The False Start
Symbol | -/ . . ./-
Definition | The act of beginning an utterance and subsequently aborting it prior to completion. A new idea or train of thought
Description | False starts are not as common as repetitions/corrections. They occur most often when a conversation becomes intense, with many speakers speaking at once, or after a speaker is interrupted. They can also occur when a speaker becomes excited and begins to skip from one topic to another.
When to use [-/. . ./-]:
| 1. When evaluating false starts, it is helpful to look at the sentence structure. A speaker may begin a question, abruptly end the question, and then start all over with a statement. Although the context of both the question and statement are similar, this occurrence would be considered a false start because of the change in structure.
Examples | 1. -/do you think we should/- I think we should go tomorrow . 2. +/do you think/+ you think we should go tomorrow ? | Notice the differences in structures.
When not to use [-/. . ./-]:
| False starts cannot be transliterated at the end of a turn because no new phrase is started. In this case, a turn break [<*T>t] is transliterated
| When the verbal disruption is followed by a continuation of the same thought or idea (see Repetition/Correction)
Rules for Transcribing the False Start [-/. . ./-]:
| 1. There is no punctuation between the false start and the new start, nor after it. 2. The entire false start is marked - beginning with the first element of the aborted phrase- and ending after the last element of the aborted phrase.
Examples | 1. -/I'm trying to figure out/- I guess we can talk on the plane . 2. -/it really is in this/- they want to rapidly +/settle on/+ get to one 3. -/and ideally we would have a full event log where/- <P> the fact that I don't have an observation doesn't mean nobody has seen them . 4. -/and I/- <B> that was the space issue that I was talking about yesterday . 5. -/what do you/- yeah , I mean the most vulnerable time to hit those guys is when they are in a straight line
Notes | An important difference between the False Start and a Repetition/Correction is that in a False Start, a speaker may correct himself by substituting a new word or phrase; however, the initial train of thought prior to the correction is different from, or unrelated to, the subsequent thought continuation after the correction.