S5 / GRP B

DISCOURSE
ANALYSIS

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2024/2025

DISCOURSE
ANALYSIS
S5 / GRP B

CONVERSATION
ANALYSIS
Presented by: Supervised by:
Lamiae Berraho Prof. Iraqi Amina
Nidae El abdouni
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2024/2025
 WHAT IS
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS?
“An approach to the analysis
of language that looks at
patterns of language across
texts as well as the social and
cultural contexts in which the
texts occur.”
Paltridge, B. (2012). Discourse analysis: An
introduction (2nd ed.). Bloomsbury Publishing. p.
[1].
HOW TO ANALYZE A
CONVERSATION?
1.TRANSCRIBING AND CODING

2. SEQUENCE AND STRUCTURE

2.1 OPENING / CLOSING CONVERSATION
2.2 TURN TAKING
2.3 ADJACENCY PAIRS
2.4 SEQUENCE ORGANIZATION
2.5 FEEDBACK
2.6 REPAIR
2.7 DISCOURSE MARKERS

3. EXPLANATION OF THE INTERACTION

CONVERSATION
LISTENING
1.TRANSCRIBING AND
CODING
The man: Marie (.), this is Ms. Novak. Ms. Novak: O:h, you were the ↑ PILOT (.) on a small
She's from Chic ↑ ago (.). airplane in CHINA.
Marie is our receptionist. ↑ You flew me over the great w:all.
Marie: It's nice to meet you= Marie: N:o
Ms. Novak: =It's nice to meet you, too. Ms. Novak: (..) Have you ever gone ↑ snorkeling in
The Man: I'll get your tickets. ((Leaves room)) Australia?
Ms. Novak: (.) ↘ Thank you. Marie: (.) No::.
(0.7) You look very familiar to me, Marie. Ms. Novak: Driven a bus in Peru?
(..) Have we met before? Marie: ↓ No. (.)↑ Ms. Novak, I'm quite sure we've never
Marie: I don't think so::. (.) No::. met before.
Ms. Novak: ↑ Well, I never forget a face. I came here only a year ago from Paris.
I'm sure I know you from somewhere. Ms. Novak: Pa:ris? (.) Well, my sister Katarina lived
→ I don't look familiar to you? there for a year.
Marie: I’m sorry. NO. Marie: (.) katharina? (.) <katarina Novak?!>
Ms. Novak: I: kno::w. We met in CHICA:GO:. Ms. Novak: ↑ Yes.
You were a ↑ WAITRESS in a Marie: She lived with me!
RESTAURANT >near the art institute<. Ms. Novak: Of cou::rse! You were in all the pictures
Marie: I’ve never been to Chicago. she sent HOME. HHH=
Ms. Novak: ↓ Oh! (..) Have you ever driven a TAXI Marie: =What a ↑ coincidence!=
in Egypt? Ms. Novak: =You see, I never forget a face.
Marie: No::
TRANSCRIPTION
SYMBOLS KEY
 ↑ ↘
...YOU
(.) NICE... ((LEAVES))
Small pause Step up in No pause Non-verbal Falling
(0.2 sec or the pitch between activity tone
less)
turns

(0.7) (..) ::
Prolonged
never →
Timed Medium vowel or Emphasis Level
pause pause (0.3- consonant or tone
0.6 sec ) sound stress

>......< ↓ WAITRESS <.....>

Loud talk
Talk Step Talk
relative to
speeding down speeding
the
up in pitch down
surrounging
2. SEQUENCE AND
STRUCTURE
 2.1 OPENING / CLOSING CONVERSATION

on The opening is the initial interaction

that sets the stage for the
iti
conversation. It establishes the role
and context ...etc.
fin

It also involves the greeting,

introduction, and any inquiries that
De

initiate the exchange.

The closing refers to the sequences or strategies

used to bring a conversation to an end. they signal
the participants intention to terminate the
interaction while ensuring mutual agreement and a
sense of completion .
 2.1 OPENING / CLOSING CONVERSATION

e
pl
am

closing:
Ex

Opening: Marie: what a coincidence?

Ms. Novak: you see! i never forget
a face
Man: Marie this is Ms. Novak. She’s
from Chicago. Marie is our
receptionist.
 2.2 TURN TAKING

on
iti
fin

The process by which participants in

De

conversation take turn speaking.

it’s a fundamental concept that focuses on
how the speakers manage the flow of the
dialogue in a cooperative manner.
 2.2 TURN TAKING

e Man: “Marie, this is Ms. Novak. She’s from

pl
Chicago. Marie is our receptionist.”
am

Marie: “It’s nice to meet you.”

Ms. Novak: “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
Ex

Ms. Novak: “You look very familiar to me, Marie. Have

we met before?”
Marie: “I don’t think so, no.”

Ms. Novak: “Have you ever driven a taxi in

Egypt?”
Marie: “No.”
 2.3 ADJACENCY PAIRS

on
iti
Adjacency pairs are the two
fin

utterances in a conversation that are

De

produced by different speakers. The These pairs help maintain the

first utterance requires a response flow and coherence of a
from the second. conversation.
The pairs are mostly predictable. they include:
For example: Question-Answer
A: how are you? greeting- greeting
B: I am good, thanks.
request-approval or refusal
 2.3 ADJACENCY PAIRS

e
Greeting and Response:
pl

Marie: “It’s nice to meet you.”

am

Ms. Novak: “It’s nice to meet you,

Ex

too.”
Question and Answer:
Ms. Novak: “Have we met before?”
Marie: “I don’t think so, no.”
Offer and Acceptance:
The man: “I’ll get you ticket.”
Ms. Novak: “Thank you.”
 2.4 SEQUENCE ORGANIZATION

on
iti

It refers to the structure and

fin

arrangement of actions in a
De

conversation. It involves how

speaker’s utterances are
ordered, connected, and shaped
in a coherent meaningful way.
 2.4 SEQUENCE ORGANIZATION

e
pl 2
am
Core Exchange
(Middle Sequence):
Ex

Ms. Novak: “Have we met before?”

