Use Of Backchannels Research Articles

Backchannel forms and functions in context and culture: The use of backchannels in Arab media discourse

Forms and functions of verbal backchannels, that is, short tokens such as uh-huh, yeah, and mhm uttered by a listener to the main speaker – have been widely investigated in conversation analysis. Few studies have examined the use of backchannels in Arabic culture, particularly in the context of media discourse. This study stresses the importance of contextualizing the forms and functions of backchannels. Five Arabic television discussions were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to determine the used forms and functions of backchannels. The findings demonstrated that backchannels were used mainly by presenters, and rarely by guests, as they control interactions. The results further revealed that, similar to other cultures and contexts, non-lexical backchannels were most frequently used because of their minimal interference in the discourse of the main speakers. A major finding of this study is the presenters’ use of tayeb in Arabic, which is equivalent to alright in English, to regain the floor from the guest speaker and change the topic to address another guest. Backchannels are essential for maintaining cooperation in a variety of interactions and in various cultures. Backchannel universality, ease of use, and significance make them an important topic for further investigation in all cultures, particularly Arabic ones.

Backchannels Responses as Conversational Strategies in the Interaction of Indonesian Speakers in Interview Setting

In interpersonal communication, the listeners' role is as necessary as the speaker's. Backchannel is considered a universal behavior; it often occurs in the conversation to send a signal from the listener without claiming the floor. Linguists have identified backchannel responses in many languages and cultural differences regarding the backchannel's type, frequency, and placement. This study investigates the use of backchannel in Indonesian conversation by native speakers in interview settings. This mixed-method study combines a quantitative and qualitative study that examines the function and frequency of ten dyadic Indonesian native speakers in an interview setting. The sampling subject participant is 20 Indonesian native speakers with each gender; we selected ten people whose first language is the Indonesian language Each interview session took 20 to 30 minutes, totalling 4 hours, and 20 minutes of dialogue for the whole corpus. Based on the study findings, Indonesian native speakers often use nodding (each gender has the same frequency of around 42%) as a non-verbal backchannel. The current analysis suggests that nodding and facial expressions such as smiles, and laughter consider one of the listener responses in Indonesian conversation. Indonesian speakers' verbal backchannel does occur, but nodding occurs most frequently as a sign of the backchannel. The non-verbal behavior of nodding gives listening signals without bothering the speaker's utterance. The current study adds to our understanding of the listener's role in Indonesian conversation. These results contribute to intercultural understanding in the era of globalization.

Beyond politeness markers: Multiple morphological and lexical differences index deferential meanings in Korean

This paper investigates how politeness-related social meanings are indexed verbally and nonverbally. We focus on the contrast between “doing deference” and “performing intimacy” in Korean. We asked Korean students to perform a sequence of tasks, once to a professor (deferential condition) and once to a close friend (intimate condition) and analysed the production of a wide range of morphological and lexical forms, as well as nonverbal sound objects. Our analysis shows that the participants not only increased their use of address and referent honorifics when addressing the professor, but also increased their use of backchannels and ‘hissing’ sound objects, and decreased their use of um-/uh-type sound objects, case particle ellipsis, and ideophones. There were also weaker tendencies for participants to use more formal case markers and Sino-Korean lexical items when addressing the professor. Taken together, these results demonstrate that deference and intimacy are indexed via multiple channels, not just through the honorific markers that have been the focus of previous studies.

Exploring EFL student use of digital backchannels during collaborative learning activities

This chapter highlights several findings related to the learners' use of digital communication channels during online collaborative activities. The term "digital backchannel" is used to imply that there are two channels of communication operating simultaneously during collaborative activities. The predominant digital channel is that of the online content management system controlled by the instructor and accessed in the target language, English. The secondary channel of digital communication (backchannel) is that of the external personal social network systems (SNS) that students employed to interact with group members and others. The researcher collected qualitative and quantitative data on learner interactions within a yearlong series of language learning activities through internet logs and interviews. The students employed digital backchannels with increasing frequency throughout the study period, even though there was an initial reluctance to use a communication channel, they considered very private for public educational activities. These digital backchannels were primarily mobile-based SNS. The students reported that the use of these backchannels increased in use over the study period and led to increased peer communication and networking. Also, students' language use changed when moving between these primary and secondary communication channels, with L1 being used for the main-channel and L2 used for the backchannel.

