Transcript and language representation

Transcript

Libby: oh, um, okay hi (laughs) well I work in a hair dresser’s…and um like answer the phone, do the till and stuff …

Louise: what stuff? – Interruption with an interrogative

…like answer the phone, and make sure when like when people are going out like they book an appointment. And make sure like I do it at the right times and give the hairdresser like enough time to do that persons hair. That’s a responsibility cos if I do it wrong like four people can come in at once.

The use of the filled pause ‘um’ gives myself thinking time as it shows that I am uncomfortable talking about my occupation as shown with another filler of me ‘laughing’ .However, due to me using informal colloquial language when I say ‘hi’, shows how I do not find the people I am talking to as higher than me because they are my friends and classmates.  By me also using the hedge ‘well’ shows how I am trying to put off talking about my job as much as possible due to this taking up more airtime. I also use repetition when I say ‘answer the phone’ this shows my nerves as I am coming across unprepared. Taking all this in to consideration, it implies that I am uncomfortable when starting of big discussions as although I went out of my comfort zone and did it-being the dominant speaker- I did not seem powerful. This is shown when I use slang later on with the elision ‘cos’.This could be because I am feeling more confident with the context I am talking about as I get into the flow of things.

Louise: okay – this broadening word can either come across as though Louise was either interested in what I said or could suggest she was asking if  I was ‘okay’ as I seemed nervous with all the fillers and big pauses I used.

Libby: And um…yeah great -This shows how I ran out of things to say even though I started of with conjunction ‘and’ implying I had more to add.

There is then a 4 second pause as I am trying to pass the power onto someone else (a self-selected speaker).

Neve: laughs – showing how she feels awkward as along with Alice and Louise they do not want to take control.

Libby: so what do you want to do? – this interrogative is aimed at Neve although I do not say her name, at this time she is the only one Interacting. This shows how I am still trying to shift power and this could be because I do not like awkward silences and trying to get someone involved so it can evolve into a two way conversation.

Neve: umm I dunno – the filled pause ‘um’ shows how she is trying to think of an answer to my question, showing an adjacency pair, as she knows the question was aimed at her without me needing to use a vocative. The elision of ‘dunno’ suggests that Neve-as well as me- feels comfortable using non-standard English around her classmates as she does not feel any less powerful.

Libby: do you have any responsibilities? – an interrogative to try and shift the main, current speaker off me.

Neve: No I don’t have a job…

This demanding statement comes across as though she is getting frustrated as she knows I am trying to shift authority of the conversation onto her.

… im not good enough to have a job…

When you here the second part however it makes the receiver- mainly me as I am the one who is having the discussion with her although Louise and Alice are the audience as well- feel remorseful towards Neve as she is doubting herself. This could be why she uses the contraction ‘im’ as it is not as forward and personal as ‘I am’. This could be because Neve does not want to make a big deal out of it.

… anyone else have any responsibilities –shifting her authority of being the current speaker quickly

As I understand Neve is feeling uncomfortable I try and help her shift the power using a vocative as there was a long pause after Neve asked the question “ Louise you have responsibility when you drive”

Louise: yeah I drive a car that’s it

Neve: you do have to have responsibility driving along, looking out for other cars, knowing when to stop. – this shows how Neve is more comfortable talking when she is not in the spotlight. It also could come across to Louise that she is lowering her power as Neve is proving Louise wrong and this could be why Louise responds with…

“ I don’t wanna crash, get injured” – although she is now the current speaker she is not for that long and this could be because she replied very informally with the elision ‘wanna’ and the missing of a conjunction when she says ‘get injured’. When she says ‘injured’ she also uses intonation showing a lack of enthusiasm.

Alice speaks up at the end which could be down to nerves and shyness

“ I done a lifeguard course and (conjunction letting the receivers know she has more to add) first aid to learn how to be a lifeguard”

Neve: ohh – this filler informs Alice that Neve is intrigued and therefore being a supportive. This gains Alice’s confidence making her add

“ I now know how to treat spinal injuries” because Alice speaks fluently with no hesitation could imply that she was building up her confidence throughout the conversation between the others. This suggests that Alice could be a person who needs to practice before speaking and likes to get her point straight across apart from mumbling to gain full attention when speaking. She is a timid speaker.