Conversation Analysis of Calls in Long-distance Caregiving

Soliciting an Offer by Presenting Desirability

Abstract

In long-distance caregiving, an adult geographically distant child（DC）appeals over the phone to a care manager（CM）to help realize a more desirable care service situation for their elderly parents. While doing the appeal, it is also necessary to respect the judgment of the care manager and accomplish both tasks in a way that increases the feasibility of the desired outcome. Using conversation analysis, this paper elucidates the methods used to carry out this practice, which is labeled “soliciting an offer by presenting desirability” with a silence after the subclause. The findings are as follows:

First, the DC makes an appeal by soliciting an offer in the form of presenting the desirability of a hypothetical care situation to the CM instead of directly issuing a request, thus providing the CM with increased deontic authority. If an offer is not produced, the presentation of desirability can be treated as a mere statement describing a desired situation and not as an attempt to solicit an offer. As a result, the DC can show deference to the CM’s judgment.

Second, DC utilizes the silence after the subclause to predict the likelihood of CM making an offer. If a simple agreement is produced instead of an offer, the sentential clause is completed by presenting desirability, affording the CM another opportunity to produce an offer.

Future sociological research on phone calls in long-distance caregiving will require an analysis rooted in the orientation of the participants in the calls to elucidate the “seen but unnoticed” way of solving problems, and a return of findings to the field.