Universität zu Köln

Möking, Eduardo (2025). Backchannels in spontaneous and task-oriented speech: Prosody and lexical form. Masters thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

This study investigates the use of backchannels in spontaneous and task-oriented conversations, focusing on their rate, duration, lexical form, and intonation, as well as exploring contour clustering as a way of revealing the intonational dynamicity of backchannels across conversational conditions. Backchannels, such as "mmhm" or "ja," serve crucial roles in maintaining conversational flow and providing feedback to manage mutual understanding between speakers. The analysis draws on data from dyadic conversations in German, comparing spontaneous discussions with task-oriented interactions using the Tangram game in a setting which allowed for participants to have eye contact. Results reveal differences in backchannel use across conversational conditions regarding all aspects of backchannel communication analyzed: spontaneous speech elicits more frequent backchannels, a higher rate of context-specific signals and a higher proportion of intonational falls. Task-oriented speech is marked by a lower backchannel rate, a more frequent use of non-lexical backchannels such as ‘mmhm’, and more intonational rises regardless of BC type. In addition, explorative results of contour clustering revealed type-specific prosodic dynamicity across conversations, such as a predominance of late-rising contours in ‘mm’ and of early-rising contours in ‘mmhm’, as well as a trend toward dynamic contours being used more often in task-oriented speech. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how backchannel intonation is shaped by conversational conditions. This study extends previous research while highlighting the need for further exploration of the prosodic dynamics of backchannels in connection with pragmatic functions and in light of speaker-specific behavior.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Möking, Eduardo emoeking@smail.uni-koeln.de UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-788143
Date:	2025
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Divisions:	Collaborative Research Centers > CRC 1252: Prominence in Language > TP A02
Subjects:	Language, Linguistics
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language backchannels English prosody English intonation English contour clustering English task-oriented interaction English spontaneous speech English face-to-face conversation English
Date of oral exam:	25 November 2025
Referee:	Name Academic Title Grice, Martine Prof. Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/78814