STRATEGY FOR SHOWING UNDERSTANDING: BACKCHANNELS

Backchannels are noises or non-verbal answers that listeners used to show understanding and encourage the speaker to go on talking without interrupting the conversation or to express interest in what it is being said, surprise, etc.


Some backchannels are:

• Alternatives to yes: um, mm, uh, uh-huh, mhm, ah, yeah...
• To express a reaction: oh, oh!, oh?, really?, sure, quite, good, wow, oh God, oh my God...

Example:
 (From http://www.speech-therapy-information-and-resources.com/transcribing-conversation.html)


1     M:    okay what do you want to talk about
2     K:    I don’t know...pick a conversation
3     M:    what do you fancy doing on Saturday
4     K:    Saturday...I thought we were going to get the presents
5     M:    yeah well we talked about Saturday or Sunday but Bede and
6             Sinners are playing on Sunday so wouldn’t give us much time to
7             get back for four o'clock especially if we wanted to go to
8             Browton
9     K:    m
10   M:   so probably Saturday
11    K    okay
12   M:   but we’ve got the...Paul Norton and his wife coming round on
13          the evening time for a meal
14   K:   oh but the only problem is I need to get dad’s present
15          ((1 syllable))
16    M:   mhm
17    K:   and we...so I can either do that on the Saturday and Sunday
18           but I think one of the shops might not be open
19    M:   on Sunday...you, you’re home all week...all...
20    K:    oh yeah
21    M:    from Monday
22    K:    oh, will do, yeah
23    M:    have you got any plans
25    K:    Friday, at home

*I have underlined the backchannels used.