We do not end conversations by simply walking away from
our listeners or by bluntly stopping our contribution to the
conversation. Conversations end through the use of unpredictable 21
transitions. Conversations more or less wound down step by step. 22
When participants believe that they have completed their last topic,
they prepare to exit and then do so. In many conversations, we
give off signals that the dialogue is about to end before it does.
These signals may come by the form of preclosing statements 23
such as I guess I"ll have to let you go, Let"s do lunch sometime ,
That"s about it , or OK. These comments tell the listener that the
speaker is about to stop talking. Benjamin thanks Alice at the
end of the phone call and she says OK, indicating that last topic 24
has been completed. They then end the conversation with a
mutual good-bye. Sometimes after ending a conversation, 25
acquaints will reassure each other that they will talk again to 26
reaffirm their relationship; that is, the break is not a permanent
one.
Scholars found that speakers had several conventional 27
strategies to end conversations. Some will summarize the
conversation; others express pleasure about the relationship,
plans for future conversations, or wish the listener well. These 28
closing strategies tend to follow a linear sequence.
People make the summary statements early in the closing
sequence and then do the well-wishing at the end of the sequence.
For such, the ending sequence and the reciprocal statements 29
among the participants produce a mutual conversational dance to 30
the end.