Marie: “I don’t think so, no.”
3
1
Closing Sequence:
Opening Sequence:
Ms. Novak: “Paris? Well, my sister,
Man: “Marie, this is Ms. Novak. Katerina, lived there for a year.”
She’s from Chicago. Marie is our Marie: “Katerina? Katerina Novak?”
receptionist.”
 2.5 FEEDBACK

on
iti
Feedback refers to the verbal or
fin

nonverbal responses that

participants provide during a
De

conversation indicating their

understanding, agreement, or
engagement with what have been
said .
 2.5 FEEDBACK

e
pl
am

Negative
Feedback (denial):
Ex

• Ms. Novak: “Have we met before?”

• Marie: “I don’t think so, no.”

Clarification
Acknowledgment Feedback:
Feedback: • Ms. Novak: “Paris? Well, my sister, Katerina,
• Marie: “It’s nice to meet you.” lived there for a year.”
• Ms. Novak: “It’s nice to meet • Marie: “Katerina? Katerina Novak?”
you, too.”
 2.6 REPAIR

on
iti
fin

Repair refers to the process in

De

which speakers address and

correct errors,
misunderstandings, or unclear
communication during a
conversation. It involves both
self-repair and other-repair .
 2.6 REPAIR

on
iti
fin

Other-repair
When the error is apparent to the other
De

speakers and they intervene to correct

Self- repair or clarify.
When the speaker corrects Ex:
themselves, and the error not A: I’m going to the cafe shop we went to
apparent to the other speakers. last time. The one near the Faculty.
B: You mean near the theatre, don’ t
Ex: I’m going to the movies
you?
tomorrow. I mean the opera. A: Oh, right! Near the theatre.
 2.6 REPAIR

e
pl
am

Ms. Novak: I know. We met in CHICAGO...

Ex

Marie: I’ve never been to Chicago.

Ms. Novak: Oh!
 2.7 DISCOURSE MARKERS

ion
init
Def
They can appear at the start, middle, or
end of a sentence and serve as signposts
Discourse markers are words or
to ensure coherence in communication.
phrases used in spoken language to
Discourse markers can refer back to
help maintain the flow and structure
previous points (anaphoric) or hint at
of conversation. These include
upcoming ideas (cataphoric) within the
expressions like "oh" (interjections),
conversation.
"but" (conjunctions), "now" (adverbs),
and phrases like "y’ know".
 2.7 DISCOURSE MARKERS

e
pl
am
Ex

“Ms. Novak: Well, I never forget a face.”

1

‘Well’ signals an introduction to a

response that requires explanation.
Ms. Novak uses ‘Well’ to soften her
statement ("I never forget a face") and
signal her confidence in recalling where
she might have met Marie.
 2.7 DISCOURSE MARKERS

e
pl
am

“Novak: Oh! Have you ever driven a taxi in Egypt?”

Ex

“Ms. Novak: Oh, you were the pilot on a small....”

"Oh" expresses a realization, surprise, or a reaction to
new information.
Ms. Novak uses "Oh!" after Marie answers “No” to her
guesses. This indicates her recognition of being wrong
and then transitioning to her next guess.
3. EXPLANATION OF THE
INTERACTION
The conversation begins with The Man introducing Marie to Ms. Novak and ends
when Marie and Ms. Novak recognize each other through their shared connection
with Katarina. In between, Ms. Novak makes several incorrect guesses in her
attempts to figure out where she might have met Marie.

The conversation mainly follows a pattern of questions (first pair parts)

and answers (dispreferred second pair parts), with Ms. Novak asking
questions and Marie responding. The repeated incorrect guesses from
Ms. Novak add an element of suspense and humor to the exchange.

Turn-taking in this conversation is generally smooth. Ms. Novak initiates

and guides the dialogue by asking questions and then letting Marie
respond. Marie's responses are mostly brief, and often consist of a simple
"No."
Ms. Novak often responds with "Oh" when Marie answers "No" to her
guesses. While Ms. Novak's responses express surprise or slight disbelief,
Marie generally provides direct, firm negative feedback, usually in the
form of a clear "No."

Ms. Novak’s attempt to figure out where she met Marie pushed her to
correct her mistakes by recalling all the places she might have met
Marie. This organization shows how Ms. Novak is persistent and
determined to know who Marie is.

The conversation shows a rising pitch in the Man’s introduction, as well as

in some of Ms. Novak's questions, where she stressed words like
"somewhere," "WAITRESS," and "pilot". The ‘.’ and ‘?’ at the end of each
utterance indicate a falling intonation and signal an end to those
statements.
The pauses in Ms. Novak’s replies help her think of another guess.
While Marie’s lengthened vowels in "No::" emphasize her rejection of Ms.
Novak’s assumption that they have met before.

There were two overlaps in the conversation: one during the greeting
and another at the end during the closing.

Marie cooperates with Ms. Novak by kindly answering her numerous

questions, and Ms. Novak's persistence aids in solving the mystery
surrounding Marie's identity.
THANK YOU