Papers by Johanna Rendle-Short
Research on Language and Social Interaction, 2015
Language in Society, 2006
... For example, a mae-oki statement with the extended predicate moosiwake nai n desuga &#x27... more ... For example, a mae-oki statement with the extended predicate moosiwake nai n desuga 'it's that it's inexcusable, but' can function as a transitional device to help the participants zoom in on the upcoming reason-for-call or the topic of business. ...
Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 2004
Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 2007
Abstract The theme of this Special Issue,'language as action&amp... more Abstract The theme of this Special Issue,'language as action', reflects the contributors' interest in what, and how, people do things with language, and particularly spoken language. The papers here have in common a concern for investigating language-in-use in ordinary social life, and how language can both shape, and be shaped by, its use in particular social settings. More specifically, the papers share the interest of conversation analysis (CA) in the language of real-time naturally occurring interaction, for uncovering ...
Australian Journal of Linguistics, 2010
Understanding how children of different ages and different cultures design and organize their tal... more Understanding how children of different ages and different cultures design and organize their talk allows us to better understand how children demonstrate intersubjectivity, how they structure their social world, and how they orient to social and cultural practices. Although researchers are beginning to re-examine interactionally some of the previous observational claims concerning adult Aboriginal conversational style, less focus has been
Trends in Language Acquisition Research, 2014
The Palgrave Handbook of Child Mental Health, 2015
The Palgrave Handbook of Child Mental Health, 2015
Journal of Adolescent Health, 1994
The Palgrave Handbook of Child Mental Health / [ed] Michelle O'Reilly & Jessica Nina Lester, Palgrave Macmillan, 2015, 578-596, 2015
In Talking politics in Broadcast Media. Cross-cultural perspectives on political interviewing, journalism and accountability, Mats Ekström and Marianna Patrona (eds). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamin Publishing Company. Chap 5. Pp 93 – 111., 2011
Within the Australian political news interview, journalists and politicians frequently use addres... more Within the Australian political news interview, journalists and politicians frequently use address terms in order to achieve particular interactional outcomes. Using the methodology of conversation analysis, this paper focuses on one such interactional outcome, namely, the way in which politicians use address term prefaced responses to answer journalists’ yes/no questions. By giving their responses ‘first’ status, politicians avoid making explicit the polarity of their response, as being either positive (‘yes’ response) or negative (‘no’ response). The analysis highlights how informal forms of address can be used within the formal political interview to avoid accusations of not answering the question. The paper discusses how such a technique suits a country such as Australia where egalitarianism and informality are promoted and encouraged.
Journal of Pragmatics, 42(5):1201-1218, 2010
This paper focuses on the sequential environment of the address term ‘mate’,
contrasting the pos... more This paper focuses on the sequential environment of the address term ‘mate’,
contrasting the post-positioned ‘mate’ (e.g. ‘hello mate’) with the pre-positioned
‘mate’ (e.g. ‘mate how are ya’). Because ‘mate’ occurs in a wide variety of
situations and carries with it a range of interpretations, it is an extremely popular
term that can be used not only when talking to friends, but also between casual
acquaintances who may never talk to each other again. However, it can also be
negatively interpreted, especially in ironic and antagonistic contexts. This paper
will argue that the interpretation of ‘mate’ is closely tied to its sequential
placement. When post-positioned, ‘mate’ overwhelmingly occurs in openings and
closings of conversations or following assessments, agreements,
acknowledgements and appreciations, presenting an attitude of open friendliness
towards the other person. This is no more evident than when ‘mate’ plays a
mitigating role following requests, advice giving or even disagreements. However
when pre-positioned, it changes the sequential organization of the talk (as do prepositioned
address terms in general), giving the turn first status. It will be argued
that it is only through understanding its sequential position that we can begin to
understand why ‘mate’ is sometimes interpreted as antagonistic or hostile.
