The processes of diversification of the non-verbal communicative components in the modern English discourse

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V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University

The processes of diversification of the non-verbal communicative components in the modern English discourse

Lyudmila Soloshchuk

Kharkiv, Ukraine



Annotation

The process of diversification of the non-verbal communicative components in the modern English discourse. This article focuses on the specific properties of the combinability of non-verbal components with each other in the modern English discourse including the characteristics of their interaction with verbal components. The structural, semantic and pragmatic features of non-verbal components as well as their universal, ethnospecific and individually meaningful characteristics are taken into account. The paper is based on the discourse methodology in analysing communicative phenomena. The complex nature of communication is presented as the unity of verbal and non-verbal components within the anthropocentric paradigm in language and speech research. This paper provides the research of the combinability of nonverbal communicative components with each other, the result of which is presented by different clusters of non-verbal components taking into account the characteristics of a discursive personality upon which depend the ways of diversifying the information and emotion through non-verbal components. The analysis of discourse-constitutive potential of kinesic, proxemic and prosodic communicative components contributes to developing the theory of discursive interaction of different code systems aimed at the investigation of communicative signs of different nature in their unity within the frames of different types of discourse.

Key words: code system, discourse, diversification, interaction, non-verbal component, verbal component.



Аннотация

Л. Солощук. Процеси диверсифікації невербальних комунікативних компонентів у сучасному англомовному дискурсі. Стаття присвячена дослідженню специфічних властивостей поєднання невербальних компонентів комунікації між собою у сучасному англомовному дискурсі, включаючи особливості їх взаємодії з вербальними компонентами. Враховуються структурні, семантичні та прагматичні особливості невербальних компонентів, а також їхні універсальні, етноспецифічні та індивідуально значущі характеристики. Стаття базується на методології дискурсу при аналізі комунікативних явищ. Складний характер комунікативних процесів представлено як єдність вербальних та невербальних компонентів у межах антропоцентричної парадигми сучасного мовознавства. У роботі пропонується дослідження поєднання невербальних комунікативних компонентів між собою, результатом чого є виникнення різних кластерів невербальних компонентів, при цьому ураховуються характеристики дискурсивної особистості, від якої залежать шляхи диверсифікації інформації і емоцій через невербальні компоненти. Аналіз дискурсно - конститутивного потенціалу кінесичних, проксемічних та просодичних комунікативних компонентів сприяє розробці теорії дискурсивної взаємодії різних кодових систем, спрямованої на дослідження комунікативних знаків різної природи у їхній єдності у межах різних типів дискурсу.

Ключові слова: вербальний компонент, взаємодія, диверсифікація, дискурс, кодова система, невербальний компонент.



Л. Солощук. Процессы диверсификации невербальных коммуникативных компонентов в современном англоязычном дискурсе. Статья посвящена исследованию специфических свойств взаимодействия невербальных компонентов коммуникации между собой в современном англоязычном дискурсе, включая особенности их взаимодействия с вербальными компонентами. Учитываются структурные, семантические и прагматические особенности невербальных компонентов, а также их универсальные, этноспецифические и индивидуально значимые характеристики. Статья базируется на методологии дискурса при анализе коммуникативных явлений. Сложный характер коммуникативных процессов представлен как единство вербальных и невербальных компонентов в рамках антропоцентрической парадигмы современного языкознания. В работе предлагается исследование комбинаторики невербальных коммуникативных компонентов между собой, результатом чего является возникновение различных кластеров невербальных компонентов, при этом учитываются характеристики дискурсивной личности, от которой зависят пути диверсификации информации и эмоций через невербальные компоненты. Анализ дискурсивноконститутивного потенциала кинесических, проксемическим и просодических коммуникативных компонентов способствует разработке теории дискурсивного взаимодействия различных кодовых систем, направленной на исследование коммуникативных знаков различной природы в их единстве в рамках различных типов дискурса.

Ключевые слова: вербальный компонент, взаимодействие, диверсификация, дискурс, кодовая система, невербальный компонент.



Introduction

The principal objective of this paper is to demonstrate the main tendencies of interaction of different communicative code systems within the frames of different types of Modern English discourse, namely the interaction of non-verbal communicative components (NVCC) with each other including the interaction of verbal (VCC) and non-verbal communicative components. The studying of non-verbal components first launched by psychologists, anthropologists, physiologists (Birdwhistell, 1952; Ekman, Friesen, & Tomkins, 1971; Mehrabian, 1972; Hall, 1968; etc.) nowadays is widely involved in the linguistic area. New approaches and discoveries in all the scientific fields become possible at the appropriate time when the necessary information has accumulated and the suitable conditions are created. Nowadays the level of linguistic development allows interpreting non-verbal components as a true object of linguistic research due to the anthropocentric paradigm, which has become the central one in the science concerning the means of communication. The processes of globalisation and informatisation as characteristic features of the 21st century stimulate linguistics to study communication in all of its aspects. So, language is investigated not only in the terms of its formal properties, but also from the point of its contribution to the systems with the boundaries of which language itself is regarded as a sub-system, namely--cultures, social systems, etc., which proves the topicality of non-verbal linguistic research in general and in English discourse in particular.

