An Empirical Study on Tongue Clicks and Laughter: Expressions of Values and Face Attributed to Language and Culture

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00580
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02060:Linguistics-related
• Research Institution: Yamanashi Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Hagiwara Takae 山梨県立大学, 国際政策学部, 教授 (90749053)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 非言語行動 / 舌打ち / 笑い / フィラー / 映像データ / 異文化理解 / 異文化コミュニケーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Japanese culture, “tongue clicks” are usually described as paralinguistic vocalizations to signal disapproval or irritation. Yet, there seems to exist the other type of tongue clicks in Thai culture. Inexplicable “laughter”, which can be observed when people laugh at something that is not particularly funny, also implies some communicative functions. This study has focused on both tongue clicks and laughter to clarify messages and communicative meanings conveyed by native Thai speakers. Tongue clicks in Thai culture can be classified into three categories: 1) cognitive behaviors, 2) operative utterances and 3) emotional expressions. We have collaborated on joint research with Thai researchers, which has enabled us to observe both Japanese and Thai films to find and extract inexplicable laughter from each of our perspectives. We have presented the results of this study in academic conferences held in Thailand.

Free Research Field

語用論、社会言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「舌打ち」や「笑い」は通言語的であるにもかかわらず、そこには社会的・文化的・慣習的な用法が存在する。たとえば日本人は舌打ち音に敏感であるが、世界には日本人の知らない、日本語に存在しない舌打ちの用法がある。また特におかしくもないところで笑う不可解な「笑い」は、誤解や摩擦の要因となり得るが、こうした笑いに対して自文化や常識を持ち込んだ解釈はさらなる誤解や摩擦を生む危険性を孕む。本研究では、こうした非言語行動を、映像を通してマルチモーダルに分析することにより、グローバル化社会でますます重要になる異文化理解や異文化コミュニケーション分野への知見を提示した。