Transcription conventions
Standardised systems for representing speech in writing, including marking pauses, overlaps, intonation, stress, and non-verbal elements. Conventions vary from broad (simple transcription) to narrow (detailed phonetic).
Real World
Linguist Deborah Tannen uses transcription conventions to show overlapping speech in male and female conversations, with square brackets marking simultaneous talk — without these symbols, the interaction's dynamics would be invisible on the page.
Exam Focus
Include a transcription key with your data; examiners must be able to decode every symbol you use to credit your analysis.
How well did you know this?