The Structure of Dialogical Syntony

The aim of this paper is to single out some characteristics (favouring and hindering factors) of syntonic conversations considered as Gestalten. First of all, we showed an empirical research aimed at underlining the fact that syntonic conversations are perceived as Gestalten. Secondly, we focused on the analogies between syntonic conversations and Gestalten in terms of Prägnanz, symmetry, regularity, simplicity and continuity. Thirdly, we considered two syntonic signals among those found: overlapping speech and humour. From the psychological and conversational viewpoints, overlapping is considered as behaviour relating to self-expression. The lack or the poor presence of overlapping increases the levels of co-ordination, co-operation and politeness on which syntonic conversations are built. Humour is considered as a strategy used by speakers to enrich the syntonic level of their interaction. The use of a humorous example in a conversation produces a switch from a serious to a humorous frame, so that the characteristics that occur in a serious syntonic frame change, but the syntonic level of the interaction remains.