9

Items which do not carry conventional meaning but which are inserted in speech to allow time to think, to create a pause or to hold a turn in conversation.

Question 10

Hedge

Answer 10

Words and phrases which soften or weaken the force with which something is said.
Perhaps, maybe, sort of, possibly, I think