Overlaps

Overlap is when two or more speakers talk at the same time. In a conversation, overlap can be caused if a listener isn't interested in listening to what the other speaker (s) has to say, or if two people are arguing.

What are Overlaps?

Overlap usually happens when a listener interrupts the speaker but the speaker doesn't stop talking, resulting in two speakers who talk over each other. In some cases, when overlap occurs there are only speakers and no listeners.

Think of a conversation you've had, maybe it was a heated discussion or an argument with a friend, where the person you were talking to interrupted you but you didn't stop talking, so you ended up talking over each other.

Fig. 1 - Overlaps often occur during arguments.

Competitive overlap vs Cooperative overlap

Depending on the situation, overlap can be either competitive or cooperative.

Competitive overlap

Competitive overlap hinders conversation by disrupting turn-taking. Competitive overlap is caused by interruptions, it is a competition in which speakers fight for dominance during a conversation.

During conversation, a listener is supposed to support the speaker and wait for their turn to speak. An interruption that causes an overlap disregards the wishes of the speaker (to be heard) and the rules of turn-taking (one person speaks while another listens until it's time to change turn).

Cooperative overlap

Cooperative overlap refers to when a listener becomes a speaker in order to show interest or agreement in what the current speaker is talking about, thus resulting in two people speaking at the same time. Cooperative overlap helps to move conversation forward.

Cooperative overlap occurs when the people involved in the conversation view silence between turns as impolite, or as a sign of a lack of interest on the listener's part. However, whether cooperative overlap is appropriate or not depends on the context of the conversation. While an overlap may be viewed as cooperative in a conversation between friends, it might be considered an interruption when it occurs in a conversation between boss and employee or teacher and student, for example.

What are the four types of overlap?

There are four types of overlap:

1. Terminal overlaps
2. Continuers
3. Conditional access to the turn
4. Chordal

It is important to note that these types of overlap are cooperative and not competitive. This is because competitive overlap is too disruptive to be categorized.

Terminal overlaps

Terminal overlaps are unintentional overlaps. A terminal overlap occurs when a listener assumes that the current speaker has finished speaking or is about to finish speaking. Although the current speaker is not actually about to reach a transition-relevant point, the listener takes the turn as the next speaker, and in this way causes overlap.

Continuers

When the listener uses those brief phrases, for a moment they become a speaker. Most often the speaker who was already talking doesn't stop, this results in a brief overlap. Still, continuers aren't very disruptive - after a short pause, the original speaker can continue their train of thought and go back to being the only speaker.

Conditional access to the turn

Conditional access to the turn is when the current speaker gives their turn away or invites another speaker to talk, usually as a collaborative effort. Conditional access to the turn is when a speaker invites a listener to speak out of turn, given the condition that they don't take over the turn completely. For example, this often occurs during presentations and panel discussions when two or more speakers are presenting the same research.

Chordal

Chordal involves a non-serial occurrence of turns. This is when two or more speakers' turns occur at the same time. An example of chordal is laughter - when two people having a conversation are laughing at the same time.

What are the three types of overlap onsets?

The categorization of overlap into 'overlap onsets' was proposed by Gail Jefferson. Overlaps in conversation are categorized into three types of overlap onsets:

1. Transitional overlap
2. Recognitional overlap
3. Progressional overlap

Transitional overlap

Transitional overlap occurs when a listener enters the conversation and takes their turn as a speaker at a transition-relevant point when the current speaker is about to stop talking. This usually happens when the participants in a conversation are enthusiastic participants and exchange speech with continuity.

Recognitional overlap

Recognitional overlap is when a listener predicts the possible remainder of an unfinished sentence and decides to try and finish it for the current speaker, and in doing so takes over the role of speaker.

Progressional overlap

Progressional overlap occurs when the current speaker interrupts their flow of speech by pausing, using words such as 'um', repeating words, or interrupting themselves to correct what they have previously said.

What usually happens, in this case, is that a listener self-selects themselves as the next speaker, in order to complete the turn.

Overlap vs. Interruption

Interruption and overlap are two quite similar types of disruption of turn-taking. However, there is a distinct difference between the two.

Unlike overlap, interruption is when a listener interjects and takes the speaker's place, and, as a result, the speaker stops talking and becomes a listener. Interruption is when the listener forces the speaker to give up their role as speaker and to become a listener; overlap is when there are two speakers (and sometimes no listeners).