interaction (n.)

An application of the general use of this term in SOCIOLINGUISTICS, to refer to the study of speech in face-to-face communication (interactional sociolinguistics). The approach deals chiefly with the norms and strategies of everyday conversation, and is characterized by detailed TRANSCRIPTIONS of taped interactions, with particular reference to features which have been traditionally neglected in the analysis of conversation, such as PROSODY, facial expression, silence, and rhythmical patterns of behavior between the participants. In contrast to other kinds of CONVERSATION ANALYSIS, particular attention is paid to the social factors which help to shape the interaction, such as the desire by the participants to maintain politeness or to recognize mutual rights and obligations.