Lee, Jee-won. 2012. Gesture, Gaze, and Bodily Cues in Mandarin Conversation: Two Case Studies. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 20(1). pp. 213-234. This study uses discourse analysis to illustrate some ways that non-verbal actions such as gaze, facial expression, and gesture work to contextualize the speech delivered in conversation. These bodily cues also enable participants to organize interactions as collaborative creations of meaning rather than simply a turn-by-turn exchange of speech. This study uses two excerpts from Mandarin Chinese conversations to illustrate how non-verbal cues help speakers and recipients to engage in collaborative action with one another. Speakers give recipients information about their stances vis-à-vis the speech they produce, and recipients use this information to manage their reactions to the speech they hear. Non-verbal actions also allow both parties to mutually regulate the flow of conversation. In both examples, it becomes clear that gaze, facial expression, and gesture are important elements of spoken interaction and that conversation as a whole should be understood as a contextual web of meaning that includes speech, body language, and overall social interaction.

• Lee, Jee-won(성균관대) | 이지원