“pf” indicating a change in orientation in French interactions

- The paper focuses on one particular function of the sound object “pf” in French interactions.
- It shows that “pf” can be used to indicate disengagement and a change in activity.
- I suggest calling this specific function “change in orientation”.
- I argue that there is a difference between “pf” indicating a change in orientation and “pf” used as stance marker or response cry.
- The use of stand-alone “pf” to indicate a change in orientation makes relevant a further discussion about response cries.

This study investigates one particular function of the French sound object “pf”. “pf” is a non-vocalic, voiceless, bilabial sound, which is always related to affectivity. I will argue that one of the functions “pf” can fulfil in interaction is indicating a disengagement from a prior stance or a prior action and marking a change. The disengagement is related to affective stance, such as disappointment, resignation or relief. I consider this particular kind of change-of-state a change in orientation. Through a sequential and multimodal analysis, the paper first examines some aspects of “pf” when indicating stance. It then analyses “pf” preceded by a change-of-state token at the beginning of a turn or a turn construction unit and shows how “pf” specifies the change-of-state token as a display of disengagement. A third section examines cases where “pf” seems to enact the display of change-in-orientation on its own.In this way, the study contributes both to the understanding of sound objects and their complexity and to the description of change-of-state tokens. It highlights that change-of-state tokens can indicate affective stances and that there seems to be a special display which shows a disengagement and a change in activity (change in orientation).