SEQUENCE ORGANIZATION

Sequence Organization 2

SEQUENCE

Meaning of sequence organization

Sequence organization in conversation

Functions of sequence organization

Adjacency Pairs

Sequence Expansion

a. Pre-Expansion

b. Insert Expansion

c. Post Expansion

Conclusion

Sequence Organization 3

What is meant by sequence organization?Ordered series of related events,

movements, or items that follow each other in a particular order.

Relative positioning of utterances or actions

Sequence Organization 4

Sequence organization in conversation

Conversation is sequentially organizedTurns are connected with one another in

systematically organized patterns or sequences

No haphazardness in conversation

Sequence Organization 5

Functions of sequence organization

Provides a coherent, orderly and meaningful series of interrelated communicative actions

Helps participants to accomplish and coordinate an interactional activity

Sequence Organization 6

BASICS OF SEQUENCE ORGANIZATION IN SOCIAL INTERACTION

Adjacency pairsSequence expansion

a. Pre-expansion

b. Insert-expansion

c. Post-expansion

Sequence Organization 7

SOCIAL ACTION SEQUENCES

The social actions, we perform in social interaction, occur sequentially one following another

Instances of social action form adjacency pairsAdjacency pairs are the fundamental units to

conversational organization

Sequence Organization 8

ADJACENCY PAIR

A sequence of two utterancesAdjacentProduced by different speakersOrdered as a first pair part (FPP) and a second

pair part (SPP)A FPP requires a SPPPair type related such that particular FPPs are

paired with particular SPPs

Sequence Organization 9

Basic rules for the production of adjacency pairs by Schegloff and Sacks(1973)

Given the recognizable production of a first pair part, at its possible completion its speaker should stop, a next speaker should start, and should produce a second pair part of the same type.

Sequence Organization 10

FPP ACTIONSummonsGreeting InvitationOfferRequest for actionAccusationFarewell

SPP ACTION Answer GreetingAcceptance/DeclinationAcceptance/DeclinationGranting/DenialAdmission/DenialFarewell

Sequence Organization 11

Examples of Adjacency Pairs Question-Answer

John: What time is it?

Betty: Three uh clock. Greeting-Greeting

Amy: Hello

Jean: Hi

SEQUENCE EXPANSION

Sequence expansion can precede, intervene in or follow the basic (or base) sequence

Types of expansion There are three types of expansion

1. Pre-expansion

2. Insert-expansion

3. Post-expansion Pre-expansion

First pair part Insert expansion

Second pair part Post expansion

Pre-expansion Involve an expansion of a sequence of a sequence

before the occurrence of a base first pair part.Preparatory for projected work to be done in the

sequence. ’ Type-specific’ Project a specific base first pair partType-specific pre-expansions typically check on a

condition for the successful accomplishment of the base first pair part.

Types of pre-expansion

Pre-invitations

E.g. Hey are you busy tonight?(Example P 96 frag 1) Function

Checks on the availability of the intended invitee Pre-requests(Example: P 96. frag 2, P 97.frag 3) Function

It typically checks on the availability of the item to be asked for.

Pre-announcement (Example P97 frag 4)Recipient does not already know the thing to be told

or announced. It can be misinterpret (Examples P 98 frag 7)Story tellingSpeaker often reaches to the completion of a turn unitA story preface allows the recipient to see that points

of possible turn completion but does not constitute opportunity for another speaker to take a turn.

Summon-answer sequence

Response can be a go ahead one

What?

Yes dear.Can be deferring

“Wait a minute!” Can be blocking

“I am not interested in what you want to say.”

Pre-pre (Example P101 frag 12)Conclusion

Insert Expansion

It comes before SPP and before FPP.On some occasions the two utterances of

adjacency pair are not adjacent.This expansion occurs at post-first and pre-

second position.The most common form of post first insert

expansion consists of a “next turn repair initiator”(NTRI) (Ex.13, page 103)

Pre-second insert expansion is oriented not to trouble with FPP but with an expected SPP(Ex.15, Pg 104)

It can be more complicated case as in example 16, Page 104.

Post expansion As the word post implies that it

comes later in the sequence to expand it to some length

Functions

To register information receiptTo acknowledge some bit of action

Features of post expansion

Highly variable with respect to their function

Complex as compared to other forms

Types of post expansion

Minimal post expansionNon-minimal post expansion

Minimal Post expansion

Produced by the speaker of relevant initiating action

Virtually convey that the response to the action was adequate

Adequacy doesn’t mean a positive response

Response can be negativeConsists of one turnDoesn’t itself initiate a new sequenceResponse tokens include: Oh, Ok, Great

and variants of these(Ex.17,18.page 104,105)

Tokens also known as sequence closing third as they occur at a 3rd position in a base pair and propose to end the sequence, but not always

Functions of different response markers

Heritage(1984) described “oh” as a change of state marker.

i.e, not knowing to knowing Schegloff(2007) suggests that

“ a sequence closing third “oh” registers information receipt

Schegloff suggests that “Ok” is oriented more to the action being implemented in a sequence than information being conveyed.

Response may be preferred or disprefered (Ex.19, Page 105)

Exception with sequence closing third “Ok”

It may propose a closure but not necessarily in all situations.(Ex.21, L.106)If the outcome of an offer is in the form of

rejection, the recipient goes on some lengths to give a rationale for this

Oh and ok in combined form

They retain their identity and perform their distinct functions

(Ex.22, Page 106)Also involves some puzzling cases, where

it appears in rather strange way.

(Ex.23, Page 107)

Non-minimal Post Expansion

Composed of more than a single wordTreats a sequence as not adequate for sequence

closure, thus followed by a second pair partOccurs in a variety of formsCommentary upon the prior sequence and

thereby expands it (Ex.24, Page 107)

Schegloff notes that post-expansions include cases in which

A recipient initiates repair of the base second pair part(BSPP)

(Ex.25, Page 107)There can be several or series of expansions in

a conversationCan be in the form of questionComes in a sequence in a variety of ways to

perform certain functions

Summary

Sequence organization focuses on how actions are ordered in conversation

Adjacency pairs are basic unit of sequence construction

Sequence is composed of two turns FPP and SPP

FPP provokes a responding utterance SPP

Sequence can be much more complex then only adjacency pairs

Many sequences involve expansions of adjacency pairs

Such expansions involve additional participation through additional turns

Expansions occur in three possible places

Before FPP (pre-expansion) Between FPP and SPP (insert expansion) After SPP (post expansion)Pre expansions can be :

“Pre invitations” e.g. “Hey are you busy tonight?”

“Preannouncement” e.g. “Guess what happened to me”

Pre requests check the availability of item to be asked for.

Insert expansions come at post first and pre second position

Post expansions come after SPP They can be of “minimal” and “non-

minimal” types

Oh ,ok are example of minimal typeOh is used for receiptOk is more concerned with registering and

acknowledgingNon-minimal come in a variety of forms e.g.

commentary on just prior , repair of the SPP etc.

Conclusion

Sequences are expanded beyond adjacency pairs

Possibility of one sequence occurring before, within and after another results in vast variety of actual sequences

The possibilities are infinite.