An overview of forms, functions, and configurations of backchannels in Ruruuli/Lunyala

Backchannels are speech contributions produced by a listener in the course of conversation, and are characterized by their short duration and their lack of turn-competitiveness. The current work investigates backchanneling behavior in Ruruuli/Lunyala, a Bantu language. Ruruuli/Lunyala speakers are found to backchannel much more frequently than has been reported for many other languages, with the increase in frequency mostly dependent on backchannels with the continuer function. A wide variety of non-lexical and lexical backchannel forms are used, including the use of repetitions of parts of a previous turn, which appears to be a relatively infrequent use of backchannels crosslinguistically. These forms are combined with different prosodic resources such as fundamental frequency, phonation quality, and duration features, to achieve different communicative functions; for example, the pitch contour arising on repetitions differs depending on the backchanneling function that the particular repetition is carrying out. The resources available for backchanneling in Ruruuli/Lunyala emphasize the rich variability of linguistic and prosodic constructions which are used by listeners to contribute to the smooth progress of conversation. In addition, this study on a Bantu language gives insight into how backchanneling and conversational interaction may show different patterns in different language families and/or cultures.

“A House of Cards Which Would Not Stand”: James Headlam-Morley, the Role of Experts, and the Danzig Question at the Paris Peace Conference

ABSTRACTRecent years have witnessed increasing interest amongst international historians on the influence by experts on foreign policy decision making. Most work thus far has concentrated on American foreign policy since 1945, but this analysis broadens the focus to consider the impact of experts on British decision makers through the use of informal networks below the level of Cabinet ministers whilst debating the future of the city of Danzig at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. It shows that despite a tendency by the protagonists to interpret their actions as subverting the official role and function of the Foreign Office, sufficient evidence can be found to suggest that through the use of back-channels to David Lloyd George, the prime minister, via Philip Kerr, his private secretary, some officials, such as James Headlam-Morley, within the Office managed to influence high-level decision making at Paris.

“I Got Confused Reading It”: Using Backchannels to Collaboratively Build Meaning with Texts

This study explores the use of backchannels, real-time online conversations taking place simultaneously with spoken discussions (the front channel), as one approach to meaning-making through discussion. Using transcripts of front and backchannel discussions, we examine how undergraduate preservice teachers utilize backchannels to talk about class-assigned texts. Although previous research has suggested that backchannels can create distractions, our study found that participants within the backchannel groups were able to create meaning through their interactions. We used five types of talk (analytic, personal, intertextual, transparent, and performative) to aid in our analysis. While we found evidence of all types of talk in the transcripts, analytical talk dominated the conversations, suggesting that backchannels can indeed encourage close readings of texts. In addition, we found that the nature of the online environment created a sixth category of talk. This type of talk, which we called negotiation, allowed participants in the backchannel to define and react to the digital space they interacted within. Findings point to increased engagement in class discussion and the potential of backchannels as a way to effectively integrate technology into instruction.

“I Got Confused Reading It”: Using Backchannels to Collaboratively Build Meaning with Texts

This study explores the use of backchannels, real-time online conversations taking place simultaneously with spoken discussions (the front channel), as one approach to meaning-making through discussion. Using transcripts of front and backchannel discussions, we examine how undergraduate preservice teachers utilize backchannels to talk about class-assigned texts. Although previous research has suggested that backchannels can create distractions, our study found that participants within the backchannel groups were able to create meaning through their interactions. We used five types of talk (analytic, personal, intertextual, transparent, and performative) to aid in our analysis. While we found evidence of all types of talk in the transcripts, analytical talk dominated the conversations, suggesting that backchannels can indeed encourage close readings of texts. In addition, we found that the nature of the online environment created a sixth category of talk. This type of talk, which we called negotiation, allowed participants in the backchannel to define and react to the digital space they interacted within. Findings point to increased engagement in class discussion and the potential of backchannels as a way to effectively integrate technology into instruction.