Journal of Pragmatics, 39: 1503-1525. , 2007
Analysis of the political news interview in the lead-up to the Australian 2004 federal election s... more Analysis of the political news interview in the lead-up to the Australian 2004 federal election shows that
both journalists and politicians address their co-participant by name. However, there are differences both in
choice of address term and in the positioning of address terms within the news interview. Journalists tend to
use pre-positioned address terms when addressing politicians either by their institutional role (e.g.
Prime Minister) or by title plus last name (e.g. Mr Howard). Politicians, on the other hand, always address
journalists by first name (e.g. Catherine) and have more flexibility in terms of where they position the
address term. In addition, whereas journalists tend to use address terms as a technique for managing the
organisational aspects of the political news interview, politicians tend to use address terms within
adversarial environments, as a resource for taking the turn, for resolving overlapping talk, or for delaying
a dispreferred response. The aim of this paper is, using conversation analysis, to show the multiple
interactional uses of address terms within the context of the Australian political news interview.
Australian Journal of Linguistics, 29(2): 245-268., 2009
The concepts of mate and mateship have been held up as quintessentially Australian,
encapsulatin... more The concepts of mate and mateship have been held up as quintessentially Australian,
encapsulating all that it might mean to be Australian, including such ideas as having a
fair go, camaraderie, working together. Although the address term mate (as in How ya
going mate?) is generally included in discussions of mate and mateship, very little
analysis of how it is actually used in Australian English has been carried out. This
preliminary study focuses on the vocative use of mate through a survey of 698
respondents in which they were asked whether they use mate when addressing other
people, whether they are addressed by mate, who they predominantly address as mate
and whether they like mate as a term of address. The results show that there seems to
be a shift in terms of how mate, as an address term, is used and understood. Whereas
mate has traditionally been understood as a male solidarity term used ‘by males and
for males’, this preliminary survey shows that more young women, aged between 18
and 29 years, are reporting their use of the address term mate compared to women
aged over 50 years. The preliminary study seems to suggest that instead of mate being
characterised as a neutral term used by men to show equality and egalitarianism,
young women now see mate as a friendly and fun term that, along with many other
address forms, is available to show intimacy.
Discourse Studies, 16(6). , 2014
Spontaneous play, important for forming the basis of friendships and peer relations, is a complex... more Spontaneous play, important for forming the basis of friendships and peer relations, is a complex activity involving the management and production of talk-in-interaction. This paper focuses on the intricacies of social interaction, emphasising the link between alignment and affiliation, and the range and importance of verbal and nonverbal interactive devices available to children. Analysis of the way in which two girls, one of whom has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, engage in spontaneous activities demonstrates the potential for interactional difficulty due to the unscripted nature of the interaction. The paper argues for further research into how improvised, unscripted interactions are initiated within moment-by-moment talk, how they unfold, and how they are brought to a close in everyday contexts in order to understand how children create their social worlds.
Australian Journal of Linguistics 29(1): 75-90, 2009
Conversation analysis (CA) focuses on the language, practices and competencies by which
people a... more Conversation analysis (CA) focuses on the language, practices and competencies by which
people accomplish social actions to create and understand ordinary social life. CA uses naturally
occurring data, examining micro-detailed transcriptions from recordings of ordinary interaction.
This paper highlights some principles, methods, and insights of CA. We consider a short segment
of transcribed phone conversation in which one participant suggests a social visit to the other. We
see just how the talk develops as it does, and examine the details of language-in-use that the
participants themselves draw upon to construct and make sense of what it is they are doing, of
what is going on. How does a ‘proposal’ for a social visit arise from a course of talk, and how is
it fitted both to its recipient and to the moment it occurs? How is the proposal understood to be
‘unsuccessful’? We show how turns at talk always emerge and are understood within the rich
sequential context of a developing trajectory of interaction that is jointly developed by
participants. Linguists are well placed to study communication as naturally occurring talk, and
such study can in turn inform linguistics by developing knowledge of the nature and use of
language.
