Intersubjective understanding in finger braille interpreter-mediated interaction: Two case studies of other-initiated repair

• Published in: Lingua Vol. 291; p. 103569
• Main Authors: Bono, Mayumi, Sakaida, Rui, Ochiai, Kanato, Fukushima, Satoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2023
• Subjects: Category-specific interrogative; Confirmation request; Deafblind; Finger braille; Interpreter-mediated interaction; Multimodal resource; Interpreter-mediated interaction; Finger braille; Deafblind; Confirmation request; Category-specific interrogative; Multimodal resource
• ISSN: 0024-3841; 1872-6135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lingua.2023.103569

•This study analyzes interviews with a deafblind man (DBM), mediated by Japanese finger braille interpreters (FBIs), focusing on other-initiated repair (OIR).•The repair segment initiated by the DBM is extended until he recognizes the repair operation was completed by himself.•A variety of multimodal resources can be used for all participants to achieve intersubjective understanding in finger braille interpreter-mediated interaction. This study analyzed data obtained from interviews with a deafblind man (DBM), mediated by Japanese finger braille interpreters (FBIs), to explore the negotiation of intersubjective understanding between participants. The DBM in this study co-invented a system of finger braille communication with his mother. He usually used two modalities to communicate with hearing and sighted others: Japanese voicing to convey what he wanted to say and finger braille letters tapped by FBIs to understand what the interlocutor was saying. Using the concept of other-initiated repair (OIR), we examined gaps in intersubjective understanding between the DBM and the interviewer (INT). OIR is a fundamental system that people use to resolve problems associated with speaking, hearing, and understanding to restore intersubjectivity during conversation. We examined two strategic uses of OIR: in the first, the DBM extends the repair segment although the INT completes the repair operation; in the second, DBM asks the FBI a question and manages the participation framework. We employed a mixed analytical method based on Conversation Analysis (CA) analyses, follow-up interviews, and multimodal interaction analysis to determine how OIR sequences coordinate intersubjective understanding in finger braille interpreter-mediated interaction. This study demonstrated some of the productive strategies and collaborative embodied efforts that facilitate deafblind communication and interpreter mediated achievement of intersubjective understandings.