Repair receipts in Norwegian Sign Language multiperson conversation

Abstract

This paper describes practices for repair receipt in sequences of other-initiation of self-repair in informal Norwegian Signed Language multiperson conversation. Its main foci are how signers mark their (now-)understanding by employing upward or downward nods and withdrawal of mutual gaze and upper body. The multimodal analysis is illustrated with multilinear, glossed transcripts, comic-strip inspired graphic transcripts and videoclips. The analysis is conducted on a collection of 112 cases of other-initiation of self-repair. A simple quantitative breakdown shows the distribution of different embodied practices across different sequential positions, and some deviant cases are described. Among the findings is that even though these explicit repair receipts sometimes occur as responses to non-closing (failed) self-repairs, they are far more common in the closing cases. Whether the trouble-source turn is a first-pair part, a second-pair part or a telling also influences whether an explicit repair receipt is produced. Data are in Norwegian Sign Language with English translations.