Citation

Pudlinski C. Discourse Stud. 2008; 10(6): 795-812.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1461445608098203

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

When callers to a warm line report on good news tied to a current or ongoing problem, call takers use four different methods to endorse this good news and encourage actions implied within the report. Building upon 93 potentially encouraging responses in 65 actual warm line calls, this study describes four different methods of encouragement used by call takers within news delivery sequences: 1) positive assessments; 2) assessments plus formulations; 3) statements of agreement to a planned action; and 4) second assessments. Across these methods, call takers must do more than what is minimally required as a response in order to encourage and endorse good news.