An interactional sociolinguistic analysis of turn-taking in an interpreted event

Abstract

This paper describes several features of turns in the turn-taking exchange of an interpreted meeting between a professor and a student. Analysis of the transcript of the videotaped meeting revealed 1) turns with smooth transitions, or regular turns, 2) turns with pauses and gaps, 3) turns that occur when speakers talk at the same time, and 4) turns initiated by the interpreter. Interviews with all three participants demonstrate that they interact in complex ways. Both speakers and the interpreter create unique kinds of pauses, lag, overlapping talk, and turns. This analysis demonstrates the active involvement of the interpreter in managing face-to-face interaction.