Describing the scene

So far we have seen a very crude transcript (transcript 1), and one that begins to include some of the details of the talk (transcript 2). 

Now we can ask: How much description of non-spoken material do we put in? There is no simple answer. But consider this attempt.

[Lyn & Zoe T3, 1]

1	Lyn	((at table with papers))
2		((door?)) ((faintly, off camera))
3		(pause)
4	Lyn	[[looks up and over her shoulder
5		towards door; holds gaze while
6		scratching cheek; looks down again]]
7	Zoe	((off camera)) Mum?
8	Lyn	hello [[gaze stays down]]
9		(3 sec)
10		[[at end of which she orientates
10		upper body towards door]]
11	Lyn	I'm here
12		(brief pause)
13	Zoe	okay
14	Lyn	((coughs/clears throat))
15		[[off camera: three ?crockery bangs]]
16		(pause)
17		((door handle opening))
18	Zoe	hello ((door handle snaps back))
19		[[Zoe's head appears round the wall
20		orienting towards Lyn]]
21		[[Zoe comes into room and looks
22		towards interior, away from Lyn]]
23	Lyn	hi (brief pause)
24		[[looking down throughout]]
25	Zoe	where's the cigarettes
26		[[Zoe looks towards Lyn]]
27		((door shuts))
28		(pause)
29	Lyn	°in the° ­kitchen:
30		(long pause)[[in which Zoe comes
31		towards the table, to stand
32		facing Lyn and off camera, at which
33		point Lyn looks up with 'frozen'
34		expression then fixed grin]]
35	Zoe	the camera's on
36	Lyn	yes (brief pause)
37		[[one nod while maintaining gaze &
38		fixed grin, lips open]]
39	Zoe	are you talking to it while you WORK?
40	Lyn	no (brief pause) heh heh
41	Zoe	what you DOING then
42	Lyn	hahh hahh hahh [[looks down]]
43		(pause)
44		[[Zoe starts to move off]]
45	Zoe	what's the point
46		[[moves out off camera into kitchen,
47		Lyn looks towards her as she passes ,
48		by, combs hand through hair]]
49		(pause)
50	Zoe	[[off camera]]
51		oh god look what I'm wearing

This version now includes a great many physical descriptions. Three questions would worry Conversation Analysts:

• is turning movement and expression into descriptions as accurate as writing down sounds as words?

• can we be sure our descriptions are impartial?

• can they be complete?

Too much?

Can we justify all of those additional scenic touches? If not, why not?

The next page ("discussion") is a chance to review where we've got to, before we go on to settle on a transcript we can use for analysis.