Page 159 - Silence in Intercultural Communication

146 Silence in Intercultural Communication

Table 5.14 Number and length of self-selected turns in Intercultural Communication
(Regular Discussion)
Participant No. of classes Total number Total turn Average no. of Average turn
included of turns length turns per class length
Miki 3 4 62 1.3 15.5
Sophia 4 31 346 7.8 11.2
Molly 5 66 454 13.2 6.9
Bill 4 50 274 12.5 5.5
Tony 4 6 66 1.5 11.0
Average 7.3 10.0

Table 5.15 Number and length of other-selected turns in Intercultural Communication
(Regular Discussion)
Participant No. of classes Total number Total turn Average no. of Average turn
included of turns length turns per class length
Miki 3 3 36 1.0 12.0
Sophia 4 3 32 0.8 10.7
Molly 5 14 123 2.8 8.8
Bill 4 6 65 1.5 10.8
Tony 4 1 72 0.3 72.0
Average 1.3 22.9

Table 5.16 Ratio of participants’ self-selected turns in total turns in Intercultural Com-
munication (Regular Discussion)

Participant Total num- Total number of Total number of Ratio of self-selected
ber of turns self-selected turns other-selected turns turns in total turns
Miki 7 4 3 58%
Sophia 33 31 3 94%
Molly 80 66 14 83%
Bill 56 50 6 89%
Tony 7 6 1 86%

The fact that Miki took fewer turns than the others through self-selection was
noted by Dr. Telfer in her interview:

(37) [Interview: Dr. Telfer]
I would have thought - because she never asked me, because she never
volunteers any comments, I would have automatically probably, until discussing
with you [the researcher], (inaudible) I would have automatically said oh she is
an unconfident shy person.