Features of spontaneous speech?

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Ash

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Hi there,

Could anyone give me a comprehensive list of features that are apparent in everyday spontaneous speech (such as fillers, interjections etc)

Cheers,

Ash
 

Casiopea

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Welcome, Ash. :hi:

The following list and diagram are from Module 10: Conversation and Lexis - A Course for Assessing and Developing Lexical Competence on the Internet.

Features of authentic speech such as:​


10.1. Filled pauses: Sounds such as er, um, erm, etc. give speakers time to think.​

10.2. Fillers: Words such as "well, you know, I mean" which carry no meaning but give speaker time to plan what to say.​

10.3. False starts: Speaker starts in a particular way, then changes their mind and begins again.​

10.4. Repetitions: Same word or phrases said repeatedly.​

10.5. Contracted forms. In addition to verbal contractions, some words are shortened: "Them= em"/because = cause".​

10.6. Ellipsis. Pronouns or relatives are omitted.​

10.7. Non-standard grammar. They break standard rules.​

10.8. Hesitations or silent pauses.​


All these features have been compiled in the following diagram:​

All the best. :-D
 

BobK

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Hi there,

Could anyone give me a comprehensive list of features that are apparent in everyday spontaneous speech (such as fillers, interjections etc)

Cheers,

Ash

Here's a list that doesn't go into as much detail as that link - you may find it more digestible!

I picked it up from a course I helped out with a few years ago, so don't know who should get the credit; certainly not me! ;-)

b

PS Sorry :oops: - it's 256K; I'll see if I can wangle a dispensation! Stay tuned....
PPS There's more than one way to skin a cat ;-)
 

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Ash

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Could you explain the 'recycling' feature a little further?
 

BobK

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Could you explain the 'recycling' feature a little further?

It's a bit like the speech impediment known as a "stammer", but much more common. The speaker starts an utterance, and reaches a point where he or she can't find the right word (or thinks better of a word, and needs time to find a suitable alternative). They repeat a syllable or word as a sort of 'run up' to the second attempt - hence the example in that sheet: "the ... the computer".

b
 
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