McHoul2002

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McHoul2002
BibType ARTICLE
Key McHoul2002
Author(s) Alec McHoul, Mark Rapley
Title “Should we make a start then?”: a strange case of (delayed) client-initiated psychological assessment
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, mental patients
Publisher
Year 2002
Language
City
Month
Journal Research on Language and Social Interaction
Volume 35
Number 1
Pages 73–91
URL Link
DOI 10.1207/S15327973RLSI35-1_3
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

Starting with Sacks's (1992) conjecture about there being "omni-relevant devices" in specific kinds of conversation (but by no means in all conversation), we subject that conjecture to empirical analysis. To accomplish this, we examine a data fragment taken from a corpus of materials in which "resettled" mental patients are undergoing "quality of life" assessments. Part of the analysis shows how such devices are produced and oriented to in an actual case of talk. Another part of the analysis shows the artfulness, skill, and competence that so-called mentally retarded persons can exhibit in their use and appropriation of such devices. It turns out that these 2 matters are interestingly connected. Finally, we reflect on how this analysis may have consequences for the supposed difference between "conversational" and "institutional" versions of language and social interaction.

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