Chapter 13. What can collaboratively produced lists tell us about constructions?

Abstract

Based on the investigation of the joint production of lists in spoken Spanish, this contribution advocates for a stronger theoretical consideration of sequential and embodied aspects as part of constructional knowledge in CxG. By analyzing video recorded conversations, we examine how interlocutors co-construct lists in real-time. Lists conventionally consist of a three-component sequence – onset, enumeration (body), and coda. Our data shows that interactants orient to these components beyond morphosyntactic features and deploy shared knowledge of semanto-syntactic, sequential, turn-constructional, prosodic, and bodily features. By closely monitoring and coordination each other’s situated multimodal resources, interactants recognize emergent action spaces that allow them to co-construct lists smoothly at different sequential positions and thereby accomplish a variety of social actions. We conclude that the highly emergent yet robust character of co-constructed lists provides a powerful example for how interactional creativity leads to constructional flexibility, yet warrants pattern stability at the same time.