Topic Maintenance in Online Conversation

الملخص

The present study investigates how Syrian learners of English as a foreign language apply conversational strategies to maintain topics in online chatrooms between friends. Data were extracted from screenshots received from the participants. The study employed the systematic process of Qualitative Content Analysis to comprehend and organize the data, and Conversation Analysis bottom-up approach to analyze the data. The results revealed a pattern of topic maintenance, as the interlocutors used four types of strategies to engage in the topic, express attentiveness, and show empathy. As a result, online communication is a collaborative process, in which a topical action like topic maintenance depends on both parties.