ABSTRACT
This study draws on data taken from audio recordings of therapy interactions when investigating the interactional unfolding of the management of epistemic asymmetry through dialogic resonance. The pragmatics of dialogic resonance in naturalistic interactions has not been extensively researched, which is particularly true of therapy talk, where resonance may serve specific communicative functions given the institutional tasks it performs. To address this research gap, the present study seeks to explore the interactional trajectory of dialogic resonance based on 20 hours of therapy sessions recorded in a Chinese hospital between April 2017 and May 2018. By applying conversation analysis, this study first uncovers the interactional environment of dialogic resonance and focuses on the development of epistemic asymmetry. Secondly, it demonstrates how therapists use resonance to manage epistemic asymmetry, on the one hand, and to facilitate epistemic symmetry, on the other hand. Finally, relevance theory (Sperber & Wilson 1995) as well as contextual factors, such as client-centered therapeutic philosophy, will be taken into account when explaining the use of dialogic resonance in a therapeutic context. These endeavors aim to contribute to current discussions on the management of epistemic asymmetry, as well as the theoretical account of dialogic resonance within the framework of relevance theory.
