Adjacency pair
A fundamental conversation unit in discourse analysis consisting of two adjacent turns where the first creates an expectation for the second. Examples include question-answer, greeting-greeting, and invitation-acceptance/rejection.
Real World
In a police interview, when the detective asks 'Where were you on the night of the 14th?' and the suspect responds with 'No comment', this deliberate violation of the question-answer adjacency pair signals strategic non-cooperation rather than confusion.
Exam Focus
Identify the first-pair part, then evaluate whether the second-pair part is preferred or dispreferred — examiners reward analysis of violations.
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