Gender influence on phonetic turn-taking cues at potential transition locations in German

Abstract

Phonetic cues have been found to play a fundamental role in the turn-taking mechanism by helping to signal to the interlocutor(s) the intentions of the current speaker for the upcoming turn. Since previous sociolinguistic research described the existence of gender specific behaviors in interactions, it could be the case that interlocutors’ genders might influence the way different speakers use turn-taking cues to signal their conversational intentions. This research aims at investigating the influence of the gender of the speaker and the gender of the interlocutor on phonetic turn-taking cues, i.e., F0 movements, intensity and segmental duration, towards potential transition locations in two-party conversations between German native speakers. The results suggest that both the speakers’ and the interlocutors’ genders might influence the way potential transition locations are phonetically marked in conversations.