RISK-TAKING AND RECOVERY IN TASK-ORIENTED DIALOGUE

The Principle of Parsimony states that people usually try to complete tasks with the least effort that will produce a satisfactory solution. In task-oriented dialogue, this produces a tension between conveying information carefully to the partner and leaving it to be inferred, ri sking a misunderstanding and the need for recovery. Using natural dial ogue examples, primarily from the HCRC Map Task, we apply the Principl e of Parsimony to a range of information types and identify a set of a pplicable recovery strategies. We argue that risk-taking and recovery are crucial for efficient dialogue because they pinpoint which informa tion must be transferred and allow control of the interaction to switc h to the participant who can best guide the course of the dialogue.