Page 203 - Silence in Intercultural Communication

190 Silence in Intercultural Communication

10 think it’s true that (0.4) um female’s
11 conversation goes on en on en on,=
12 ?: =heh [hhh]
13 Miki: [be ]cause they tend to say (.) oh
14 that’s not true but (this is true,)
15 Lect: Mm [hum]
16 Miki: [jus]t like this,(example of)/(it’s
17 like) this? (1.2) yeah. (0.4) I don’t know,
18 (0.2) if (0.3) it’s general idea but (1.8)
19 ma:le, (1.4) like men, (.) really don’t
20 that much as (1.0) do it (0.4) ˚yeah.˚
21 some (0.2) some men do but (3.2) I don’t
22 know if- (.) I don’t know if it’s: cultural
23 (0.2) thing or, (1.5)˚(maybe/I don't know)˚
24 (1.2)
25 ?: ˚Mm:::::::.˚
26 (1.4)
27 Nakki: Maybe it’s too much generalisation but I’ve
28 had about twenty people (0.3) like in (.)
29 in and out all Japanese guys they’re all
30 really quiet. (0.5) they won’t say anything
31 unless you talk to them.
-> 32 (2.2) ((Nakki smiles, gazing towards
33 Miki))
34 Sophia: Well I think um (0.6) men are like ( )
35 doesn't capture ( )(0.5) what’s
36 acceptable to say ...

Nakki's comment from lines 27 to 31, with her gaze directed towards Miki, sug-
gests that Nakki expects a reaction from Miki. Nakki does not disagree with Miki,
but provides an alternative view on the issue raised by Dr. Telfer’s question. There-
fore, the pressure for Miki to speak at this point is not so strong. Nevertheless, this
example illustrates that Miki does not participate in ‘negotiation’ processes during
discussion but instead withdraws from them. The following example also shows
Miki’s one-off participation pattern similar to the one shown above:
(86) [Interaction: Miki]

42 Miki: ye[ah]
43 Lect: [Mi]ki, wh[at do you thi]nk.
44 Miki: [when I am in]
45 Miki: when I (0.3) when I am asked to: (0.2) give