Which term refers to an utterance that supports another speaker, such as 'uh-huh'?

Which term refers to an utterance that supports another speaker, such as 'uh-huh'?

• A. Co-opperative
• B. Idiom
• C. Vague Language
• D. Chaining

Answer: (A)

Backchanneling is the name for those short listener signals like “uh-huh” that support the speaker without taking the floor. These utterances show you’re following along, encourage the speaker to continue, and help keep the conversation flowing. They’re not adding new content or shifting the topic; they’re simply acknowledging and supporting what the speaker is saying. That’s why they’re described as backchannel cues. The other terms describe different speech acts: an idiom is a fixed figurative phrase, vague language reduces precision, and chaining refers to linking turns to extend discourse.

Backchanneling is the name for those short listener signals like “uh-huh” that support the speaker without taking the floor. These utterances show you’re following along, encourage the speaker to continue, and help keep the conversation flowing. They’re not adding new content or shifting the topic; they’re simply acknowledging and supporting what the speaker is saying. That’s why they’re described as backchannel cues. The other terms describe different speech acts: an idiom is a fixed figurative phrase, vague language reduces precision, and chaining refers to linking turns to extend discourse.