Explores the hypothesis that speakers formulate their requests to anticipate the potential obstacles (ability, willingness, possession of the object desired, etc.) which hinder addressees in complying with requests and that the comprehension of these requests depends on how well speakers formulate them. (SED)

Speakers monitor their own speech and, when they discover problems, make repairs. In the proposal examined here, speakers also monitor addressees for understanding and, when necessary, alter their utterances in progress. Addressees cooperate by displaying and signaling their understanding in progress. Pairs of participants were videotaped as a…