Citizen Reader
Apr 30, 2024

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Yes. There are all sorts of stops on this interrupting/overlapping continuum.

Depending on the context, stopping someone else from finishing a sentence can create distance--or, as Tannen points out, if it is done together within friend or regional groups, it can signal closeness. So much depends on culture and personal preference--personally I hate talking on cell phones because I cannot stand even the split-second pause before I hear the other person responding. As an introvert, my brain kicks right into that split second and suggests, "Do they disagree? Have I made them angry? Why aren't they talking?!?!?"

I also know from my linguistics roommate that tracking and notating all those stops, starts, speeds, styles, is really complex and actually starts to look like math. It is a fascinating field.

Thank you for reading and thank you for the comment.

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Citizen Reader
Citizen Reader

Written by Citizen Reader

"Money makes people lose their humanity." from Zeke Faux's "Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall"

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