Sequence Organization in Interaction : A Primer in Conversation Analysis

This book, first published in 2007, is the first volume in a revealing series on Conversation Analysis, the study of talk in interaction. This volume's topic is 'sequence organization' - the ways in which turns-at-talk are ordered to make actions take place in conversation. It will be invaluable to anyone interested in interaction and the workings of conversation.

Much of our daily lives are spent talking to one another, in both ordinary conversation and more specialized settings such as meetings, interviews, classrooms, and courtrooms. It is largely through conversation that the major institutions of our society - economy, religion, politics, family and law - are implemented. This book Emanuel Schegloff, the first in a series and first published in 2007, introduces the findings and theories of conversation analysis. Together, the volumes in the series constitute a complete and authoritative 'primer' in the subject. The topic of this first volume is 'sequence organization' - the ways in which turns-at-talk are ordered and combined to make actions take place in conversation, such as requests, offers, complaints, and announcements. Containing many examples from real-life conversations, it will be invaluable to anyone interested in human interaction and the workings of conversation.