Topic 11 - Conversational structure and character (Session A) > Conversational structure and power > Task D > Our answer

Conversational structure and power

Task D - Our answer

If we ask each of the questions systematically in turn we can build up a conversational power picture of the people involved. We could predict that a very powerful person would fit the prototype of the powerful person our intuition-based answers to the Task B questions suggested. If the power relations are not so clearly demarcated, we might find, for example, that A interrupts more than B but B changes the topic more than A.

Looking at the particular set of turn-taking patterns may also help you to see other things about characters in plays. For example, a person who has most of the powerful turn-taking characteristics but does not interrupt others would probably be seen as polite, whereas someone who interrupts others a lot may be thought of as domineering and overbearing.

On the next page we will analyse an extract from a play carefully in order to explore these kinds of issues further.

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