Unlocking the Secrets of Engaging Conversations: How Language Shapes Interaction
The article explores how people start and develop conversations in English. Three students practiced speaking for 94 weeks and were recorded. They gave presentations and then had conversations. By analyzing the recordings, the researchers found that the way people talk changes over time. Initially, they spoke more like giving a speech, but gradually shifted to a more conversational style. This change was seen in how they took turns, constructed their sentences, and allocated speaking time. The study shows that language is created together during conversations, and suggests that learning and change can happen as a group.