Chapter 3

Overall order versus local order in bilingual conversation

Language alternation has been investigated from different perspectives. This chapter focuses on the conversation analytic perspective. This perspective divides into two models, namely the local order model and the overall order model. Formulating what appears to be opposite claims about the same object, these models may at first seem to be competing against each other. This chapter shows that, in CA, it is generally understood that the local order and the overall order need each other. Therefore, the chapter argues that the local order model and the overall order model of language alternation should not be seen as competing against each other. Instead the integration of the models is shown to be beneficial to the discipline as a whole.