Self-repair

Definition

Self-repair is a conversational phenomenon where a speaker corrects themselves during speech, addressing errors or slips they have made. This process can occur in various forms, such as rephrasing, replacing words, or clarifying statements, and is often an automatic response to mistakes that happen in real-time conversation. Self-repair reflects the speaker's awareness of their language use and serves to maintain the clarity and coherence of communication.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Self-repair can occur immediately after an error or several words later, depending on the speaker's awareness and processing speed.
2. It often involves various strategies, including repeating the erroneous part, rephrasing the entire statement, or substituting words to convey the intended meaning.
3. Research shows that self-repair is more common in spontaneous speech compared to prepared speech due to the unpredictable nature of real-time communication.
4. Effective self-repair can enhance listener comprehension and maintain the flow of conversation by reducing confusion caused by errors.
5. Self-repair mechanisms are considered an important aspect of language development, as they demonstrate a speaker's growing proficiency and control over their language skills.

Review Questions

• How does self-repair function within spontaneous conversation, and what strategies do speakers typically employ?
  • Self-repair plays a crucial role in spontaneous conversation by allowing speakers to correct errors and maintain clear communication. Speakers commonly use strategies like repeating the erroneous part of their speech, rephrasing their statements for clarity, or substituting incorrect words with the intended ones. These strategies help manage the flow of dialogue and minimize confusion for listeners, making self-repair an essential component of effective verbal interaction.
• Discuss the relationship between self-repair and slips of the tongue in understanding language processing during speech.
  • Self-repair and slips of the tongue are closely related phenomena that provide insight into language processing during speech. While slips of the tongue represent unintentional errors revealing subconscious thoughts or cognitive challenges, self-repair involves an immediate corrective action by the speaker. Understanding how speakers engage in self-repair following a slip can illuminate cognitive mechanisms behind language production and highlight how speakers strive to uphold communicative effectiveness even amid mistakes.
• Evaluate the significance of self-repair in language acquisition and its implications for teaching communication skills.
  • Self-repair is significant in language acquisition as it demonstrates a speaker's developing awareness and control over their language use. The ability to recognize and correct errors contributes to a deeper understanding of linguistic structures and enhances overall communication proficiency. In teaching communication skills, fostering self-repair techniques can empower learners to navigate conversational challenges confidently, leading to more effective interactions and improved clarity in both spoken and written communication.

Related terms

Speech Errors: Mistakes made during speech that can include mispronunciations, word substitutions, and incorrect grammar, which may result from cognitive overload or momentary lapses in attention.

Slips of the Tongue: A specific type of speech error where a speaker accidentally says something different from what they intended, often revealing subconscious thoughts or language processing issues.

Disfluency: Interruptions in the flow of speech, such as hesitations, fillers (like 'um' or 'uh'), or pauses, which can signal difficulties in processing language or indicate self-repair attempts.