In this textbook for students of language and linguistics the authors take a practical approach to the analysis of English speech, focusing on interpersonal dialogue, both formal and informal. Short descriptions and discussions of the major, large scale elements of spoken dialogue (in terms of topic, topic movement and speaker status and orientation) are provided. These are followed by sections of transcribed versions of actual conversations and suggested interpretations of the various elements of these conversations designed to reveal their underlying structures and patternings.
