Roller coaster: Distinctive prosodic cuing of turns preempting rejection resistance

Abstract

This paper explores the linkage between intonation nested in conversation turns where the speaker is introducing something delicate (e.g., presenting information liable to provoke distancing) or pre-empting resistance to their proposal when there is a strong risk of rejection. These movements, which appear prosodically marked, deviate not only from the local context of the conversation, but from the conversation as a whole. A speech acoustic analysis of three examples of prosodic signalling within these turns suggests that speakers employ a distinct design and delivery which includes a high terminal peak in the intonation contour. We interpret this signalling to represent responsive and resistant local social actions in a rejection implicative sequential environment. Finally, they show evidence of being pre-planned and important to the speaker.