Transcript of speech

 A conversation in a silent classroom between 3 people, Speaker A-17 from Barton Hill, Speaker B-16-from Stockwood and Speaker C-16 from Hanham

A: How has your day been so far?
B: Ah it’s been good thanks, um not much has happened, i'm extremely very tired though
A: Early morning?
B: Yeah, how was yours?
A: Just tired
C: I nearly went to hospital
B: (Nervous Laugh)
C: Cycling in, nearly crashed into a pillar
B: (Nervous Laugh)
A: What time have you been up since?
B: Half six
C: Half seven
B: How? How did you get up that late?
C: I leave the house at five past eight
B: (Laugh)
A: So do I actually, I leave the house at twenty past eight
C: So I have half an hour
B: I have to get up at half six, otherwise I'll be there till eight like aaa
A: Do you live far?
B: It's not really far
A: You?
C: Twenty minute cycle, not far
A: Half an hour bus drive
B: If I walk in it will take me like forty-five minutes, (sigh) and what are you two up to tonight?
A: Um house, tidying the house
B: I need to do that actually (laugh), its like a mess everywhere
A: My mums given me loads of jobs, so
B: Yeah
A: That’s me, you?
C: Playing FIFA probably
A: The new one?
B: (Laugh)
C: Yeah, I bought it last night, straight to ASDA to buy it
A: Was there a line?
C: What’s that? Oh yeah
A: Like a queue
C: Like five people or so, quite quick
A: That’s alright then



Transcript Conventions used:

Quantity: Speaker B talks in quantity whereas speakers A and C refrain from as much speech. The overall quantity of speech in the transcript shows a kind of awkwardness within the group of people and suggests they are refraining from sharing a lot about themselves.


Quality: The content of the transcript is truthful but the conversation is mundane this further shows how the speakers are being sheltered and reserved.


Relevance: Most of the conversation is relevant except when speaker C says something unusual to a question. This is a side sequence and not completely fitting with the conversation.


Manner: The manner of the conversation is clear communication and spoken.


Adjacency pairs: The conversation includes adjacency pairs all throughout.

Chaining: This is also used to create more conversation and gets it to flow easier.

Phatic Language: Phatic language is small talk within a conversation.This is used within this transcript as a general question to get the conversation started.

Non fluency features: These are a range of things that break up speech to make it sound segmented. These include: Fillers, Timed pauses, False starts, Repetition or Hesitation. This could be misinterpreted for people slowing down their speech to let their mind think about what they want to say next.  


Turn-taking: This is when a group of people take it in turns to speak and share information, this makes for a balanced and equal conversation. 

Ellipsis: This is the omission of a part of a word or words from a sentence, while still making sense. This is used to answer a question, the answer would usually sound lethargic anyway but the use of this emphasizes how tired the speaker is.

Prosodic features: The tone of what is said which means different things in different tones. In the transcript person B laughs after quite a serious topic is brought up. Had it mean maliciously meant it would have been a hard and cruel laugh however it was just a nervous laugh so it would have been quiet in volume and soft not harsh.

Utterances: Utterance is a term used to describe sentences in a transcript. The structure of the transcript depends on utterances, in this transcript it is obvious that utterances effect the equality of speech, turn-taking and Adjacency pairs.

Tact: These are usually used as polite features in a conversation. Usually found when women talk, tact is used to back up what another is saying and agree with them to show either that you understand what the other person/people are saying or that you are listening. A conversation without any of this could show a person to be rude, ignorant or even stupid. In this transcript it is used by speaker B to back up speaker A.