Conversation Gambits in Classroom Speaking Activities

Abstract

Gambits are used as signals to start or to open, to continue, and to end the conversation. This paper is aimed at finding out the types and functions of conversation gambits in classroom speaking activities. Using a descriptive method, the research was conducted at the second-year students of office administration and marketing major in one vocational school. The research involved 38 students from two classes of office administration and marketing and the teacher as respondents. The data was gained from observation, questionnaires, and interviews. The observation was done two times, the close-ended interview was also done with the teacher and students two times. The interview questions are about words or phrases are used during conversation activities. The research found that the students used opening gambits, linking gambits, and responding gambits in conversation activity. The gambits function as asking for the information, interrupting, offering the suggestion, personal opinion, giving a reason, hesitation phrase, argument, and counter-argument, seeing the good side, showing interest, repetition, and accepting the compliment.