ABSTRACT
Conversation analysis must be considered one of the most promising new directions available for the study of interpersonal communication. The work done by this research group over the past two decades has revolutionized the way in which we think about language use. Work in the areas of sociolinguistics (Labov & Fanshel, 1977), language development (Garvey, 1977), pragmatics (Levinson, 1983), and even cognitive science (Clark, 1979) has been influenced by the ideas of conversation analysis. Communication researchers would be well advised to consider both its methods and its findings carefully. Zimmerman provides a good explanation of what it is that conversation analysts think they are up to. It is an explanation that should go a long way toward clarifying some of the murkier aspects of the goals and rationale of this program of research.
