Towards a Proto-Language of Emotions (?) - Response Cries as an Interactional Achievement

Scientific Conference (2013, August)

"We provide micro-interactional analysis of a series of motion gaming sessions (Gregersen, 2011) with a focus on response cries (Goffman, 1978, 1981). We use Conversation Analysis (CA) to analyze ... [more ▼]

"We provide micro-interactional analysis of a series of motion gaming sessions (Gregersen, 2011) with a focus on response cries (Goffman, 1978, 1981). We use Conversation Analysis (CA) to analyze interactions in their situatedness and moment-by-moment unfolding (Schegloff, Sacks and Jefferson, 1977). We bring evidence that, although speakers sometimes communicate by means of non-lexicalized, subvocalized, interjections and vocalizations, they still manage to understand and coordinate each other. Extracts are taken from two corpora. One is the (2010) SISS-Corpus, consisting of eight hours of video-recordings of groups of teenage students filmed in their school while playing digital games on a Nintendo Wii console. Participants speak their L1 and select different socio-stratic varieties (Tempesta, 1995; 2000; 2005) of Italian. The second corpus (2009-2012) Multi-Wii- consists of eleven hours of video-recordings of groups of multilingual speakers recorded at University of Luxembourg. Participants select English, French and German (L2) as lingua franca. Data show that response cries develop into an ‘intersubjective’ (Schegloff, 1991; Aarsand and Aronsson, 2009) language, and constitute a mutually understandable form of interaction shared by participants. In an evolutionary and developmental perspective, response cries may be thought of as a physiological, vocalized protolanguage of emotions, speakers use socially, for indexical purposes (Heritage and Raymond, 2005); to express stance (Heritage, 2012), and co-construct emotion as an interactional achievement (Schegloff, 1988). The contribution discusses the process by which cognitive –emotional- states are brought to life via embodiment in interaction (Goodwin, 2011) through language and other physiological evolutions like gestures and facial kinetics (Birdwhistell, 1970)." [less ▲]

Why are you Silent? - Towards Responsiveness in Chatbots

in Avec le Temps! Time, Tempo, and Turns in Human-Computer Interaction". Workshop at CHI 2013, Paris, France (2013)

In this position paper we consider temporal phenomena in interaction with text-based conversational agents. In particular, we focus on two dimensions of time in instant messaging dialogues: responsiveness ... [more ▼]

In this position paper we consider temporal phenomena in interaction with text-based conversational agents. In particular, we focus on two dimensions of time in instant messaging dialogues: responsiveness as a measure for interaction placed in time, and interaction management performed by interaction participants caused by partner's exceeding of the maximum expected responsiveness. [less ▲]

Facial Physiology of Speech Errors

Scientific Conference (2012, November)

We present the preliminary findings of a multilingual study on speech errors (‘lapsus linguae’ Meringer and Mayer 1895; Freud, 1901; Meringer, 1908). For the purpose of this presentation, we compiled and ... [more ▼]

We present the preliminary findings of a multilingual study on speech errors (‘lapsus linguae’ Meringer and Mayer 1895; Freud, 1901; Meringer, 1908). For the purpose of this presentation, we compiled and analyzed a corpus of video-recordings of twenty short sequences of talk in French, and twenty short sequences of talk in English; all containing mis-performances in oral delivery on behalf of TV hosts and presenters. While briefly discussing previous work and existing models for the classification of errors (Meringer and Mayer 1895; Freud, 1901; Fromkin, 1971, 1973; Dell, Juliano, and Govindjee, 1993; Dziekońska, 2012); we take a multimodal look at the sequential environment of errors in our corpus and analyze whether and how they are ‘acknowledged’ and are ‘repaired’ (Sacks, 1964; Sacks Schegloff, Jefferson, 1977). A close analysis of speakers’ face work reveals that, although not universally, they consistently place a brow raise on the ‘repaired’ material. At times, the lapsus is ‘acknowledged’ with the production of a response cry (Goffman, 1981), in which case, the brow raise is placed on the cry. Regardless of the response cry occurring synchronically with the brow raise; we discuss that it is possible to think of the brow raise as of a ‘change of state token’, (Heritage, 1984b; Schegloff, 2007); thus embodying the local change in speakers’ “state of knowledge, information, orientation or awareness” (Heritage, 1985: 299). Data also suggest a brow raise following the lapse, may transit from emotional display (i.e. surprise – Ekman, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) to face-keeping device. Different gestural and postural configurations may occur depending on whether the error is promptly repaired (i.e. straight positioning of the ‘body torque’- Schegloff, 1998) or whether develops into a laughter (i.e. presence of ‘self-adapters’ - Ekman, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006). [less ▲]

‘Doing science’ through discourse-in-interaction: Young children’s science investigations at the early childhood level.

