ABSTRACT

In conversation analysis. a violation of the smooth (no-gap) functioning of turn-taking due to (a) simultaneous speaking (see Zimmerman and West 1975), (b) short pauses between turns of the same or different speakers, (c) a longer period of silence (lapse) of all participants or (d) a delay in the turn of the designated next speaker (significant pause), which-if options are offered ( preference)—may be interpreted as an indication of a non-preferred option (e.g. the decline of an invitation in the previous turn instead of its acceptance) ( pause).