Adjacency Pair

Understanding Adjacency Pairs

An adjacency pair is a fundamental concept in conversation analysis, referring to two sequentially ordered turns where the first turn (the ‘first pair part’) invites a specific type of response (the ‘second pair part’).

Key Concepts

• First Pair Part (FPP): The initial utterance that establishes an expectation for a particular response.
• Second Pair Part (SPP): The subsequent utterance that fulfills the expectation set by the FPP.
• Preference Organization: SPPs can be ‘preferred’ (e.g., acceptance of an offer) or ‘dispreferred’ (e.g., refusal of an offer), often marked by hesitation or mitigation.

Deep Dive

The relationship between the FPP and SPP is often conditional. The production of an FPP strongly implies that an SPP is relevant and expected. The lack of an immediate SPP can be interpreted as a refusal or avoidance. For example, a question (FPP) typically expects an answer (SPP).

Common Examples

Adjacency pairs are ubiquitous in everyday conversation. Some common types include:

• Question – Answer: “What time is it?” – “It’s 3 o’clock.”
• Greeting – Greeting: “Hello!” – “Hi there!”
• Offer – Acceptance/Rejection: “Would you like some coffee?” – “Yes, please.” / “No, thank you.”
• Request – Granting/Denial: “Can you pass the salt?” – “Sure.” / “I’m using it.”
• Summons – Answer: “John!” – “Yes?”

Applications in Linguistics

Studying adjacency pairs helps linguists understand conversational turn-taking, politeness strategies, and the underlying structure of human interaction. They are crucial for analyzing how meaning is co-constructed between speakers.

Challenges and Misconceptions

It’s important to note that not all sequential utterances form adjacency pairs. The conventionality of the pair is key. Also, the SPP is not always immediately available; there can be pauses or other turns in between.

FAQs

Q: Can an adjacency pair have more than two turns?
A: Typically, no. The core of an adjacency pair is the two-turn sequence. However, intervening turns can occur, especially before a dispreferred response.

Q: Are all responses to a first part considered second parts?
A: No, only responses that are conventionally linked to the first part form an adjacency pair.