The practice and perception of unexpected topic switching in Mandarin Chinese
The practice and perception of unexpected topic switching in Mandarin Chinese

Summary/Abstract: In this paper, I combine a model of context, practice, and perception with a discursive-interactional approach to investigate the moral order of the practice and perception of unexpected topic switching in the context of everyday communication in mainland China, using data derived from recorded mundane conversations in Mandarin and playback with native Chinese speakers. Results show that the speakers initiate, react to, and perceive unexpected topic switching as a part of appropriate interactional norms. The analyst understandings, participant understandings, and metaparticipant understandings that I uncover indicate the influence of the sociocultural context, interactional context, and personal context on the practice and perception of unexpected topic switching.

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