Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: -- Studying telephone calls: beginnings, developments, and perspectives / Kang Kwong Luke, Theodossia-Soula Pavlidou -- PART I. OPENING TELEPHONE CALLS -- Recognition and identification in Japanese and Korean telephone conversation openings / Yong-Yae Park -- On the telephone again! Telephone conversation openings in Greek / Maria Sifianou -- Telephone conversation openings in Persian / Carmen Taleghani-Nikazm -- Language choice in international telephone conversations / Gitte Rasmussen, Johannes Wagner -- PART II. PROBLEM SOLVING, TOPIC MANAGEMENT AND CLOSING -- Reporting problems and offering assistance in Japanese business telephone conversations / Lindsay Amthor Yotsukura -- Initiation and introduction of first topics in Hong Kong telephone calls / Kang Kwong Luke -- Moving towards closing: Greek telephone calls between familiars / Theodossia-Soula Pavlidou -- PART III. THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS -- Comparing telephone call openings: theoretical and methodological reflections / Paul ten Have -- Reflections on research on telephone conversation: issues of cross-cultural scope and scholarly exchange, interactional import and consequences / Emanuel A. Schegloff.