In:The Making of Multi-Unit Turns: A spring-loaded door
Rod Gardner, Joe Blythe, Ilana Mushin, Lesley Stirling, Josua Dahmen, Caroline de Dear and Francesco Possemato
[Studies in Language and Social Interaction 38] 2025
► pp. v–viii
Published online: 24 October 2025
https://doi.org/10.1075/slsi.38.toc
https://doi.org/10.1075/slsi.38.toc
Table of contents
AcknowledgementsIX
Transcription conventions and abbreviationsXI
Verbal and vocal transcription conventionsXI
Embodied transcription conventionsXIV
List of abbreviations in extractsXVI
List of figuresXVII
List of tablesXIX
Chapter 1.A spring-loaded door1
Chapter 2.Turn construction, multi-unit turns and activity types10
2.1How turn-taking works10
2.2Turn continuations12
2.3What are multi-unit turns?14
2.4MUTs and action formation18
2.5How multi-unit turns are achieved20
2.5.1Linguistic resources for turn construction21
2.5.2Gesture as a resource for turn construction25
2.5.3Gaze as a resource for turn construction28
2.5.4Posture as a resource for turn construction31
2.6Securing another TCU34
2.6.1Before the first TCU (pre-beginnings)36
2.6.2TCUs which project MUTs36
2.6.3Beginning of a TCU41
2.6.4Middle of the initial TCU42
2.6.5The end of the TCU43
2.6.6Interactionally achieved MUTs44
2.7Summary45
Chapter 3.Data and methodology46
3.1Data46
3.1.1Data overview and metadata47
3.1.2The Halls Creek conversation (20180719_LSJB_01)48
3.1.3The Kununurra conversation (20180724_LS)48
3.1.4The Wyndham conversation (20190523LSRG_02)49
3.1.5The Broome conversation (20190703LSJB_01)50
3.2Transcription50
3.3The MUT collection51
3.2.1Conversation analysis methodology: Background51
3.2.2Developing the MUT collection52
3.4A note on the use of extracts54
Chapter 4.Securing another TCU56
4.1The suppression of transition relevance56
4.2Turn-claiming resources deployed in pre-beginning positions57
4.2.1Audible inbreath58
4.2.2Pre-TCU gesturing59
4.3Turn-claiming resources deployed at the beginning of the initial TCU60
4.3.1High pitch onset61
4.3.2Misplacement markers62
4.3.3Turn-initial particles65
4.4Floor-holding resources deployed in the middle of the initial TCU69
4.4.1Gesture sustained across TRPs69
4.4.2Gaze aversion across TRPs71
4.4.3Forward posture shifts across TRPs74
4.4.4Markedly first verbs76
4.4.5Pivot constructions77
4.4.6Contrastive stress80
4.5Floor-holding resources deployed at the end of the initial TCU83
4.5.1Rush-throughs83
4.5.2Suppression of a pitch peak85
4.5.3Abrupt-joins86
4.5.4Latching89
4.5.5The holding pause92
4.6Interactionally achieved MUTs: Jointly by Speaker and Recipient(s)93
4.6.1MUTs achieved interactionally via rule 1c94
4.6.2MUTs achieved interactionally with minimal responses97
4.7The entire first TCU projects a MUT99
4.7.1Story prefaces100
4.7.2“Non-canonical” summonses101
4.7.3Preliminaries to preliminaries104
4.7.4A subtype of prospective indexical106
4.7.5List projections108
4.7.6Repetition of a prior speaker’s formulation111
4.8Conclusion114
Chapter 5.Extended multi-unit turns116
5.1The launch of extended multi-unit turns117
5.1.1Second-position multi-unit turns118
5.1.2First-position multi-unit turns122
5.1.3Multi-unit turns that are produced without projection128
5.2Grammar and prosody as floor-holding resources in multi-unit turns131
5.2.1Using grammar and prosody to avoid coming to a point of possible completion132
5.2.2Grammar and prosody at points of possible completion during extended MUTs139
5.3Sustained gesture in multi-unit turns145
5.4Posture in extended multi-unit turns170
5.5Gaze aversion in extended multi-unit turns195
5.5.1Gaze aversion at the launch of a MUT196
5.5.2Relaxing gaze aversion201
5.6Transitioning out of multi-unit turns210
5.7Complex examples of multi-unit turns235
Chapter 6.Recipiency actions during extended MUTs253
6.1Introduction253
6.2“Passive” recipiency256
6.3Vocal recipient actions260
6.3.1Response tokens and change-of-state tokens260
6.3.2Assessments263
6.3.3Clarification questions266
6.3.4Brief comments268
6.3.5Recipient jokes270
6.3.6Heckling271
6.3.7Word searches273
6.3.8Teller-initiated laughter274
6.3.9Side sequences277
6.4Embodied recipient actions280
6.4.1Gestures280
6.4.2Facial expressions285
6.4.2.1Smiles285
6.4.2.2“Horrified” face288
6.4.3Head nods and head shakes289
6.4.4Other head movements (incorporating change in gaze direction)293
6.4.5Gaze (gaze direction)296
6.4.6Eyebrow raise299
6.4.7Posture shift303
6.5Multiple recipient activities in parallel310
6.5.1Manipulating objects310
6.5.2Eating and drinking313
6.5.3Interactions with a dog315
6.6Summary318
Chapter 7.When MUTs are interrupted321
7.1Introduction321
7.2Examples of cases where MUTs are interrupted322
7.3Summary346
Chapter 8.A natural history of multi-unit turns348
References354
Author index
Subject index
Extract index
