Latching/Rush-Through as a Turn-Holding Device and Its Functions in Retrospectively Oriented Pre-Emptive Turn Continuation: Findings from Mandarin Conversation

This article offers an interactional account of turn continuations in Chinese conversation, which are characterized as (a) being effected by latching/rush-through, (b) being clauses with predicates, either main or adverbial, and (c) taking a retrospective orientation in the kind of interactional work they do. Close examination reveals that while, in general, these continuations provide explanation, specification, or elaboration, they serve to address aspects of immediate prior talk as deemed inadequate in given interactional/sequential contexts. Findings show that a turn's possible completion point is an organizationally consequential place around which one can indicate turn continuation, should the need come up later in the turn. A prime way to bid for turn continuation at this place is the use of prosody. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.