Negotiation Strategies in cross-cultural communication

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16778
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: English linguistics
• Research Institution: Sugiyama Jogakuen University
• Principal Investigator: Ike Saya 椙山女学園大学, 国際コミュニケーション学部, 准教授 (10738214)
• Research Collaborator: Jean Mulder University of Melbourne, School of languages and linguistics, Senior lecturer
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: backchannel sequence / rapport / stance alignment / turn-taking / ELF

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The multi-modal analysis of backchannel sequences among Australian English speakers and Japanese English speakers revealed that backchanneling has a significant role in rapport establishment between Japanese English speakers. In particular, in a backchannel sequence, JE speakers acknowledge their interlocutor's backchannel, build rapport with each other, and negotiate next speakership. Meanwhile in Australian English, backchannels are used as a turn-taking strategy and as part of stance taking, and not so much as rapport building practice. The functional differences lead to the frequency differences and pragmatic differences of backchannels in the two varieties of English. In order to overcome such differences in cross-cultural communication, both speakers and listeners monitor each other carefully, and offer overt backchannel cues and backchannels, but such accommodation remains within their linguistic repertoire.

Free Research Field

人文学