Repair: Types and positions

Types of repair

• Repair involves two important activities:– indicating that a repair is needed (repair initiation), and– making the repair (repair).

• Each of these can be performed by different participants in the conversation.– Repair initiation can be done by :

• the speaker of the repairable (self-initiated repair) • the recipient of the repairable (other-initiated repair)

– Repair can be made by • the speaker of the repairable (self repair) • the recipient of the item (other repair)

Types of repair• There are four different types of repair:

1. Self-initiated self repair: in which the speaker of the repairable item both indicates a problem in the talk and resolves the problem;

2. Self-initiated other repair: in which in which the speaker of the repairable item indicates a problem in the talk, but the recipient resolves the problem;

3. Other-initiated self repair: in which the recipient of the repairable item indicates a problem in the talk and the speaker resolves the problem; and

4. Other-initiated other repair: in which the recipient of the repairable item both indicates a problem in the talk and resolves the problem.

Positions for repair

• Repair can be found in may different sequential positions relative to the trouble:

– within the same turn as the trouble source (same turn repair)

– in the transition space following the turn containing the trouble source (transition space repair)

– in the turn immediately following the trouble source (second position repair)

– in a third positioned turn (third position repair)

– in a fourth positioned turn. (fourth position repair)

Repair initiation and positions• Types of repair initiation are distributed across the positions in which

repair can begin:

same turn: self-initiation

transition space: self-initiation

second position: other-initiation

third position: self-initiation

fourth position: other-initiation

Examples of repair types and positions

• Same turn: self-initiated self repair

• Transition space: self-initiated self repair

• Second position: other-initiated self repair

Examples of repair types and positions

• Third position: self-initiated self repair

• Fourth position: other-initiated self repair

Same turn repair

• Same turn repair is accomplished by non-lexical perturbations in speech such as cut-offs, uh and uhm, pauses or sound stretches.

• Cut-offs – Cut-offs are interruptions of the word (or sound) underway. – They works to stop the next due from being articulated. – They are used to initiate repair on some trouble source which

has already been produced.

Same turn repair

• Uh, uhm and pauses – These occur outside word boundaries and stop the

articulation of the next word due in the turn. – They are typically used to repair a next element in the talk.

Same turn repair

• Sound stretches – Sound stretches initiate a search for some unavailable item. – They are employed within a word, but serves to initiate repair

of some next element.

Same turn repair

• The various types of repair initiations are often found in combination as a repair segment.

Same turn repair

• Self-initiated repair in the same turn is usually resolved by the speaker (self-initiated self repair).

• It may be repaired by the recipient in a next turn (self-initiated other-repair).

Same turn repair• Same turn repair can deal with interactional problems resulting

from actions of the recipient. – Recycled turn beginnings are closely linked to repairing

problems of securing a gazing recipient.

Transition space repair• There are a number of formats found in initiating transition space

repair.– No explicit repair initiation marker.– A very reduced transition space (e.g. latching).

– Devices such as uh and uhm

Transition space repair• There are a number of formats found in initiating transition space

repair.– Devices such as I mean.

– A not X, Y format.

Second position repair

• Second position repair is the first structurally specified place for other-initiated repair.

• Many of other-initiated repairs are spread over two turns:– They are initiated in second position by the recipient of the

trouble (FPP) – They are completed in third position by the speaker of the

trouble (SPP).

Second position repair• Speakers use a range of turn-constructional devices to initiate

repair in second position.– Repair initiators such as huh? or what?

Second position repair

• Speakers use a range of turn-constructional devices to initiate repair in second position.– Specific question words such as who, where and when.

Second position repair

• Speakers use a range of turn-constructional devices to initiate repair in second position.– Partial repeats.

– Partial repeats with a question word.

Second position repair

• Speakers use a range of turn-constructional devices to initiate repair in second position.– You mean with a possible understanding of the prior trouble.

Second position repair• Other-initiated other repair (correction) has distinctive formats.

– Exposed correction:

– This structure is:

a. A speaker produces some object (X)

b. A subsequent speaker produces an alternative (Y)

c. The prior speaker produces the alternative (Y) (accepts correction).

Second position repair• Correction may be associated with other correction-related

talk: warrants, explanations, etc.

• Other repair may be rejected.

– This means there is a variant for the final position in the structure:

c’ The prior speaker produces the original (X) (rejects correction)

Second position repair• Embedded correction

– The structure of embedded correction is like exposed correction, but correction talk is not the main activity happening.

– Other correction related talk does not occur.

Third position repair

• Third position allows for repairing a trouble in understanding of a prior turn demonstrated by the recipient’s response to it.

Third position repair

• There is a four component format for third position repair, consisting of:

– a repair-initiating component

– an agreement/acceptance component

– a rejection component

– the repair proper

Third position repair

• The repair-initiating component has the forms: – No.

• No may be repeated as no no or no no no. • No may also be found in combination with oh.

– Well

Third position repair

• The agreement/acceptance component occurs where the original turn is treated as a complaint.

Third position repair

• The rejection component rejects the understanding of the first turn revealed by the recipient’s response. – There are a small number of possible formats

• I don’t mean X.• I’m not X-ing format, where X names an action which prior

speaker has understood the talk to be doing.• Combined formats with the action represented by a

proform: that’s not what I mean, I don’t mean that.

Third position repair

• I don’t mean X.

Third position repair

• I’m not X-ing.

Third position repair• Combined format.

Third position repair

• The repair proper modifies the prior turn in some way to deal with a problem.

• There are a small number of common formats:

– The speaker may repeat the prior turn with some modification.

Third position repair• The repair proper modifies the prior turn in some way to deal with

a problem.• There are a small number of common formats:

– I mean + repair.

Third position repair• The repair proper modifies the prior turn in some way to deal with

a problem.• There are a small number of common formats:

– a more specific formulation of the trouble source.

Third position repair• The repair proper modifies the prior turn in some way to deal with

a problem.• There are a small number of common formats:

– An explanation.

Third position repair

• The repair proper modifies the prior turn in some way to deal with a problem.

• There are a small number of common formats:– a characterization of the trouble source as

serious or non-serious.

Fourth position repair

• Fourth position repair allows a recipient of a trouble to repair a problem of understanding evident in the talk produced in the third position.

• Fourth position repair consists of two components. – a change of state token oh reflecting – a recharacterization of the trouble source.

The multiple repair space• The series of positions form a repair initiation opportunity space.

Turn1 A:Turn2 B: 2nd position repair

on T1Turn3 A: 2nd position repair

on T23rd position repair on T1

Turn4 B: 2nd position repair on T3

3rd position repair on T2

4th position repair on T1

Turn5 A: 2nd position repair on T4

3rd position repair on T3

4th position repair on T2

Turn6 B: 2nd position repair on T5

3rd position repair on T4

4th position repair on T3

The preference for self-repair

• There is a preference for self-repair in conversation.

• The preference does not affect who initiates repair but who does repair.

– Self and other initiation are equally available to deal with problems.

– Self repair is preferred and other repair is dispreferred.