The speaker's communicative abilities first are presented at the verbal level, but communication is a complex system, and it is to be treated as a unity of verbal and non-verbal as it is impossible to communicate without using proper gestures, facial expressions, glances, postures, intonations, etc. The information is distributed among different code systems so that the diversification strategy contributes to the efficiency increase of the process of communication. The process of interaction between people begins at the moment they see each other, and already at this level mutual understanding or mutual misunderstanding between speakers may develop as the nonverbal communication is often socially and culturally derived. Thus, the non-verbal components can create the speakers' opinion at the very first moments of communication and influence the general results of interaction. In this respect the influence of the ethnic and cultural environment on nonverbal behaviour should be observed. Facial expressions, kinesics, vocal paralinguistic features contain a certain kind of information about the conversational partners, the situation of communication itself and, frequently enough, they supply this information in a much more explicit manner than any verbal statement. It's essential to be able to decode adequately gestures and body movements, facial, eye and vocal behaviour as well as the way the people use physical space to convey messages (a proxemic factor) so that not to be confused or misled by them.



Methodology

In order to reach the objective of this research we are to carry out the following sequence of methodological steps: to characterise specific properties of interaction of verbal and non-verbal communicative components in different types of modern English discourse; to expose the processes of diversification of information and emotion through NVCC; to establish typical clusters of NVCC taking into account their universal, ethnospecific and individually meaningful features as well as characteristics of the discursive personality which uses them. So, the principle of anthropocentrism becomes the main one in this research as it allows to take into account the human factor in the communicative activity which is especially important for studying non-verbal aspects within the frames of the linguistic sphere (Burgoon, Buller, & Woodall, 1996; Knapp & Hall, 2010; Kreydlin, 2002; Mandal, 2014; Remland, 2009; Sonneborn, 2012). The discursive approach to the speech phenomena and consistent patterns of their functioning allows to take into consideration the complex character of the process of communication. In order to investigate the non-verbal communicative phenomenon the multifunctional properties of non-verbal components are taken into account in this research: their dual nature; the norms of non-verbal component usage presented in two aspects: those which are connected with the speaker's non-verbal passport, and the norms based on the stereotypic ideas of the intensity category for non-verbal component usage; the principles of interaction of VCCs and NVCCs at macro- and micro-levels; the discursive competence of the interlocutor and his discursive surrounding presented by typical partners of communication belonging to the nuclear, marginal or peripheral discursive zone (Soloshchuk, 2006). The peculiarity lies in a rather free movement of a discursive personality from one zone to another. Such transitions may happen both evolutionarily, due to gradual changes in age and statuses, or revolutionarily, due to social and personal calamities; the potential of different NVCCs to be combined into clusters for obtaining the best communicative effect and result of the speaker's intention.

Results and discussion

In this paragraph, the actual characteristics of non-verbal components connected with the processes of their diversification in Modern English discourse are presented.

NVCC characteristics relevant for discursive activities NVCC are created in the process of the speaker's motoric and vocalic activity in communication. They are used alongside with verbal means of communication due to the acquiring of the communicatively significant and functionally dynamic character in the process of interaction. Relying on this nature of NVCC, basic forms of their creation and perception kinesic, proxemic and prosodic communicative components are singled out (Soloshchuk, 2014). Using the term “communicative meaning” we mean the ability of NVCC to be used in the role usually ascribed to language signs, namely--to make up an utterance and deliver information stimulating the development, promotion and regulation of the communicative process. NVCCs can mark those denotative meanings, which do not require an obligatory verbal expression. Situational components of a static character that potentially can influence the process of communication and regulate it are defined by us as supraverbal. Supraverbal components are less precise in comparison with kinesic, proxemic and prosodic components and can be treated as a thematic world, the elements of which may be treated semiotically.

The non-verbal component is a three-level (three-tier) formation presented by its universal, ethnospecific and individually meaningful characteristics. Universal and ethnospecific characteristics are better investigated nowadays in comparison with individually meaningful characteristics, on which we concentrate our attention. And besides individuals vary substantially in their encoding and decoding ability of non-verbal signs (Burgoon, Guerrero, & Floyd, 2016, p. 25).

