Grounding and Turn-Taking in Multimodal Multiparty Conversation

This study explores the empirical basis for multimodal conversation control acts. Applying conversation analysis as an exploratory approach, we attempt to illuminate the control functions of paralinguistic behaviors in managing multiparty conversation. We contrast our multiparty analysis with an earlier dyadic analysis and, to the extent permitted by our small samples of the corpus, contrast (a) conversations where the conversants did or did not have an artifact, and (b) conversations in English among Americans with conversations in Spanish among Mexicans. Our analysis suggests that speakers tend not to use gaze shifts to cue nodding for grounding and that the presence of an artifact reduced listeners’ gaze at the speaker. These observations remained relatively consistent across the two languages.