Repeated use of request for confirmation in atypical interaction. (2nd October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rasmussen, Gitte
• Is Part Of: Clinical linguistics & phonetics. Volume 30:Number 10(2016:Oct.)
• Page Start: 849
• Page End: 870
• Publication Date: 2016-10-02
• Subjects: Adult -- child -- close-ended questions -- cognitive impairment -- communicative impairment -- request for confirmation; Language disorders -- Periodicals; Applied linguistics -- Periodicals; Phonetics -- Periodicals; 616.855
• DOI: 10.1080/02699206.2016.1209244
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-9206

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study investigates a specific method for making possible the participation of participants with cognitive and communicative impairments in social face-to-face interaction. Non-impaired co-participants design close-ended questions that project who the next speaker is, i.e. the impaired co-participant. The questions also project what kind of response amongst alternatives the impaired co-participant is supposed to produce. Upon answers to these questions, the non-impaired co-participant requests the impaired participant to confirm the answer twice. Using conversation analytic (CA) methods, the study scrutinises what is achieved by requesting a confirmation of the provided answer – repeatedly so. The study argues that the practice may put the (deficit) competence of the participant with impairments in focus if the initial close-ended question works to establish an understanding of a prior action by the participant with impairments.