Unintelligible Words (xxx)

1. For our purposes an unintelligible word is a production of sounds for which there is no discernable target.
  1. See the Fragments section as well, as this can inform what you will transcribe as xxx.
2. For completely unintelligible words, transcribe "xxx" for each perceived "word"; you do not need to phonetically transcribe these.
  1. Examples:
    1. I was xxx in the xxx.
    2. we moved to xxx for Richard's job.
3. Keep in mind that we are thinking about words that are unintelligible in the context of the subject to an unfamiliar listener who has only heard what they have said preceding. When in doubt, be conservative and code as "xxx" rather than assuming the listener will know the target. Don't try to guess the target if you are unsure due to reduced intelligibility.
  1. This can be difficult if you have become more familiar with the content of a script/topic after transcribing multiple timepoints of one participant. If possible, try to alternate between participants when transcribing so the content is not as fresh on your mind.
4. If the speaker makes several attempts at what you perceive to be the same target, use the fragment marking to code those attempts, whether they reach an intelligible target or not in the end. (see the Fragments section)