A TRANSCRIPTION SYSTEM FOR NONVERBAL LISTENING BEHAVIOR

ABSTRACT

Nonverbal communication behavior is central to the communicative performance of listening. Yet listening scholarship has primarily been grounded in exploring the verbal behaviors associated with listening to the neglect of the systematic exploration of nonverbal listening behaviors in these same communicative moments. This is likely in part due to the lack of a standardized methodical approach to transcribing nonverbal discourse. In this study, we take initial steps to remedy this methodological lacunae. We first compare approaches to verbal transcription and nonverbal coding that might be adopted by communication scholars interested in nonverbal discourse in general. We then offer an initial transcription framework that incorporates previous approaches and innovates new ones that can be used to transcribe listening nonverbal discourse in particular. We conclude with a brief example of how this could be used to further our understanding of diverse listening practices and opportunities for future research. Our ultimate aim is to propose a culturally inclusive way to transcribe nonverbal listening discourse with which discourse analysts and listening scholars can intentionally and effectively include nonverbal listening behaviors as central to their communication research.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

¹ Throughout this article, the terms coding, annotating, and transcribing are used interchangeably to describe a variety of levels of nuanced recording of linguistic and paralinguistic communicative acts and behaviors. We have decided to use the term transcription for our methodological purposes, following the nomenclature most often used to describe work done with the International Phonetic Alphabet and Jefferson Transcription System. However, for the goals of this project any of the three terms are conceptually interchangeable.

² Streeck’s work often appeared alongside Kendon’s (2004) work on gestures and gaze. However, as we analyzed the two, Streeck’s work had more consistency in its notation that was used in other transcriptions than Kendon’s; thus our work focuses on Streeck’s transcription work.