Turn-taking : a Comparative Study of Backchannelling Behavior of Japanese and Native Speakers of English

Abstract

This paper reports on a study which compared backchannelling behavior in turn-taking of Japanese Speakers of English (JSE's) with Canadian Native Speakers of English (NSE's). The results showed a marked difference in backchannel utterances between the two groups with the JSE's accounting for as much as three times the NSE total. Backchannelling refers to signals both verbal and non-verbal, given by hearers to indicate that they are following what is being said. Although backchannelling utterances are not considered turns, according to Duncan (1972), they 'comprise a large and complex set of signals' which 'may participate in a variety of communication functions, including the regulation of speaking turns'. Thus backchannelling plays a crucial role in turn-taking. Furthermore it has pedagogical implications for inter-cultural communication since backchannelling could be perceived differently by diverse cultural groups. Therefore while in Japanese discourse backchannelling or aizuchi is expected from a competent speaker of the language, in other cultures it could be interpreted as an interruption or even an attempt to take the turn away from the speaker, or change the topic. Thus in the language classroom raising students' awareness of its different use and perception by diverse cultural groups is important in order to minimize possible misunderstanding and to ensure smoother inter-cultural communication.