Partnership in conversation: a study of word search strategies

Conversation analysis was used to investigate a conversational partner's strategies when assisting with the word searches of an aphasic person. The purpose was to identify and detail how such strategies were accomplished and to examine the implications of these strategies from a social and participatory perspective. Review of a large, authentic database resulted in identification of 38 videotaped conversation sequences characterized by the initiation of a word search by an aphasic speaker and the joining of this search by the conversation partner. Sequences were analyzed on a turn-by-turn basis to identify patterns of sequential organization based on similarities in contextual and functional features and to infer social implications. Results were that four conversation strategies were systematically used: guess, alternative guess, completion, and closing strategies. Each was accomplished collaboratively with specific interactional resources and techniques and were used differentially for social purposes. Implications for clinical practices involving training of conversation partners are discussed.