Division of Speech and Language Therapy,
Faculty of Health,
Birmingham City University,
Birmingham
B42 2SU
0121 331 6721
melissa.wright at bcu dot ac dot uk
My main research interest is the Phonetics-Interaction Interface, otherwise known as The Phonetics of Talk-in-Interaction (see here for an overview of this area). In my research, I explore the relationship between the phonetic-linguistic details of everyday talk and the interactional structures within which that talk is produced. To do this, I use the methodology of Conversation Analysis combined with parametric impressionistic and instrumental phonetic investigations. Recent analyses have included the organisation of call closings and word searches, and the functions of 'non-linguistic' items in talk such as clicks and the particles 'uh' and 'uhm'.
In addition, I have also undertaken some research with Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, in which I explored the phonetic properties of the speech of children with autistic spectrum disorders and typically developing children.
In 2005, I obtained my PhD from the Department of Language and Linguistic Science at the University of York. My thesis was supervised by Dr Richard Ogden, and examined by Professor John Local and Professor Elizabeth Couper-Kuhlen. It was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and I thank them for making my research possible.
In my thesis, I
examined the phonetic and interactional organisation of
naturally-occurring British and American English conversation. I
demonstrated complex and systematic mappings between clicks and
interactional structures in talk, a finding which is striking given
that clicks have so far been regarded by linguists as functioning
only paralinguistically. You can download my thesis using the following links (please do email me if you'd like
any further information):
Title page to Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Appendices
References
Before my PhD, I did an MA in Phonetics and Phonology also at the University of York. In my MA dissertation, I examined the phonetic properties of 'and' and 'but' in naturally-occurring talk. My key finding was that when 'and-uhm' is produced with a specific cluster of phonetic properties in a particular sequential location, it can undertake the interactional task of returning to a previously mentioned topic. See my presentations for more information about this research.
My undergraduate studies were in Linguistic Science at the University of Reading. In my BA dissertation, I focussed on the interplay between task type and planning time in second language learners' performance.
Since June 2006, I have been employed as a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Linguistics at Birmingham City University. I teach Phonetics, Phonology, Conversation Analysis, Sociolinguistics and Syntax/Grammar to Speech and Language Therapy students.
Between 2002-2006, I provided lectures and tutorials in Phonetics, Phonology, Syntax, Sociolinguistics, Semantics and Study Skills to Linguistics students in the Department of Linguistics at the University of York.
After obtaining a CELTA from International House (Prague) in
1998 (and up until my current post began in 2006), I taught English to a wide variety of students in a range of settings (both abroad and in the UK).
Places of work have included the Universities of York (UK) and Reading (UK),
St. Giles College in Brighton (UK) and Oxford Institutes in Lecce (Italy).
I have also taught a range of subjects in Wetherby Young Offenders Institution.
Wright, M. (2008-accepted/revising). The Phonetics-Interaction Interface of Movements into British-English Call Closings. Journal of Pragmatics.
Wright, M. (2008-submitted). On clicks in English Talk-in-Interaction. Journal of the International Phonetic Association.
Wright, M. (2007). Clicks as Markers of New Sequences in English Conversation. Proceedings of the 16th International Congress in Phonetic Sciences, Saarbrucken, Germany. pp. 1069-1072.
Wright, M. (2007). Movements into Call Closure in British-English Telephone Interaction. York Papers in Linguistics, Issue 7, pp. 89-117.
Wright, M. (2007). An Exploration of the Phonetics-Interaction Interface: On Clicks in English Conversation. Bangor University Gregynog Colloquium, Invited talk: March 17.
Wright, M. (2004). Exploring the Phonetics-Interface of Telephone Call Closings. University of Sheffield, Invited Talk: June 23.
Wright, M. (2004). The Phonetic Properties of Multi-Unit First Closing Turns in British-English Telephone Call Closing Sequences. Colloquium of the British Association of Academic Phoneticians, Cambridge, UK. March 24-26. Download the abstract and handout.
Wright, M. (2003). Accounting for Variability in the Production of 'And' and 'But' in Spontaneous Speech. This paper was prepared for the Proceedings of the 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences but unfortunately I had to withdraw. Download the abstract and paper.
Wright, M. (2002). A Sequential Account of 'I mean'. EURESCO Conference on Interactional Linguistics , Helsinki, Finland. September 6-11. Download the abstract and handout.
Wright, M. (2002). Conversational Phonetics: the case of 'and' and 'but'. Colloquium of the British Association of Academic Phoneticians , Newcastle, UK. March 25-27. Download the handout.Download my CV.
Academic
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Personal
Last updated 14 October 2008
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