One of the diagnostic criteria for children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is pragmatic impairment... more One of the diagnostic criteria for children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is pragmatic impairment. Yet, minimal interactional research has been carried out on what exactly ‘pragmatic impairment’ might mean. What do children with AS do (or not do) when interacting? What do they find interactionally ‘difficult’? What do the conversational partners do to manage social and pragmatic difficulties as they emerge, moment by moment, in interaction? Using a conversation analytic framework, this paper explores some of the ways in which two pragmatically impaired children with AS, aged 8 years, interact with four different conversational partners. Using a competence model, it examines the conversational partners’ use of adjacency pairs as a scaffolding device enabling the children with AS to make contributions to the talk-in-interaction in a safe, predictable environment. It also examines the different strategies used by the children with AS in environments in which the talk is less well-scaffolded, such as when initiating new topics or repair sequences. The analysis highlights the need for further research into how interaction is collaboratively managed by children with AS and their interactional partners.
Issues in Applied Linguistics 13/2: 161-186, 2006
This single-case study uses conversation analysis (CA) to investigate some of the
interactional ... more This single-case study uses conversation analysis (CA) to investigate some of the
interactional difficulties faced by children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). Through an
analysis of a single telephone conversation between an 8-year-old AS child and an adult
and a peer, it shows the level of interactional complexity required in managing talk. It
argues that although the AS child is, on one level, successful in phoning her friend to ask
a question, the success of the interaction relies in part on the other interactants and their
willingness to accommodate her different conversational norms. The study demonstrates
how CA can be a useful tool for understanding some of the interactional difficulties faced
by AS children and adults alike.
In Fred Dervin and Anthony J Liddicoat (ed.), Linguistics for International Education, John Benjamins Publishing Company, United States, pp. 113-136., 2013
This chapter demonstrates how conversation analysis or talk-in-interaction can
be utilized in th... more This chapter demonstrates how conversation analysis or talk-in-interaction can
be utilized in the language classroom in order to promote intercultural language
learning. It shows how tertiary Mandarin language students can be given the
techniques and opportunities to reflectively examine their own culture and its
intersection with other cultures. It uses intercultural pragmatics and conversation
analysis to examine the Chinese Mandarin ni hao ma (‘how are you’) in
an oral Chinese language test. The chapter contrasts two groups of Chinese
Mandarin learners, one of which received intercultural training in the use of ni
hao ma during telephone openings and the other group who didn’t receive any
intercultural language teaching. The chapter illustrates how language learners
can reflexively examine their language use and demonstrates ways of encouraging
language learners to think about hidden cultural assumptions within their
own talk and language
Uploads
Papers by Johanna Rendle-Short
contrasting the post-positioned ‘mate’ (e.g. ‘hello mate’) with the pre-positioned
‘mate’ (e.g. ‘mate how are ya’). Because ‘mate’ occurs in a wide variety of
situations and carries with it a range of interpretations, it is an extremely popular
term that can be used not only when talking to friends, but also between casual
acquaintances who may never talk to each other again. However, it can also be
negatively interpreted, especially in ironic and antagonistic contexts. This paper
will argue that the interpretation of ‘mate’ is closely tied to its sequential
placement. When post-positioned, ‘mate’ overwhelmingly occurs in openings and
closings of conversations or following assessments, agreements,
acknowledgements and appreciations, presenting an attitude of open friendliness
towards the other person. This is no more evident than when ‘mate’ plays a
mitigating role following requests, advice giving or even disagreements. However
when pre-positioned, it changes the sequential organization of the talk (as do prepositioned
address terms in general), giving the turn first status. It will be argued
that it is only through understanding its sequential position that we can begin to
understand why ‘mate’ is sometimes interpreted as antagonistic or hostile.
both journalists and politicians address their co-participant by name. However, there are differences both in
choice of address term and in the positioning of address terms within the news interview. Journalists tend to
use pre-positioned address terms when addressing politicians either by their institutional role (e.g.
