The 'How are you?' sequence in telephone openings in Arabic

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SLS2009-10Saadah.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/14818

Title: The 'How are you?' sequence in telephone openings in Arabic
Author(s): Saadah, Eman
Issue Date: 2009
Keyword(s): conversation analysis, Arabic, telephone openings
Date of Ingest: 2010-01-15T18:43:19Z
Abstract: This paper reports on one particular speech activity, viz. telephone openings, to conduct a cross-cultural comparison of how Arabs perform the ritual routines of the ‘How are you?’ sequence. Using conversation analysis (CA) as a methodology, this qualitative study is based on data collected from natural interaction between Arabs. In Arabic, the ‘How are you?’ sequence is canonically scripted to function as an inquiry about the well-being and latest news of the recipient of the call as well as his/her other immediate family members. However, these telephone openings are expanded to show differences in norms of behavior from the ones reported in the literature to mark cultural identity that is unique to this speech community.
ISSN: 0049-2388
Type of Resource: text
Genre of Resource: Article
Language: en
Permalink: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/14818

The online working papers of the UIUC Department of Linguistics