Ethnography of Communication A Comparative Analysis of a Casual Conversation and a Formal Interview INTRODUCTION (original) (raw)

Abstract

I recorded both communication events using a small, handheld tape recorded to assist with my analysis. Immediately afterwards, I wrote brief notes about my observations of the events, then I listened to the tapes to find likely sections to transcribe and analyze. I have provided transcriptions of sections of each of the events in the appendix following this report.

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What are the key differences in turn-taking between casual conversations and formal interviews?add

The study reveals that casual conversations exhibit overlapping speech and inconsistent turn-taking, while formal interviews strictly adhere to a question-and-answer format without overlap, as seen in transcriptions from both events.

How do the emotional tones differ in casual conversations compared to formal interviews?add

In casual conversations, emotional tones shift from humorous to serious based on topic; conversely, formal interviews maintain a serious tone established by the interview genre from the start.

What methodologies were used to analyze the components of communication in this study?add

The research employs Saville-Troike's 1997 framework, analyzing 11 components of communication systematically to compare casual conversations and formal interviews in depth.

What insights were gained regarding the roles of participants in communicative events?add

The analysis highlights that while participants share roles in both events, their interactions differ greatly, with casual conversations allowing spontaneous contributions versus formal interviews following a structured turn-taking pattern.

What implications does the analysis have for understanding communication in micro-cultures?add

Findings suggest that shared micro-cultural backgrounds among participants influence conversational dynamics, as evidenced by the similarities despite divergent communicative event structures in the analyzed discussions.

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