Pauses in spontaneous speech production in the media

master's thesis

• Author: Martina Jelčić
• Mentor: Irena Zovko Dinković (mentor)
• Committee member: Tea Raše (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Anda Bukvić Pažin (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Irena Zovko Dinković (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-09-25, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

This thesis presents an analysis of pauses in spontaneous speech in media, focusing on examples from the British talk show The Graham Norton Show and the Croatian talk show Večer na 8. katu. A theoretical overview of pauses sets the foundation for understanding their significance in conversational dynamics. The study examines six episodes, three from each show, allowing for a comparative analysis of pause occurrences among hosts and guests.
Results reveal several key patterns: hosts exhibited a greater number of pauses than guests, reflecting their active role in guiding conversations. Furthermore, the analysis showed a significant prevalence of filled pauses over unfilled pauses, with hesitation markers outnumbering fillers within the filled pauses category. These findings underscore the cognitive processes involved in spontaneous speech, illustrating how speakers navigate real-time interactions.
This research contributes to the understanding of conversational behavior in spontaneous speech in the media, demonstrating that while patterns of pauses share similarities between Croatian and English, the types of fillers used vary. The insights gained from this analysis enhance our comprehension of communication dynamics in media environments and the strategies employed by speakers in managing spontaneous dialogue.

• Keywords: speech analysis; pauses; filled pauses; silent pauses; hesitation markers; fillers
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:676282
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Linguistics; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-10-02 14:21:53