Interruptions in Roman Comedy: Gender, Status, and Power in Interaction

The article addresses the pragmatic and sociolinguistic constraints of interrupting in Roman comedy. It starts with a redefinition phenomenon informed by methods Conversation Analysis (CA): apart from syntactically incomplete utterances (as result interruptions others), analysis also includes cases reported characters. Furthermore, distinction is made between intrusive (disaligning) interventions other forms competitive turn encroachments. term ‘interruptions’, however, has been reserved only for former, antagonistic type which serves to express disagreement disinterest or usurp speaking turn. Using revised criteria, proceeds comment on quantitative data extracted all extant plays Plautus Terence. Accordingly, are viewed relation gender, age status speakers, whereas some more detailed concerns male female citizens, prostitutes servants. After comparing every character’s share talk their proportional use incursions (both collaborative disruptive), it argued that violation turn-exchange system significantly associated interlocutors less so others. last section presents as means exerting power interaction while discussing (sociolinguistic) cross-gender perspective.