Gail Jefferson

Gail Jefferson was a sociologist and linguist who studied how people communicate in everyday conversations. She developed the Conversation Analysis method, which examines the patterns and structures of talk—like turn-taking, speech repair, and how meaning is shared through interaction. Her work helped reveal how social order is maintained through ordinary talk, emphasizing that conversation is a carefully organized social activity. Jefferson's insights are used to understand various social interactions, from casual chats to institutional communication, highlighting the importance of speech patterns in social life.