Conversation analysis (CA) has repeatedly been criticized for being unresponsive to the "sociological agenda." This article argues that CA should, and can, respond to this criticism, and that CA should work toward making its contribution to the sociological agenda much more explicit. (Author/VWL)

A study investigated the form of diagnostic talk occurring between veterinarian and client before or during the physical examination and before the clinical diagnosis. Data are from six cases from a corpus of veterinary consultations. Analysis focuses on use of qualifiers, hedges, and evidential mitigators in communicating both good news and bad…

Considers issues in interdependence--the micro-macro issue in particular--to be important theoretical matters for future work in language and social interaction. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on the development of conversation analysis (CA) and the recognition it has earned in a number of disciplines, including communication. Suggests that, during the next period of development, CA methods will become more quantitative. (Author/VWL)

Discusses the emergence of language and social interaction as a scholarly field and how the field can improve its impact on members of the general public. Proposed in terms of conversation analysis, suggestions are offered for communicating the benefits to a wider audience. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that research on language and social interaction can best proceed by engaging in the puzzle-solving enterprise that characterizes normal research. Systematic explorations are needed of the language phenomena deemed relevant by the respective paradigms. (Author/VWL)

Raises issues of concern related to the field of language and social interaction (LSI): (1) LSI cannot be properly studied by treating language as a transparent medium; (2) discourse is a multimodal activity system; (3) LSI research has the potential to contribute to a wide range of language research; and (4) technology is deepening the…

Defines the most prominent aspects of critical discourse analysis (CDA) and discusses how such a research program enables individuals to cope with the changes in societies. Also identifies social problems deserving investigation.(Author/VWL)

Investigates the communicative treatment of secrets, presenting examples from recorded communicative interactions in a wide range of social milieus and settings in which the participants revealed knowledge of secrets, tried to dig out old secrets without appearing to be doing so, and occasionally, appeared to be hiding some items of knowledge from…

Examines a corpus of audio and audiovisual recordings of people engaged in acrimonious argument, in which complaints and accusations are being made about the behavior of copresent parties. Analysis focuses on the sequences immediately following complaints. (Author/VWL)

Suggests the future of language and social interaction research should be further development of the understanding of the organization of talk and other contact in interaction itself, at the most general level in which it can be described. (Author/VWL)

Discusses resonances and basic issues of the four language and social interaction divisions of the National Communication Association and the International Communication Association: Ethnomethodology, Conversation Analysis, Microanalysis, and the Ethnography of Speaking (EM-CA-MA-ES). (Author/VWL)

As an epilog to a theme issue on morality in discourse, this article examines the various types of morality in dialog, focusing on premorality and proto-morality, sincere authenticity versus reflective ethics, and the moral voices of modernity. Concludes that morality is an intrinsic feature of any dialog, and it is a multidimensional,…

Describes a Utopian vision of a new multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field called "Dialogue," that would unite researchers with a common focus on dialogue. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that there are various methods that can be, and are used to study language and social interaction in its different guises; asserts that this is a good thing. Discusses some of the different meanings that "language" and "social interaction" have in research and concludes that the language-social interaction intersection is not unitary.…