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Marcia: Ohhh hh I've got a paper … the yearly paper due tomorrow.
Tony: How about that.
Marcia: heheheh hh I can tell you a lot ab(h)out th(h)at...
(Data source: Wong 1984)
This particular example shows the four basic parts of phone conversation openings
described by Schegloff (1968):
1. summons-answer sequence,
2. identification sequence,
3. greeting sequence, and
4. how-are-you sequence.
Summons-Answer Sequence
The ringing of the telephone represents the summons, and the answer is a response to
that summons. In American phone conversations, the most frequent response is "hello." If the
person expects a call, the response may be a "hi" or even "yeah?" Self-identification responses
such as "Acme Computers" or "Dr. Jones's office" more often mark the communication as
business rather than personal.
Identification Sequence
We are very often able to identify the caller or the answerer from minimal voice samples.
A caller who recognizes the answerer by the initial "hello" may show that recognition has taken
place and invite a reciprocal recognition by simply answering "hi."
E: Hello.
S: Hi.
E: Hi,Sue.
However, there are sequences where the names of answerers and callers are given in
the identification sequence:
E: Hello.
C: Dr. Hatch?
Sometimes the intonation is exclamatory or given with falling intonation.
E: Hello?
B: EV-lyn!
Callers, too, may give an immediate self-identification.
E: Hello.
S: Hi, Stephanie, it's Helen.
According to Schegloff (1979), these resources for identification are graded in American
phone conversations so that identification from the voice sample alone is "preferred." If a name
is given, a first name rather than first and last name is "preferred." It appears that the less
information needed for identification, the better. When identification falters even for an instant,
however, self-identification is forthcoming, often in the second turn:
S: Hello.
D: Hi Sue.
S: Hi.
D: It's Denise.
S: ohh HI, Denise.
Greeting Sequence
Much of the work of the identification sequence can be accomplished by an exchange of
greetings. However, these opening exchanges do not necessarily constitute a greeting. In the
following exchange, the first set is part of the identification sequence, and the second set forms