Which term describes the process of extending discourse by connecting successive utterances?

Which term describes the process of extending discourse by connecting successive utterances?

• A. Chaining
• B. Dialogic
• C. Utterance
• D. Taboo Language

Answer: (A)

Chaining describes how discourse is extended by linking what was just said with what comes next, creating a continuous thread across turns in conversation. When you respond to a previous utterance and connect your ideas to it—through connectors like and, so, then, or by referring back—you keep the topic flowing and build coherence from one message to the next. This sequential linking is what allows a conversation to grow from a single remark into a sustained, meaningful exchange.

The other terms don’t fit this specific idea as neatly. Dialogic focuses on the interactive, back-and-forth nature of dialogue rather than the concrete mechanism of linking successive utterances. An utterance is simply a single spoken unit, not the process of extending discourse. Taboo language is unrelated to how discourse is organized or extended in conversation.