A foundation for the study of everyday talk

Abstract

As communication scholars we have neglected systematic examination of everyday discourse or talk. Although talk is used as a resource for communication research, it is seldom studied as a topic in its own right. A conceptual framework, grounded in the writings of Schutz and Garfinkel, directs us to search for explanations of how social actors organize their everyday talk in interaction. Such explanations are generated in the form of rules. Rules are defined as both conceptual and methodological tools rather than epistemological building blocks. Three areas which constitute an empirical basis for the study of talk are: (1) the organization of utterance units, (2) the sequencing of utterances, and (3) the structure of turn‐taking. While descriptive accounts of how talk works in interaction can complement more traditional methods of communication research, they are essential if we are to understand the relation of language and speech.