Investigating the Impact of Teachers’ Interaction Strategies on Enhancing EFL Students’ Contributions at King Abdulaziz University: A Classroom Discourse Analysis

This qualitatively designed study investigated the interaction strategies employed by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to enhance students’ contributions during classroom interaction, as well as exploring the impact of these strategies on Saudi EFL students’ verbal discourse in English Language Institute (ELI) at King Abdulaziz University. Nine teachers, along with their respective students participated in this study recording a ten-hour video and audio recordings representing the study’s primary data. All recorded (video and audio) data was transcribed and an Interaction Analysis (IA) approach was adopted for analyzing teachers’ and students’ classroom discourse. The findings indicated that EFL teachers attempted to enhance students’ contributions in various ways, and that the strategies used by teachers had varying impact on students’ classroom discourse. In addition, findings suggested that students’ verbal discourse could be developed with a relatively higher degree of teachers’ extended strategies and use of backchannels. Pedagogical implications, recommendations, and suggestions for further research were presented at the end of this study.

Student Use of Backchannels

Student Use of Backchannels

A Research on the Use of Backchannels in Dialogues of Korean Textbooks

A Research on the Use of Backchannels in Dialogues of Korean Textbooks

Attending to What the Other is Saying: Korean EFL Learners’ Use of Backchannels in Conversation

Following conversation analytic procedures, this study examines the use of backchannels in conversations between Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners to identify the patterns and functions found in the interactional practices. Specifically, the analysis focuses on the use of the backchannel tokens yes, yeah, uh huh, and mm hm occurring in turn-intial positions. The results show the learners’ use of backchannels coincides with performances found in talk of native speakers, yet at the same time, discloses distinct aspects arising from the not-yet-competent status as second language (L2) learners. The learners employed the tokens yes, yeah, uh huh, and mm hm as continuers to signal the listener's attention and assure the speaker of the speakership. In particular, yeah was used for systematically gaining speakership in ongoing talk. Contrastingly, the learners were also found to use first language (L1) vocalic forms as backchannels in their talk applying them in a disfluent manner for speakership incipiency. Such behaviors seem to arise from unfamiliarity with the prosodic features of the target language, English. The findings provide a closer understanding of Korean English learners' backchannel behaviors and of L2 interactional practices.

Wildlife use of back channels associated with islands on the Ohio River

The back channels of islands on the Ohio River are assumed to provide habitat critical for several wildlife species. However, quantitative information on the wildlife value of back channels is needed by natural resource managers for the conservation of these forested islands and embayments in the face of increasing shoreline development and recreational boating. We compared the relative abundance of waterbirds, turtles, anurans, and riparian furbearing mammals during 2001 and 2002 in back and main channels of the Ohio River in West Virginia. Wood ducks (Aix sponsa), snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), beavers (Castor canadensis), and muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) were more abundant in back than main channels. Spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) and American toads (Bufo americanus) occurred more frequently on back than main channels. These results provide quantitative evidence that back channels are important for several wildlife species. The narrowness of the back channels, the protection they provide from the main current of the river, and their ability to support vegetated shorelines and woody debris, are characteristics that appear to benefit these species. As a conservation measure for important riparian wildlife habitat, we suggest limiting building of piers and development of the shoreline in back channel areas.

Back‐Channel Negotiation: International Bargaining in the Shadows

Back‐channel negotiations (BCNs) are officially sanctioned negotiations conducted in secret between the parties to a dispute. These extraordinary negotiations operate in parallel with, or replace, acknowledged front channels of negotiation. Back channels are like the black markets of negotiation; they are separate tables where bargaining takes place in the shadows. When front‐channel negotiations fail, they are sometimes eclipsed by successful BCNs even though the same principals, conflicts, and sociopolitical contexts are involved. This article asks: Why do decision makers deploy back channels? What is the impact of BCN on international peace processes? The Palestinian–Israeli peace process, in which both back and front channels have been used consistently, provides the basis for comparing channels and offering initial answers to these questions. The author concludes that while BCN can facilitate breakthrough agreements, it can also damage a peace process by helping to reinforce some of the uncertainties that gave rise to the use of back channels in the first place.