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theses

This dissertation examines interactions in calls to the 9-1-1 Emergency System in Costa Rica, and particularly focuses on the analysis of the overall structural organization of calls, and interactional activities of requesting help and formulating place. The dissertation uses the methodology of Conversation Analysis to examine recordings of naturally occurring interactions on the 9-1-1 telephone line, supplemented by non-participant observations in the call room and interviews with 9-1-1 officials. I analyze 215 calls of actual incidents. My findings show that, in the overall structural organization of the call, callers proffer (and sometimes engage in) greetings during the opening of the call. In the interrogative series phase, besides formulating the location of the incident and the problem, call-takers verify the caller’s contact information (i.e., name and telephone number). In the response of assistance phase, call-takers do not promise the assistance, but suggest it by using a combination of informings (i.e., the information was sent, the dispatch center is in charge of dispatching assistance, be alert on the assistance). Regarding requesting help, my analysis shows that by using particular turn designs callers may display an orientation to their low entitlement to the request and to high contingencies in getting the assistance (e.g., “para ver si”, “do me a favor” construction, “be kind” construction), or, alternatively, to low contingencies in getting the assistance and high entitlement to the request (e.g., description of self-evident incidents). Regarding formulating place, findings show that callers use three practices: geographical formulations, landmark formulations, and “other signs” formulations. The landmark formulation is comprised of a landmark, a distance from the landmark, and the direction of the movement. A place formulation is institutionally sufficient by call-takers when it includes both geographical and landmark formulations. These findings inform us about different practices that different communities use when calling to 9-1-1 services. By examining the overall structural organization of calls, and interactional activities of requesting help and formulating place, and analyzing possible interactional problems that participants might experience when calling for help, this dissertation has a potential to inform and possibly improve the 9-1-1 service in Costa Rica.

ETD_7911

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Alexa Bolaños-Carpio

doi:10.7282/T3G44T25

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.