2000 年 7 巻 1 号 p. 78-85
Based on the videotaped interaction between Japanese and American workers at a Japanese manufacturing plant in the US, this paper examines their use of gesture as an indispensable communicative strategy. Unlike most intercultural interactions examined in previous studies, the informants of the two groups had limited knowledge of one another's language. Nevertheless, they needed to communicate as accurately as possible in order to accomplish tasks. Two functions of gesture were found in the present data. Firstly, the interactants used iconic gesture together with some of the most commonly appearing vocabulary in their interactions: namely, gestures of ‘assembly’, ‘stamping’, ‘finish’, and the like. This type of gesture was far from redundant. Instead, it served to secure the currently discussed major topic as a reference point for the interactants. That is, by amplifying the major topic being discussed such as ‘assembly’ through combining speech and gesture, the interactants could make sure that they were talking something about assembly. Secondly, when the interactants were temporarily lost in their interaction, iconic gesture was used as a means to elicit clarification. In the example segment, a Japanese engineer repeated the ‘stamping’ gesture used by his American interlocutor. This repetition of gesture functioned to request clarification from the interlocutor. These findings present ways in which gestures were actively and creatively utilized as an important communicative strategy in the intercultural work setting.
