Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics
In conversation analysis, the structural markedness of options such as those in adjacency pairs (e.g. an invitation followed by acceptance or decline). The unmarked preferred option (such as acceptance) has a less complex structure than the marked, non-preferred option (decline), for example:
A: Why don’t you come for dinner tonight?
B: Love to. Shall I bring something ?
vs
A: Why don’t you come for dinner tonight?
C: Sorry. [pause] Would love to, but I’ve got to work…
C’s turn is more complex in its structure because of the excuse, the delay (or significant pause, 
interruption), and the reasoning. Furthermore, preferred and non-preferred options differ in their position within the turn: the preferred option is realized early while the non-preferred option is realized late. For a different point of view on such interchanges, cf. remedial interchange.
References
Atkinson, J.M. and J.Heritage (eds) 1984. Structures of social action. Part II: Preference organization. Cambridge.
57–164.
Pomerantz, A. 1978. Compliment responses. In J. Schenkein (ed.), Studies in the organization of conversation. New York. 79–112.
Schegloff, E., G.Jefferson, and H.Sacks. 1977. The preference for self-correction in the organization of repair in conversation. Lg 53. 361–82.
maxim of conversation, repair. sequential organization
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