Page 12 - Silence in Intercultural Communication

Transcription conventions

Transcription conventions used for interaction excerpts in Chapter 3

(0.5) elapsed time in silence by tenth of seconds
? rising contour
. falling terminal contour
, a continuing contour
( ) inaudible speech
(( )) non-verbal activity
→ a pointer to a specific part of an extract discussed in the text

Transcription conventions used for interaction excerpts in Chapter 5

(Compiled from Atkinson & Heritage (1984), Jefferson (1984) and Sacks et al.
(1974).)
[ point of overlap onset
] point at which overlap stops
= latching (no gap or no overlap between stretches of talk)
(0.5) elapsed time in silence by tenth of seconds
(.) micropause of less than 0.2 seconds
word stress
: lengthening of a sound
. falling terminal contour
, a continuing contour
? rising contour
↑↓ shifts into higher or lower pitch
° ° speech noticeably quieter than the surrounding talk
CAPITALS speech noticeably louder than the surrounding talk
> < speech produced noticeably quicker than the surrounding talk
·hh in-breath, the number of ‘h’ indicating the length
hh an out-breath, the number of ‘h’ indicating the length