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In:Time in Embodied Interaction: Synchronicity and sequentiality of multimodal resources
Edited by Arnulf Deppermann and Jürgen Streeck
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series 293] 2018
► pp. 123–160

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Chapter 4
Revisiting delayed completions

The retrospective management of co-participant action

Published online: 13 September 2018
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.293.04olo
Abstract
Since Lerner coined the notion of delayed completion in 1989, this recurrent social practice of continuing one’s speaking turn while disregarding an intermediate co-participant’s utterance has not been investigated with regard to embodied displays and actions. A sequential approach to videotaped mundane conversations in German will explain the occurrence and use of delayed completions. First, especially in multi-party and multi-activity settings, delayed completions can result from reduced monitoring and coordinating activities. Second, recipients can use intra-turn response slots for more extended responsive actions than the current speaker initially projected, leading to delayed completion sequences. Finally, delayed completions are used for blocking possibly misaligned co-participant actions. The investigation of visible action illustrates that delayed completions are a basic practice for retrospectively managing co-participant response slots.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Syntax, action, and embodied conduct as relevant features for understanding the practice of delayed completion
    • 2.1Delayed completions as a syntactic phenomenon
    • 2.2But what about action?
    • 2.3What can video data tell us about delayed completions?
    • 2.4Data
  • 3. Analysis
    • 3.1Delayed completions emerging in multi-party, multi-activity sequences
    • 3.2Delayed completions after minimal displays of understanding
    • 3.3Delayed completions after possibly misaligned actions
      • 3.3.1Delayed completions for blocking competitive pre-emptive formats
      • 3.3.2Delayed completions for blocking disaffiliative responses
  • 4. Discussion and conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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