Forms and Positions of Backchannels by Chinese Learners of Thai: An Interlanguage Pragmatic Study
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Abstract
The use of backchannels is a conversational behavior that has garnered scholarly attention. Individuals from different cultural and societal backgrounds tend to use backchannels in different ways. The research aims to investigate the forms and positions of backchannels used by Chinese learners of Thai. Data were collected from audio recordings of conversations involving 12 pairs of Chinese learners of Thai, 6 pairs of native Thai speakers, and 6 pairs of native Chinese speakers. The findings indicate that Chinese learners of Thai utilized a less varied range of backchannel forms compared to native Thai speakers, and encountered challenges with the use of interjections and assessments. These difficulties may arise from first language transfer or an incorrect understanding of how interjections function in Thai. Regarding position, the three groups use backchannels in similar positions; however, differences in frequency were observed. Specifically, Chinese learners of Thai and native Chinese speakers used backchannels more frequently at the end of a speaker’s turn than native Thai speakers, reflecting a politeness perspective shaped by Confucian ideology. In terms of the relationship between the form and position of backchannels, Chinese learners of Thai, native Thai speakers, and native Chinese speakers all tend to use short utterances most frequently within the speaker’s turn. While native Thai and Chinese speakers predominantly use short utterances at the end of a speaker’s turn, Chinese learners of Thai show a preference for affirmative forms in the same position. This divergence may be attributed to several factors, including the influence of translating the Chinese word “对” (duì) and the communicative strategies commonly adopted by second language learners.
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