M.A. (Afrikaans) / A linguistic study can be approached in many ways. In this study language usage is viewed from a pragmatic angle. One type of discourse, namely a written literary discourse, and a drama in particular, is used as a point of departure in order to illustrate a certain discourse element. The drama, Moeders en Dogters by Corlia Fourie, is placed within a speech act framework and is seen as a macro speech act. By concentrating on one element of the discourse, namely conversation strategy, it is the intention to show how this discourse element, which appears in the illocutionary units of the drama, can be linked to the intention of the abstract author. This intent ion manifests itself as illocution in the drama which is directed at achieving a specific perlocution on the part of the audience/reader. Chapter two discusses the communication process, the term discourse and the various aspects of discourse that are relevant for this study, namely the different types of discourse, the process by which discourse comes into being, the structure of the discourse and discourse strategies. Different types of discourse strategies are pointed out and subsequently one discourse strategy, namely conversation strategy is concentrated on. The role and function of conversation strategies are highlighted and one type of conversation strategy, namely turn-taking, is isolated. The dualistic character of turn-taking, firstly as conversation strategy and secondly as structure element, is discussed in chapter three. The functioning of turn-taking patterns in Moeders en Dogters is illustrated, and subsequently certain conclusions are drawn concerning the relation between turn-taking on the one hand and conversation rules, illusion , perlocution, other conversation strategies and conve r se t i on units, on the other hand. Chapter four concentrates on the way in which turn taking patterns between the characters in combination with the temporal-spatial context within which the drama takes place, can be redirected to the intention of the abstract author, which is aimed at a specific perlocution on the part of the audience/reader. By pointing out this relation, the function of conversation strategies (and specifically in this case turn- taking as conversation strategy,) will be made clear, namely that it operates as a binding discourse element that leads to cohesion in the first place and eventually to coherency within the discourse.