Abstract
In this article, we present an analysis of closings in two counseling media: online, text-based exchanges (usually referred to as “chat” sessions) and telephone calls. Previous research has found that the participant who initiated a conversation preferably also initiates its termination with a possible preclosing. Advice acknowledgments, lying in the epistemic domain of the client, are devices that may work as preclosings. However, in text-based chat clients regularly refrain from advice acknowledgment. While counselors use various practices to elicit advice acknowledgment in the context of potential advice resistance, hoaxing, and/or seemingly long pauses, these questions do not always succeed as “closing devices.” This offers an explanation for counselors’ perception of online chatting as more difficult than calling. The data are in Dutch with English translation.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 281-300 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Research on Language and Social Interaction |
Volume | 48 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 3 Jul 2015 |
Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This work was supported by the Dutch Organization for Academic Research [Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek] (NWO) program Comprehensive Language Use (project BGRK-11-06).