Question and answer sequences in conversation

Conversation Analysis gives us tools to draw out the difference between preferred and dispreferred responses to questions (i.e. second pair-parts, SPP):  

• preferred responses tend to be produced quickly and have simple forms 

• dispreferred responses tend to be delayed and have complex structures. 

In this study the authors examined 185 telephone calls to find 195 responses to requests, offers, invitations, and proposals. They looked at two measures:

• the duration of the silence between the first and second pair-parts

• a count of three linguistic features at the beginnings of the second pair-parts: in-breaths, hesitation particles (e.g. “um” or “uh") and “well” prefaces.

Responses to questions can be socially affiliative (preferred) or socially disaffiliative (dispreferred)

• The timing and construction of preferred and dispreferred responses differs systematically

• This allows listeners to predict whether a response is likely to be preferred or dispreferred

  • If a noticeable silence occurs before someone responds, chances are the response will be dispreferred

  • If a response begins with an in-breath, hesitation particle, or “well”, chances are the response will be dispreferred

Fillers are not just fillers

The findings of this study show that words like “um” and “well” are part of a finely-tuned interactional system – banning their use would damage communication, not improve it. 

• In responses to questions, these words are important signals that allow others to recognize quickly the type of response that will be produced and so plan their next turn at talk. 

• Efforts to ban words like “um” and “well” are misguided.