Two Patterns for Conversational Closings in Instant Message Discourse

Joshua Raclaw

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This paper investigates the methods used by speakers to end conversations in instant message discourse. The analysis describes two distinct patterns of closing sequences - expanded archetype closings and partially automated closings - used to make a closing relevant to the interaction. The structure of these patterns are demonstrated to be reliant upon speaker orientation to various social and technological aspects of the medium, such as online presence and program-created automated messages. The analysis concludes that the ways in which speakers close conversations are similar in structure to spoken closings in face-to-face interactions, though contoured specifically to the online medium in their application.

Joshua Raclaw is a PhD student in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a member of the Colorado Research in Linguistics editorial board. He can be reached at:Joshua.Raclaw@Colorado.edu.