Conversational structure

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立 政 治 大 學

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N a tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

6. Coda

Coda is used to signal that the narrative is finished. In this study, it is hypothesized that coda of a narrative can also be used to identify the existence of a story frame. Example (32) illustrates this point.

(32)

F: ..真的..eh..真的看了之後覺得..不無可能…(1.0)我覺得他們那個佐 證…很強烈啊..因為是…(0.3)世界各國的科學家都在擔心的事情..不 是擔心..他們覺得一定會發生

M: (0)這本來就是..對啊我也覺得這個..就是 F: 可是因為前幾年..其實大家都還沒有很有感覺 M:這裡..這是 might..是 may 啦

F: 對…所以…不知道耶

 M: …這樣..算了 F: …@@..算了

In example (32), the speaker shifts to low density and low formality colloquial“這樣,” which indicates the narrative is finished, and, thus, verifies the existence of frame.

3.3.2.1.2. Conversational structure

In this study, it is hypothesized that SV may serve to identify the components of a conversational structure, which verifies the existence of the frame on meta-thinking level. Basic components of a conversational structure include opening, body, pre-closing, and closing. However, since the data from NCCU Corpus of Spoken Mandarin are all extracted from the middle part of the original tape in order to collect more natural interaction between interlocutors. Therefore, opening, pre-closing, and closing of conversational structure are excluded and are not able to be discussed in this study, and only body of conversation is analyzed.

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Body of a conversation is classified into two categories: that for topic continuity and that for topic shifting. Topic continuity includes main topic continuity and relevant sub-topic development. As for topic shifting, it refers to shifting to irrelevant topics or subtopics.

An illustration of SV which manifests body of conversational structure for topic continuity is presented in Example (33).

(33)

In example (33), the speaker shifts from colloquial expression (such as “一次 來”) to a high density, high formality, and low frequency word (such as “衝擊”)

which conducts sub-topic development and indicates body of conversational structure for topic continuity as well as existence of frame. It is in such presentation of topic continuity which identifies the existence of the concept of “topic,” a component of a conversation, which implies the existence of the frame of a conversation.

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‧ 國

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

Following the same idea, in this study, it is hypothesized that body of conversational structure can also be identified through topic shifting with SV.

Example (34) illustrates this point.

(34)

M2: …我覺得那應該是說..體驗另外一種生活還比較實在..我覺得學英文 反而是其次

M1: ...也..也有可能是這樣講啊..體驗另外一種生活...(2.0)只是我覺

得如果說...(3.6)他那種感覺是有點特殊情形的生活體驗 不 是 很 ...

真的是體驗當地的文化..你知道嗎..等於是那種 ...(0.8) 抱 著 一 種 觀

光的心態..然後去那住一年..然後這一年裡面都在..玩..打工這樣子但不 是說..你真的住在哪裡..然後上班上課然後...(1.1)過著那種..比較規律 的那種生活..那兩個的那個..體驗是不一樣的

M2: @@...(3.3)那我們來說林博衆的壞話

In example (34), the speaker shifts from the topic of working holiday to the use of high density and high formality words (such as “體驗” and “其次”) to the topic of a friend’s flow to the use of low density and low formality word (such as “壞話”), shifting to an irrelevant topic. In such topic shifting, body of conversational structure is identified, and, further, the existence of the frame of a conversation.

3.3.2.2. Illocutionary Acts

As mentioned above, it is assumed that when code-switching serve to identify a certain illocutionary acts, the concept of speech act as an act of “doing” is activated, and, thus, the concept of communicative purpose as a component of communication on meta-thinking level is implied. According to Searle (1979), illocutionary acts include five major categories, including assertives, directives, commissives, expressives, and declaration. However, in the data analyzed, only SVF through assertives, directives, and expressives are found; therefore, only examples for SV for

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these three types are given below.

1. Assertives

Assertives are speech acts that commit a speaker to the truth of the expressed proposition. The frame of communicative purpose can be realized through SV for assertives. Example (35) is illustrated below.

(35)

In example (35), the speaker shifts form colloquial expression (such as “回家”) to high density, high formality, and low frequency words (including jargons and technical terms such as “全球暖化,” “環保會議,” “氣象局,” “中研院,” and “二氧化碳排放量”) with complex syntactic structure to manifest the assertive act. Illocutionary purpose as part of communicational goal is implied, and, thus, the existence of the frame is implied.

2. Directives

Directives are speech acts that are to cause the hearer to take a particular action.

SVF which manifests the directive act is presented in example (36).

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‧ 國

立 政 治 大 學

‧

N a tio na

l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y

(36)

M: …22K..超爛

F: …(1.4)我想擤鼻涕耶 M: …(2.4)22Ksucks

F:..啊你剛剛搜尋的怎樣..還有看到嗎

In example (36), the speaker shifts from colloquial expression (such as “擤鼻涕”

and interjection “耶”) to high density word (such as “搜尋”) for frame which implies a directive force imposing her interlocutor to do the work of searching for the target information, and, thus, the existence of the frame is implied.

3. Expressives

Expressives are speech acts that express the speaker's attitudes and emotions.SVF which manifests the illocutionary force of expressives is presented in example (37).

(37)

…ei 可是我覺得…(0.8)那個末日…(0.3)就是那種..末世預言那種傳說..

就是很奇怪..他們…(0.5)這個像是這個是很有根據..可是他們那個只是像單 純預言就說是..是世界末日這樣子

In example (37), the speaker shifts to low density colloquial expression “覺得”

and “很奇怪,” expressing her personal attitude toward the event, which implies an expressive act.