Prime Minister) or by title plus last name (e.g. Mr Howard). Politicians, on the other hand, always address
journalists by first name (e.g. Catherine) and have more flexibility in terms of where they position the
address term. In addition, whereas journalists tend to use address terms as a technique for managing the
organisational aspects of the political news interview, politicians tend to use address terms within
adversarial environments, as a resource for taking the turn, for resolving overlapping talk, or for delaying
a dispreferred response. The aim of this paper is, using conversation analysis, to show the multiple
interactional uses of address terms within the context of the Australian political news interview.
encapsulating all that it might mean to be Australian, including such ideas as having a
fair go, camaraderie, working together. Although the address term mate (as in How ya
going mate?) is generally included in discussions of mate and mateship, very little
analysis of how it is actually used in Australian English has been carried out. This
preliminary study focuses on the vocative use of mate through a survey of 698
respondents in which they were asked whether they use mate when addressing other
people, whether they are addressed by mate, who they predominantly address as mate
and whether they like mate as a term of address. The results show that there seems to
be a shift in terms of how mate, as an address term, is used and understood. Whereas
mate has traditionally been understood as a male solidarity term used ‘by males and
for males’, this preliminary survey shows that more young women, aged between 18
and 29 years, are reporting their use of the address term mate compared to women
aged over 50 years. The preliminary study seems to suggest that instead of mate being
characterised as a neutral term used by men to show equality and egalitarianism,
young women now see mate as a friendly and fun term that, along with many other
address forms, is available to show intimacy.
people accomplish social actions to create and understand ordinary social life. CA uses naturally
occurring data, examining micro-detailed transcriptions from recordings of ordinary interaction.
This paper highlights some principles, methods, and insights of CA. We consider a short segment
of transcribed phone conversation in which one participant suggests a social visit to the other. We
see just how the talk develops as it does, and examine the details of language-in-use that the
participants themselves draw upon to construct and make sense of what it is they are doing, of
what is going on. How does a ‘proposal’ for a social visit arise from a course of talk, and how is
it fitted both to its recipient and to the moment it occurs? How is the proposal understood to be
‘unsuccessful’? We show how turns at talk always emerge and are understood within the rich
sequential context of a developing trajectory of interaction that is jointly developed by
participants. Linguists are well placed to study communication as naturally occurring talk, and
such study can in turn inform linguistics by developing knowledge of the nature and use of
language.
interactional difficulties faced by children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). Through an
analysis of a single telephone conversation between an 8-year-old AS child and an adult
and a peer, it shows the level of interactional complexity required in managing talk. It
argues that although the AS child is, on one level, successful in phoning her friend to ask
a question, the success of the interaction relies in part on the other interactants and their
willingness to accommodate her different conversational norms. The study demonstrates
how CA can be a useful tool for understanding some of the interactional difficulties faced
by AS children and adults alike.
be utilized in the language classroom in order to promote intercultural language
learning. It shows how tertiary Mandarin language students can be given the
techniques and opportunities to reflectively examine their own culture and its
intersection with other cultures. It uses intercultural pragmatics and conversation
analysis to examine the Chinese Mandarin ni hao ma (‘how are you’) in
an oral Chinese language test. The chapter contrasts two groups of Chinese
Mandarin learners, one of which received intercultural training in the use of ni
hao ma during telephone openings and the other group who didn’t receive any
intercultural language teaching. The chapter illustrates how language learners
can reflexively examine their language use and demonstrates ways of encouraging
language learners to think about hidden cultural assumptions within their
own talk and language
contrasting the post-positioned ‘mate’ (e.g. ‘hello mate’) with the pre-positioned
‘mate’ (e.g. ‘mate how are ya’). Because ‘mate’ occurs in a wide variety of
situations and carries with it a range of interpretations, it is an extremely popular
term that can be used not only when talking to friends, but also between casual
acquaintances who may never talk to each other again. However, it can also be
negatively interpreted, especially in ironic and antagonistic contexts. This paper
will argue that the interpretation of ‘mate’ is closely tied to its sequential
placement. When post-positioned, ‘mate’ overwhelmingly occurs in openings and
closings of conversations or following assessments, agreements,
acknowledgements and appreciations, presenting an attitude of open friendliness
towards the other person. This is no more evident than when ‘mate’ plays a
mitigating role following requests, advice giving or even disagreements. However
when pre-positioned, it changes the sequential organization of the talk (as do prepositioned
address terms in general), giving the turn first status. It will be argued
that it is only through understanding its sequential position that we can begin to
understand why ‘mate’ is sometimes interpreted as antagonistic or hostile.
both journalists and politicians address their co-participant by name. However, there are differences both in
choice of address term and in the positioning of address terms within the news interview. Journalists tend to
use pre-positioned address terms when addressing politicians either by their institutional role (e.g.
