Playful speech in managing problematic responses in interaction involving Mandarin speakers with aphasia: A conversation analysis

People with aphasia (PWA) often experience difficulties in conversation. Conversational partners (CPs) regularly respond by initiating various forms of repair. Drawing on Conversation Analysis (CA), this study examines how CPs employ playful speech to manage problematic responses (e.g. delays, errors) produced by PWA. The findings reveal that playful speech not only draws attention to linguistic difficulties, often in a light-hearted manner, but also creates opportunities for laughter or next-turn repair. PWA typically orient to the non-serious nature of the speech by responding with laughter, after which a repair is commonly provided by the CP. This study highlights the potential of playful speech as an alternative for addressing communication breakdowns, offering practical clinical implications for aphasia management.