The Role of Prosody in International Communication in English in Call Center Interactions

Dados Bibliográficos

ID4503306
AutoresLucy Pickering (0009-0007-2025-2124, East Texas A&M University, autor correspondente), Eric Friginal (0000-0001-5956-3674, Hong Kong Polytechnic University), Shigehito Menjo (East Texas A&M University)
Ano2025
Volume75
FascículoS1
Páginas139-169
Data de publicação2025-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoLanguage Learning (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0023-8333 • E-ISSN: 1467-9922
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/lang.12723
OpenAlexW4411962549
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas64

This paper examines outsourced call center interactions to illustrate how these contexts can enhance pronunciation analysis and training. Public opinion in the United States and the United Kingdom regarding the perceived "pronunciation problems" of agents based in call centers in Outer-Circle English-speaking countries is typically negative. However, it is often difficult for researchers to pinpoint the specific issues involved, as access to authentic calls is scarce. This paper reports an investigation into the role that the differing use of prosodic conventions can play in call center interactions recorded in the Philippines between Filipinos and North Americans. A microethnographic analysis of call center data focused on prosodic features of interaction suggests that, where conflict occurs, it is mirrored in the prosodic features of the interaction. This has important implications for modeling effective interaction and training for high-stakes contexts

Center (category theory) · Linguistics · Prosody · Communication · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Philosophy · Psychology