Prime Minister) or by title plus last name (e.g. Mr Howard). Politicians, on the other hand, always address
journalists by first name (e.g. Catherine) and have more flexibility in terms of where they position the
address term. In addition, whereas journalists tend to use address terms as a technique for managing the
organisational aspects of the political news interview, politicians tend to use address terms within
adversarial environments, as a resource for taking the turn, for resolving overlapping talk, or for delaying
a dispreferred response. The aim of this paper is, using conversation analysis, to show the multiple
interactional uses of address terms within the context of the Australian political news interview.
encapsulating all that it might mean to be Australian, including such ideas as having a
fair go, camaraderie, working together. Although the address term mate (as in How ya
going mate?) is generally included in discussions of mate and mateship, very little
analysis of how it is actually used in Australian English has been carried out. This
preliminary study focuses on the vocative use of mate through a survey of 698
respondents in which they were asked whether they use mate when addressing other
people, whether they are addressed by mate, who they predominantly address as mate
and whether they like mate as a term of address. The results show that there seems to
be a shift in terms of how mate, as an address term, is used and understood. Whereas
mate has traditionally been understood as a male solidarity term used ‘by males and
for males’, this preliminary survey shows that more young women, aged between 18
and 29 years, are reporting their use of the address term mate compared to women
aged over 50 years. The preliminary study seems to suggest that instead of mate being
characterised as a neutral term used by men to show equality and egalitarianism,
young women now see mate as a friendly and fun term that, along with many other
address forms, is available to show intimacy.
people accomplish social actions to create and understand ordinary social life. CA uses naturally
occurring data, examining micro-detailed transcriptions from recordings of ordinary interaction.
This paper highlights some principles, methods, and insights of CA. We consider a short segment
of transcribed phone conversation in which one participant suggests a social visit to the other. We
see just how the talk develops as it does, and examine the details of language-in-use that the
participants themselves draw upon to construct and make sense of what it is they are doing, of
what is going on. How does a ‘proposal’ for a social visit arise from a course of talk, and how is
it fitted both to its recipient and to the moment it occurs? How is the proposal understood to be
‘unsuccessful’? We show how turns at talk always emerge and are understood within the rich
sequential context of a developing trajectory of interaction that is jointly developed by
participants. Linguists are well placed to study communication as naturally occurring talk, and
such study can in turn inform linguistics by developing knowledge of the nature and use of
language.
interactional difficulties faced by children with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). Through an
analysis of a single telephone conversation between an 8-year-old AS child and an adult
and a peer, it shows the level of interactional complexity required in managing talk. It
argues that although the AS child is, on one level, successful in phoning her friend to ask
a question, the success of the interaction relies in part on the other interactants and their
willingness to accommodate her different conversational norms. The study demonstrates
how CA can be a useful tool for understanding some of the interactional difficulties faced
by AS children and adults alike.
be utilized in the language classroom in order to promote intercultural language
learning. It shows how tertiary Mandarin language students can be given the
techniques and opportunities to reflectively examine their own culture and its
intersection with other cultures. It uses intercultural pragmatics and conversation
analysis to examine the Chinese Mandarin ni hao ma (‘how are you’) in
an oral Chinese language test. The chapter contrasts two groups of Chinese
Mandarin learners, one of which received intercultural training in the use of ni
hao ma during telephone openings and the other group who didn’t receive any
intercultural language teaching. The chapter illustrates how language learners
can reflexively examine their language use and demonstrates ways of encouraging
language learners to think about hidden cultural assumptions within their
own talk and language