Dr Gareth Walker

School of English

Senior Lecturer in Linguistics

Dr Gareth Walker
Profile picture of Dr Gareth Walker
g.walker@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 0238
Jessop West

Full contact details

Dr Gareth Walker
School of English
Jessop West
1 Upper Hanover Street
Sheffield
S3 7RA
Profile

I did my studying at the University of York with a BA in English Literature and Linguistics (2000), followed by an MA in Linguistics by Research (2001), and a PhD in Linguistics (2004).  I joined the School of English as Lecturer in Linguistics in 2006, becoming Senior Lecturer in 2013.

Research interests

All of my research to date has been directed at trying to reach a more complete understanding of how we use linguistic resources when we engage in everyday conversation. My research combines Conversation Analysis (CA) with techniques of auditory and acoustic phonetics.

I have published work on topics including turn-taking (including turn-holding and turn-continuation, turn-projection, talk-projection), laughter, interactions involving young children, simultaneous talk, communication impairment, the coordination of vocal and visible resources (gaze, posture, gesture), stance and effect, repetition, the speech of people with epilepsy and non-epileptic seizures, and people with mild cognitive impairment.

I am currently involved in research into the speech of people with dementia.

Publications

Journal articles

  • Montgomery C, Walker G & Woods H (2025) . Linguistics Vanguard.
  • Walker G, Pevy N, O'Malley R, Mirheidari B, Reuber M, Christensen H & Blackburn D (2024) . Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 38(9), 880-901.
  • Walker G, Walker T, O'Malley R, Mirheidari B, Christensen H, Reuber M & Blackburn D (2023) . Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders, 14(3), 408-429.
  • Walker G, Morris L-A, Christensen H, Mirheidari B, Reuber M & Blackburn DJ (2021) . Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 35(3), 237-252.
  • Walker G, Walker T, Moon L & Reuber M (2020) . International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 30(1), 92-109.
  • Walker G (2018) . Speech Communication, 99, 231-241.
  • Walker G (2017) . Research on Language & Social Interaction, 50(4), 363-387.
  • Walker G (2017) . Research on Language and Social Interaction, 50(2), 206-225.
  • Walker G (2017) . Journal of Pragmatics, 112, 20-32.
  • Walker G (2015) . Discourse Processes.
  • Walker G (2013) . Research on Language and Social Interaction, 46(4), 363-382.
  • Body R & Walker G (2013) . Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 27(10-11), 735.
  • Walker G & Local J (2013) On the intersection of phonetic detail and the organisation of interaction: clinical connections. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 27.
  • Walker G (2012) . Language and Speech, 55(1), 141-163.
  • Local J & Walker G (2012) . Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 42, 255-280-255-280.
  • Local J & Walker G (2008) . Text & Talk, 28(6), 723-747.
  • Walker G (2007) . Journal of Pragmatics, 39(12), 2217-2243.
  • Curl TS, Local J & Walker G (2006) . Journal of Pragmatics, 38(10), 1721-1751.
  • Local J & Walker G (2005) `Mind the gap': further resources in the production of multi-unit, multi-action turns.. York Papers in Linguistics Series 2(3), 133-143.
  • Local J & Walker G (2005) . Phonetica: international journal of phonetic science, 62(2-4), 120-130.
  • Walker G & Local J (2004) . Journal of Pragmatics, 36(8), 1375-1403.

Book chapters

  • Walker G (2012) Phonetics and prosody in conversation In Sidnell J & Stivers T (Ed.), Handbook of Conversation Analysis Wiley-Blackwell
  • Walker G (2011) Phonetics and the management of talk-in-interaction In Andersen G & Aijmer K (Ed.), Pragmatics of Society (pp. 153-180). Berlin: Mouton De Gruyter.
  • Walker G (2011) , Pragmatics of Society (pp. 153-180). DE GRUYTER
  • Walker G (2010) , Studies in Discourse and Grammar (pp. 51-72). John Benjamins Publishing Company
  • Walker G (2010) The phonetic constitution of a turn-holding practice: rush-throughs in English talk-in-interaction In Barth-Weingarten D, Reber E & Selting M (Ed.), Prosody in Interaction (pp. 51-72). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
  • Walker G (2004) On Some Interactional and Phonetic Properties of Increments to Turns in Talk-in-Interaction In Couper-Kuhlen E & Ford CE (Ed.), Sound patterns in interaction (pp. 147-169). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Conference proceedings

  • Walker G (2003) ‘Doing a rushthrough’ – A phonetic resource for holding the turn in everyday conversation. 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (pp 1847-1850). Barcelona, 3 August 2003 - 9 August 2003.
Research group

I am interested in supervising PhD students conducting research into everyday talk, especially if that work involves (or might involve) phonetics and/or conversation analysis. I am especially interested in supervising PhD students in any of the areas in which I have published research: see "Publications".

Teaching activities

My main teaching responsibilities are in phonetics and conversation analysis. This means convening and teaching the following courses:

ELL12 Sounds of English
ELL207 Phonetics
ELL354 Advanced Phonetics
EGH304 Conversation Analysis

I contribute to courses in sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics and research methods at undergraduate and MA level, and supervise undergraduate and MA dissertations.

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