Multimodal conversational routines: Talk-in-interaction through the prism of complexity

Analyses of multimodality within human interaction showcase adaptivity and emergence in that the nature of talk is both context-shaped and context-renewing. While recurring structures and patterns illustrate order in natural conversation, unpredictable elements point to the importance of the particular setting of the conversation under study. In this chapter we discuss the balance between such expectations and emergent practices and argue for talk-in-interaction as a complex adaptive system. In two separate everyday contexts (doctor's office and grocer's), we show how a multimodal conversational routine emerges and plays different roles while satisfying the criteria of being variable, emergent, collaborative, and recognisable by the participants.