Turn silence acts independently as a conversational turn, replacing the tangible with the intangible and constituting meaningful discourse.

Evidence

Verbal Silence as Figure: Its Contribution to Linguistic Theory (De Gruyter Brill)

corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
XREF: connects to: Silence is a positive, self-contained reality rather than mere absence. — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 19; Silence is considered a speech act with illocutionary force, capable of transmitting different meanings across communicative contexts. — Silence as a Tactic of Communication in Pragmatics, Novel, and Poetry; Silence carries deeper meaning and value than speech does. — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 16 (+7 more)

Silence is considered a speech act with illocutionary force, capable of transmitting different meanings across communicative contexts. (similarity 0.91)
Silence functions as an underrated conversational presence (similarity 0.82)
Silence is not the mere absence of something else, but a complex positive phenomenon (similarity 0.81)
Silence is not simple; reevaluating its constitutional status requires distinguishing it from blankness and recognizing its communicative function. (similarity 0.80)
Silence is a positive presence rather than mere absence (similarity 0.79)
Silence is nothing merely negative; it is not the mere absence of speech, but has a kind of Being of its own. (similarity 0.78)

Silence is a positive presence rather than mere absence #corroborates (0.80) — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 1294
In sociable conversation talk becomes an end in itself, not a vehicle for content #expands (0.75) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 381
Silence carries deeper meaning and value than speech does. #corroborates (0.70) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 16
Silence functions as an underrated conversational presence #expands (0.60) — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 1023