A CONVERSATION ANALYSIS OF VERBAL BACKCHANNEL RESPONSE IN RADIO PROGRAM VALENTINE IN THE MORNING INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL BUBLÉ

Abstract

This study aims to investigate verbal backchannel response uttered in a radio program Valentine In the Morning interview with Michael Bublé using conversation analysis approach. The objectives of this study are to identify the types and functions of verbal backchannel response uttered by Sean as the announcer and Michael Bublé as the guest in the radio program. This research applied descriptive qualitative as the method. The data were in the form of utterances, while the contexts of the data were the dialogues uttered by Sean and Michael Bublé. The sources of the data were the video of Michael Bublé’s episode of Valentine In the Morning interview with Michael Bublé and its transcript. The data were collected by selecting dialogues containing verbal backchannel responses. The primary instrument was the researcher herself, while the secondary instrument was a data sheet. The results of this research are stated as follows. (1) All types of verbal backchannel response are employed by Sean and Michael Bublé, i.e. repetition, short question and answer, short verbalization, lexical item, phrase, and sentence. Among six types of verbal backchannel response, short verbalization is the main type of verbal backchannel response performed in the radio program Valentine In the Morning interview with Michael Bublé, while phrase becomes the least type of verbal backchannel response performed. Short verbalization often performs because it is used to avoid disruption and it is easier to be uttered. (2) There are seven functions of verbal backchannel responses, i.e. supporting the idea and indicating agreement, showing awareness, requesting clarification, expressing exclamation, indicating reference, attempting interruption, and waiting for the complete sentence. Among those functions, attempting interruption is the only function that does not appear in the radio program Valentine In the Morning interview with Michael Bublé, while showing awareness is the main function appearing in the radio program Valentine In the Morning interview with Michael Bublé. Either Sean or Michael Bublé employs verbal backchannel response to show their awareness that they still pay attention to the conversation.

Keywords: conversation anaylsis, verbal backchannel response, Valentine In the Morning interview with Michael Bublé