Journal of University of Duhok.,Vol. 24, No.1 (Humanities and Social Sciences),Pp 355-364, 2021 355 TURN TAKING STRATEGIES IN KURDISH CASUAL CONVERSATION HANEEN ISLAM SALEEM and HAKAR HAZIM M.AMEEN Dept. of English Languages, College of languages, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (Received: November 3, 2020; Accepted for Publication: February 2, 2021) ABSTRACT The current study investigates the essential strategies of turn taking of conversations from an analytical point of view. The data were collected from everyday conversations, namely face to face conversations, of some students of Duhok University to identify the basic structures of talk in interactions in Krmanji Kurdish. Stenstrom theory (1994) has been chosen for studying the strategies of turn taking of casual conversation in Kurdish. The current study analyses the Badini Kurdish students (4 participants) in conversations. The study concludes that conversations are not always produced in a typical way. Some actions happen in conversation when participants communicate about topics. Participants constantly try to switch turns and therefore change from their roles as listeners to speakers, topic initiators to topic followers. Also, interrupting each other to take turns, or waiting till the other interacts and finishes his/her talk. Moreover, Hearers could make some sounds or signs to indicate that they are listening to the speakers KEYWORDS: Conversation Analysis, Element of conversation organization, Turn Taking, Strategies of Turn Taking. 1. INTRODUCTION onversation analysis (CA) means studying talk in interaction. It mostly tries to display the serial patterns of interaction, structure, and order; whether institutional such as in the educational fields or in conversations. In other words, CA is dealing with the complete organizations of everyday interactions. It is a technique in which individuals socialize, improve and maintain their relationships with each other. Conversation is one of the most essential elements of human interaction that usually includes two or more people. In conversation, the topic might change when participants take turns. CA is generally “related to socio-linguists and sociologists of language” (Shokouhi and Kamyab, 2004:87; McCarthy, 2001:50). It also emphasizes the significance of conversation since it suggests a chiefly suitable and obtainable resource for sociological request for information (McCarthy, 2002:61). The study of CA takes an important role in the spoken discourse. However, no studies of CA in Kurdish have been yet conducted as far as researchers know. It is worth mentioning that casual conversation is an essential human activity which we all go through in our daily life. It is one of the basic establishments and achievements of human relationships. Palmer (Palmer & Redman1932) claimed that language is based on and is an extension of conversation and that conversation must be the start of a study of language. Halliday (1985) stated that casual conversation is as a person-oriented dialogue. He argued that in casual conversation the topic is not controlled but drifts as the conversation proceeds. Moreover, inequality is temporarily neutralized. Also, there is no formal mechanism in casual conversation for assigning turns of talk (ibid.:20). 2. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH This research is significant both theoretically and practically: •Theoretical significances The result of this study is expected to enrich the study of Conversation Analysis, especially in turn taking strategies because it tries to show the rules of conversation to understand things, such as: how to initiate a conversation, how we know to respond to a certain message, and how to begin and end a conversation. •Practical significance This research may also be useful for the language learners to understand more about the idea of turn taking strategies and to apply each strategy in an appropriate context or situation. C