PROSODY IN TURN-TAKING IN ENGLISH DISCOURSE

Abstract

In communication process to get a message across to your addressee lexis as well as grammar are of great importance. Nevertheless, one should not neglect prosodic features in the process of verbal interaction either. The prosodic means contribute to conversants’ ability to anticipate the completion of a turn before it actually occurs and to latch on with little intervening silence. The article is concerned with the prosody in turn-taking in English every day talk dialogues. The auditive and acoustic analyses have provided the author with data on temporal, melodic and loudness characteristics of the dialogue remarks making it possible to come to the conclusion that a short pause and faster speed are relevant indicators in turn-taking. However, melodic component and loudness are irrelevant in our research and cannot be regarded as the indicators of turn-taking in a dialogue discourse.