Analysing everyday conversation 125it was an easy way to obtain a short interaction complete with all the rituals
of greeting and leave-taking.
The data collected by our students, to which reference is also made,
consists largely of two-party conversations. Singaporeans make up the vast
majority of participants, and the data contains many examples of features of
Singapore English.
THE SYSTEM OF ANALYSIS
In the following pages we will first present a summary of the rank scale,
basing the diagrammatic representations of structure on those set out in
Sinclair and Coulthard (1975). For each rank other than the Interaction we
will provide three-column lists representing the structure of each class or
unit at that rank, proceeding downwards from Transaction to Act. The first
column gives the elements of structure of the class or unit, and the second
column shows the possible combinations of these elements of structure. In
the third column, the elements of structure are associated with the classes
or units at the rank next below, showing which among these may realize
each element. This section is followed by a more detailed explanation of the
system of analysis, with detailed descriptions of each unit and further explanations
where necessary.
It must be noted that the system we present applies particularly to
everyday conversation—we have omitted the categories more typical of
‘formal’ situations. For example, we have not included the element of
move structure ‘select’ and the acts which realize it (cue, bid and nomination)
on the grounds that it is a feature whose use is restricted to the classroom,
formal discussions where speaking rights are controlled by a chairperson,
and certain types of quiz game. It does not occur in two-party everyday
conversation.
Summary of the system of analysis