turn (n.)

A term used in SOCIOLINGUISTICS as part of the study of conversational structure: conversation is seen as a sequence of conversational turns, in which the contribution of each participant is seen as part of a co-ordinated and RULE-governed behavioral interaction. Some of the rules governing turn-taking are obvious (e.g. that only one person should talk at a time); others are less easy to discover (e.g. the rules which decide who should speak next in a group discussion). How children learn the conventions governing turn-taking is an issue which has attracted considerable interest in language ACQUISITION.