Conversation turns and speaking roles contributed by Mandarin Chinese dyadic conversations between adults who use speech-generating devices and adults who use natural speech

Few studies have critically examined contributed conversation turns and speaking roles in dyadic Mandarin Chinese conversations between adults who use natural speech and adults who use SGDs. An analysis of conversation turns considers how conversation participants co-construct conversation processes, whereas an analysis of speaking roles considers how conversation participants co-construct conversation contents. The purpose of the current study was to explore the quantitative contributions of conversation turns and speaking roles in familiar Mandarin Chinese conversation dyads between adults who use SGDs and adults who use natural speech. Five dyads were recruited, and each dyad contained two participants; an adult using an SGD and an adult using natural speech. Each dyadic conversation was individually video-recorded for about 20 minutes, six times. A total of 30 dyadic conversations were analyzed. The means and percentages of the coded conversation turns and speaking roles were computed. Quantitatively asymmetrical contributions of conversation turns and speaking roles occurred in the Mandarin Chinese conversation dyads between the adults who use SGDs and the adults who use natural speech. The adults who use natural speech contributed significantly more conversation turns and speaking roles than did the adults who use SGDs. Implications, limitations, and further research studies were discussed.