Page 82 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol. 4(1) (2016)
P. 82
sation in Pula, there are only 99 turn-takingsstudia universitatis her editati, letnik 4 (2016), številk a 1 82On one hand, the comparison of conver-
and in Zadar there are 292. These mere numer- sational styles of different language speakers
ical facts illustrate a considerable difference inhereditati (Croatians and Italians) from the same region-
their conversational dynamics. The analysis re- al, cultural and historical backgrounds can be
vealed that Pula’s speakers converse using a con- considered as the basis of how a language can be
siderable number of pauses, many of which are accounted for their diversity and dynamics. On
fairly long (even up to 10 seconds between the the other hand, there are two groups of Croa-
turn-takings). On the contrary, Zadar’s speak- tian speakers (from Pula and Zadar) that prove
ers converse in a highly dynamic way. Accord- differently showing how the language structure
ing to the analysis, they almost never use nei- does not influence the conversational style at all.
ther normal nor longer pauses, and, when they Hence, the question is where do these differenc-
do, they have a rather distinctive stylistic effect. es derive from? Are they related to long histori-
Their turns either latch onto or intrude into oth- cal processes of slightly diverse constructions of
er speakers' turns often continuing in simulta- traditional, religious and cultural backgrounds
neous talk, whereas in Pula’s case the analysis or to more recent influences which caused pres-
revealed a rather small percentage of overlaps, ent cultural diversity also reflected in speech? Or
majority of which are categorized as minimal. are they to be found in their different relations
Again, numbers speak in this favour: in Zadar, to tradition, ethnicity and religion? We can only
there are up to 38% of turn-takings ending in suggest that some of the differences could derive
overlaps and in Pula there aren’t more than 10%. from the stronger attachment to the Middle-Eu-
Greenwood27 argued that a high rate of inter- ropean culture in Pula and to the Mediterranean
ruption is a sign of social comfort in conversa- culture in Zadar. Can we find this attachment to
tion which is proven by Zadar’s recordings. They tradition in language?
also justify the stereotype that women are “noisy
clucking hens,”28 that in in-group conversations The language analysis of Croatian con-
they favour overlapping talk29 and that “wom- versations revealed their attachment to tradi-
en are more comfortable talking when there is tion but on different structural levels. For in-
more than one voice going at once”30 which is stance, speakers from Zadar are more inclined
revoked by the conversational style of speakers to use traditional-Čakavian linguistic elements
from Pula. Both analysis of Croatian conversa- (in phonetics and morphology) whereas Pu-
tion are confronted to those of Italian speakers la’s Croatian speakers are more inclined to pre-
that showed rather unexpected results. In com- serving some traditional prosodic and syntactic
parison to Croatian speakers from Pula, the re- features (which can be easily attributed to the
cordings of Italian speakers showed a much present Italian influence in this region). Could
smaller percentage of longer pauses substituted we assume that the differences in conversation-
with vocalized pauses and with emphatic expres- al styles between Zadar and Pula are actually
sions. Italian speakers from Pula are less tolerant based on the expression of their group and indi-
towards slower conversational style and more vidual personality interchange? Zadar’s speakers
flexible to latches, overlaps, interruptions and si- are thought to be generally more playful, their
multaneous talk. We came to a point where our everyday conversation is often characterized by
matrix became more complex because we are not a fairly specific humour, whereas in Pula those
only faced with a possibility of different personal characteristics are not discernible (their humour
and temperamental styles of the speaker, but also is generally more subtle and their conversations
with the possibility that solely language struc- are more moderate). A proof for our assumption
ture influences the conversational style. can be found in the analysis of Zadar’s conversa-
tions, which revealed more frequent occurrence
of longer pauses when the conversation became
and in Zadar there are 292. These mere numer- sational styles of different language speakers
ical facts illustrate a considerable difference inhereditati (Croatians and Italians) from the same region-
their conversational dynamics. The analysis re- al, cultural and historical backgrounds can be
vealed that Pula’s speakers converse using a con- considered as the basis of how a language can be
siderable number of pauses, many of which are accounted for their diversity and dynamics. On
fairly long (even up to 10 seconds between the the other hand, there are two groups of Croa-
turn-takings). On the contrary, Zadar’s speak- tian speakers (from Pula and Zadar) that prove
ers converse in a highly dynamic way. Accord- differently showing how the language structure
ing to the analysis, they almost never use nei- does not influence the conversational style at all.
ther normal nor longer pauses, and, when they Hence, the question is where do these differenc-
do, they have a rather distinctive stylistic effect. es derive from? Are they related to long histori-
Their turns either latch onto or intrude into oth- cal processes of slightly diverse constructions of
er speakers' turns often continuing in simulta- traditional, religious and cultural backgrounds
neous talk, whereas in Pula’s case the analysis or to more recent influences which caused pres-
revealed a rather small percentage of overlaps, ent cultural diversity also reflected in speech? Or
majority of which are categorized as minimal. are they to be found in their different relations
Again, numbers speak in this favour: in Zadar, to tradition, ethnicity and religion? We can only
there are up to 38% of turn-takings ending in suggest that some of the differences could derive
overlaps and in Pula there aren’t more than 10%. from the stronger attachment to the Middle-Eu-
Greenwood27 argued that a high rate of inter- ropean culture in Pula and to the Mediterranean
ruption is a sign of social comfort in conversa- culture in Zadar. Can we find this attachment to
tion which is proven by Zadar’s recordings. They tradition in language?
also justify the stereotype that women are “noisy
clucking hens,”28 that in in-group conversations The language analysis of Croatian con-
they favour overlapping talk29 and that “wom- versations revealed their attachment to tradi-
en are more comfortable talking when there is tion but on different structural levels. For in-
more than one voice going at once”30 which is stance, speakers from Zadar are more inclined
revoked by the conversational style of speakers to use traditional-Čakavian linguistic elements
from Pula. Both analysis of Croatian conversa- (in phonetics and morphology) whereas Pu-
tion are confronted to those of Italian speakers la’s Croatian speakers are more inclined to pre-
that showed rather unexpected results. In com- serving some traditional prosodic and syntactic
parison to Croatian speakers from Pula, the re- features (which can be easily attributed to the
cordings of Italian speakers showed a much present Italian influence in this region). Could
smaller percentage of longer pauses substituted we assume that the differences in conversation-
with vocalized pauses and with emphatic expres- al styles between Zadar and Pula are actually
sions. Italian speakers from Pula are less tolerant based on the expression of their group and indi-
towards slower conversational style and more vidual personality interchange? Zadar’s speakers
flexible to latches, overlaps, interruptions and si- are thought to be generally more playful, their
multaneous talk. We came to a point where our everyday conversation is often characterized by
matrix became more complex because we are not a fairly specific humour, whereas in Pula those
only faced with a possibility of different personal characteristics are not discernible (their humour
and temperamental styles of the speaker, but also is generally more subtle and their conversations
with the possibility that solely language struc- are more moderate). A proof for our assumption
ture influences the conversational style. can be found in the analysis of Zadar’s conversa-
tions, which revealed more frequent occurrence
of longer pauses when the conversation became
