Page 150 - Silence in Intercultural Communication

Chapter 5. Performance and perceptions of silence 137

second language, it is difficult for Japanese students to adapt to this mode of com-
munication.
For example, in the Teaching as a Profession class, the legal implications of
the teachers’ drinking alcohol were discussed at one stage. Tadashi did not speak
publicly about his own experience of seeing the teachers drinking after school
in the teachers’ room, but he shared this experience privately with his classmate
Peter during a heated discussion in the classroom. This was captured in the video-
recording and confirmed in a recall interview. He indicated that he thought about
sharing his story with the class but he didn’t, because it was difficult for him to
find the right timing to speak.
The timing of self-selection also emerged in Aya’s presentation in Case Study
3. The presentation in the History of Secondary Education class was on the
weekly reading materials, in which the student presenter explained, summarised
and discussed these materials. In all student presentations, the lecturer made
comments or asked questions from time to time. What follows is a series of ex-
cerpts showing transition of turns, where student presenters go through questions
prepared for tutorial discussions. In general, the students responded to questions
and the lecturer would provide feedback. However, as the lecturer did not mark
the end of this feedback in an explicit manner, it was left to the presenter to initi-
ate the move onto the next question. In their role as discussion leaders, then, the
presenters had to negotiate the transitions from one question to another. Below,
Aya, who is the presenter, takes time (7.3 seconds) to make sure the lecturer’s
feedback is over, and the “u:m” and the following pause at the beginning of her
turn (line 151) suggests that she is testing her understanding that it is now her
turn to initiate the next question. The lecturer does not stop her from initiating
the next move, and she goes on to the next question.

(30) [Interaction: Aya]

145 Lect: I mean you can have a scientific education
146 which is the one you want. But um (0.7)
147 during this century ( )
148 curriculum is still (0.5) historical,
149 literary (.) subjects.
-> 150 (7.3)
-> 151 Aya: U:m (1.0) next question? U:m how did they
152 relate to the often older cooperate cooperate
153 school.
The next example in a similar situation shows Aya allowing 11.2 seconds of si-
lence to ensure that she is not making a premature move to the next topic.