Abstract

In critical radio-mediated communication, fixed expressions clarify and expedite interaction and provide a shared vocabulary for lingua franca interlocutors. Sometimes, communication via radio encounters trouble that needs to be clarified. This article examines interactional episodes following fixed other-initiations of self-repair “say again” in radiotelephony, as part of patrolling exercises in military observer (MO) training. The episodes occur between the repair initiation and the repair solution. Radiotelephony is inherently dyadic, but the parties may consist of more than one person. During patrolling, interaction via radio takes place within two overlapping participation frameworks. The article focuses on practices of identifying and repairing trouble in the patrol vehicle. The data come from multinational MO training, where English as lingua franca is the working language. The analysis of talk and embodied actions, drawing on conversation analysis and ethnomethodologically informed ethnography, shows that trainees use their local participation framework as a resource to make sense of the trouble in situ. The article introduces a novel set of language data and broadens our understanding of formulaic repair practices and their uptake and handling repair within overlapping participation frameworks. The findings can be utilised in developing training practices and in settings where radio serves a pivotal role.