پریوش اسماعیلی

Turn-taking is a fundamental aspect of human communication, reflecting cultural norms, social hierarchies, and individual identities. This study examines turn-taking patterns in Iraqi Arabic and American English conversations, focusing on the influence of gender and age on conversational participation and power dynamics. Using a mixed-methods design, the study analyzes quantitative metrics such as average turn length, interruptions, and response rates, alongside qualitative insights into social norms and cultural values. The findings reveal significant cross-cultural differences, with Iraqi Arabic conversations characterized by shorter turns, more frequent interruptions, and pronounced age and gender hierarchies, while American English conversations exhibit longer turns, fewer interruptions, and more egalitarian participation. These results align with theories of cross-cultural communication, such as Hall's (1976) high-context and low-context cultures, and highlight the role of cultural norms in shaping conversational behaviors. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of turn-taking as a sociocultural phenomenon and offers practical implications for intercultural communication training, language education, and conflict resolution. Limitations include the reliance on televised and university-based data, and suggestions for future research include expanding the corpus to include more languages and informal settings, as well as incorporating participant interviews and experimental designs.