Page 194 - Silence in Intercultural Communication

Chapter 5. Performance and perceptions of silence 181

19 Tadashi: [Right. ]
20 Lect: [Becau :]se i- it’s good it’s good if it
21 comes out earlier, (0.5) but (0.5) u- u- wh-
22 what I am saying is one can (.) try and
23 get the nineteen ninety seven exam report
24 or the nine[ty six.]
25 Tadashi: [(Ah nin]ety), (.) um.=
26 Lect: =to compare the question paper (0.2) and the
27 report, (0.5) u:m because it does it does
28 help in the prepa[ration ]
29 Tadashi: [Yes yes] yes=
30 Lect: =o:f students.

What also seems significant in the above excerpt is that there are frequent overlaps,
response tokens and grammatically incomplete sentences by Tadashi. This suggests
that Tadashi is capable of participating in “free-flowing conversational interaction”
(Drew & Heritage 1992: 14) in classroom talk at least in one-on-one situations with
the lecturer, but if we take a closer look at some of the turn transitions (lines 8–9,
15–16 and 18–19), there are pauses which suggest slight delays in Tadashi’s timing.
This also supports the explanation that his silence in group discussions is due to
difficulties in managing timing in turn-taking (see Sections 5.4.2).
In interaction excerpt (77) below, Tadashi asks a question about the publica-
tion year of the material Mr. Fuller is talking about, which is again a non-nego-
tiable factual matter.

(77) [Interaction: Tadashi, Curriculum and Examinations]
1 Lect: So: (0.9) you know you’ll you’ll see that
2 the they’re given. it’s from the board of
3 studies (1.3) a:nd (1.6)you you should make
4 a note of thi: um the contact number and the
5 fax number to (0.7) contact because this is
6 very u:m (1.0) that’s that’s very useful.
7 Tadashi: Yes. ye:s.
8 ((Lect brings out more materials 3.8))
-> 9 Tadashi: If you (0.2) if I ring them up can I
10 get (0.2) u:m (0.2) eich es cee
11 report (0.4) from nineteen ninety
12 seven or nineteen ninety six?=
13 Lect: =Yeah it’s a question of uhm ringing: the
14 client ringing (0.2) wha- what you do is you
15 you ring client services.(0.4) at this phone