in Science Education (2012), 96(2), 311-326

This research investigates the interconnectedness of scientific inquiring at the early childhood level, as we explore the discourse-in-interaction processes occurring within small inquiry groups of 5- and ... [more ▼]

This research investigates the interconnectedness of scientific inquiring at the early childhood level, as we explore the discourse-in-interaction processes occurring within small inquiry groups of 5- and 6-year-old children. The rationale behind this research is to explore the nature of science-related discourse, and to that end, this work focuses on student-to-student interactions as they collaboratively investigate water. As we document the nature of children's ways of explaining, imagining, and representing the properties of water, we demonstrate the constructions of understandings as displayed and emergent from these interactions. The study has generated outcomes about the discursive ways of young children's enacting of knowledge about science, as the analysis reveals that by positioning scientific inquiry as a fluid process children were able to enact science collaboratively and through multimodal means. As such, the study reveals a wide range of indicators to children's understandings about water and to the processes in which students worked together to construct science within discourse-in-interaction [less ▲]

Critical interaction instances in collaborative concurrent engineering

in Thoben, Klaus-Dieter (Ed.) Proceedings of the 2011 17th International Conference on Concurrent Enterprising (ICE 2011) (2011)

Previous studies have defined people, process, tools and technology as relevant elements for Concurrent Engineering (CE) processes. This study analyzes the principles of dynamic interrelation between ... [more ▼]

Previous studies have defined people, process, tools and technology as relevant elements for Concurrent Engineering (CE) processes. This study analyzes the principles of dynamic interrelation between these elements in the process of developing a satellite (mission), depending on collaborative working interactions. The participants in a CE facility work in parallel, exchanging their knowledge and information, using their set-up tools acting according to the requirements of their disciplinary specialities and the task at hand in the CE process. We analyze the collaborative working context in the CE facility, where compelling moments emerge, that require the different disciplinary positions in the CE facility to engage in negotiations by moving into shared spaces in order to solve the issues at stake. In line with interactional design studies, we identify particular moments in the interaction as "Critical Interaction Instances"(CIIs). CIIs have two criteria, first the awareness of an existing problem. Second the repositioning of the participants in the CE facility which correlates with the shared spaces that the collaboration creates. The results of this study demonstrate that CIIs enhance the collaboration (quality) throughout the CE process. Based on data collected in a CE facility in Germany the study shows how CIIs emerge, unfold and mark collaborative interaction in CE. [less ▲]

(Fremd-)Sprachenlehrkräfte ausbilden in Europa: Themen, Herausforderungen, Empfehlunge

in ForumSprache (2011), 5(5 / 2011), 5-21

Recommendations pour l'optimisation de la formation des enseignants de langues en Europe

in SemLang (2009)

Ce document constitue une synthèse des enseignements tirés de l’Université d’été SemLang (Sèvres, 6-10 juillet 2009). Il présente les grandes lignes du projet, la méthodologie utilisée, et propose une ... [more ▼]

Ce document constitue une synthèse des enseignements tirés de l’Université d’été SemLang (Sèvres, 6-10 juillet 2009). Il présente les grandes lignes du projet, la méthodologie utilisée, et propose une série de recommandations. Celles-ci sont fondées sur les conclusions des conférences et des ateliers, sur l’interaction entre les participants, ainsi que sur le rapport analytique créé par le consortium. [less ▲]

Pre-primary Education in Mauritius: Perspectives on Play for Development in Diversified Contexts

Report (2009)

BIMUZINE – Multilingual visual communication

Book published by Bozen-Bolzano University Press (2007)

„bimuzine“ ist das Ergebnis einer engen Zusammenarbeit zwischen den mehrsprachigen Universitäten Bozen und Luxemburg. This project has been conducted by students from both universities. Pendant leurs ... [more ▼]

„bimuzine“ ist das Ergebnis einer engen Zusammenarbeit zwischen den mehrsprachigen Universitäten Bozen und Luxemburg. This project has been conducted by students from both universities. Pendant leurs rencontres ils ont discuté les différents aspects du plurilinguisme non seulement d'un point de vue linguistique. Ma hanno tentato di esplorare e di sperimentare altri approcci a questo tema riunendo riflessioni teoriche e momenti di gioco. Das Projekt wird im Rahmen der Tagung "BiMU" vorgestellt, die vom 20. bis 22. September 2007 stattfindet. Gli organizzatori sostengono "bimuzine" in tutti i modi e sperano che possa dare uno spunto per ulteriori riflessioni e anche per divertirsi con le lingue. [less ▲]

Diagnosing Dyslexia in multilingual contexts

in Actes de colloque. Luxembourg: Ministère de l’Education Nationale et de la Formation Professionnelle - Service de l'Education Différenciée. (2007)