The individually meaningful level in the structure of NVCC reflects the speaker's ability to modify their universal and ethnospecific characteristics thus contributing personal nuances to their production: he/she keeps the general form of a NVCC and its conceptual (notional) potential while adding individual meaning to this NVCC due to which some particular NVCC may become the brand sign of a person. The conventional character of an individually meaningful NVCC is usually known to a narrow circle of people, and their usage has an additional information programme only for those who belong to the close discursive surrounding of a personality. Nell picked up Mac's unconscious sign of displeasure which was his trademark telling his partners more than words can tell:

“Look, I don't like to press you at this time, but it really is important that we meet with you now.” Nell shook her head, a gesture she had picked up from Mac, his unconscious sign of displeasure when he didn't want to give voice to his objection to something. “All right. Come over if you must,” she told Brennan crisply, and then hung up (Clark, 2001, p. 86).

NVCC are the components of dual nature: on the one hand, they clear up the multiple meaning (multivalence) of a verbal utterance, on the other hand, they are polyfunctional themselves. Because of that they can provide the higher level of understanding in the process of communication as well as to entrap the communicative partner. The adequate usage of NVCC and their decoding depend upon the discursive personality and discursive surrounding. Violating the norms in NVCC usage usually attracts the addressee's attention and requires additional knowledge and efforts necessary for decoding the partner's utterance. Evasion from traditional norms serves as an indicator of a speaker's general communicative intention and identifies an additional meaning, which may appear in this intention. Deviations from the norm of NVCC usage may refute its verbally presented meaning. Daisy Harrison's extra sweet voice and an attempt to look impeccably informal betray her real attitude to her future son-in-law and only strengthens her hostility towards him:

Daisy Harrison was at the door to greet them, looking impeccably informal. She kissed her daughter and then turned to their visitor. “You must be Theodore,” she said as they shook hands. “We've so looked forward to meeting you.” She was unable, despite herself, to play the script of conventional politeness with any real conviction.

“Actually, Ted,” remarked Mrs. Harrison with a sweetness that would put a diabetic into shock, “all my family is Yale. Is yours all Harvard?”

“Absolutely,” answered the well-prepared Ted Lambros (Segal, 1986, p. 1781.

“If you get near my client again and attempt to obtain anything from him without my permission, I'll sue you and the FBI. I'll file an ethics complaint with the state bar in Louisiana and Tennessee, and I'll haul your ass into Juvenile Court here and ask the judge to lock you up. ”

The words were spoken in an even voice, no emotion, but so matter-of-factly that everyone in

the room, including Roy Foltrigg, knew that she would do exactly as she _promised (Grisham, 2003, p. 52).

In example 3 an extremely even and quiet voice in the situation which stereotypically requires a loud voice and emotions also attracts the partners' attention and makes them sure that the lawyer will carry out her promise which is dangerous for them.

The principles of interaction of VCCs and NVCCs Kinesic, proxemic and prosodic components which are included into the structure of the dialogic discourse interact with verbal components at two levels: macro-level and micro-level. The macrointeraction is presented by autonomous functioning of non-verbal components within the frame of the dialogic utterance, and a speech act, thus, is transformed into a paraspeech act obtaining the characteristics of a speech act. It can function without the verbal support:

Cleveland: Hey, Tex. Man, what the hell's going on? Tex holds up his hand, motioning that he doesn't know (Roth, n.d.).

Danny, how about one (photo) with you kissing your girlfriend?”

Danny glanced toward the corner where Maria, dressed sedately, had been all but hiding.

(It had taken weeks of persuasion to get her to go to the concert just as a “friend”.) He motioned to her to come forward. But she shook her head. (Segal, 1986, p. 168).

The micro-interaction of VCC and NVCC takes place within the frames of one dialogic utterance, and is based on 4 main principles: principle of coordination, principle of subordination, principle of identification, principle of contradiction which are defined according to the particular properties of the structural, semantic and pragmatic organization of the information in the utterance (Soloshchuk, 2006).

The principle of coordination means that VCC and NVCC contain the identical basic information. It is enough to use either verbal or non-verbal channel of information in order to provide the discursive integrity of the dialogue. The discursive integrity of the dialogue will not be violated in case of omitting either verbal or non-verbal part of the utterance:

Cindy stayed where she was. Her voice was more assured.

“But it's the most sensible thing, isn't it?”

Mel nodded. “Yes. I guess it is ” (Hailey, 1983, p. 57).

The verbal part is used in order to enlarge the basic communicatively meaningful information, which is contained in the non-verbal part of the utterance. Besides expressing her agreement, Rachel also deciphers the abbreviation and mentions her father's involvement in this project, which is relevant for this situation:

“I assume, ” the President said, “that you 're aware of a NASA project called EOS? ” Rachel nodded. “Yes. Earth Observation System. I believe my father has mentioned EOS once or twice ” (Brown, 2003, p. 59).

While combined according to the principle of subordination, the information in the utterance is delivered partially by VCC and partially by NVCC. Elimination of either verbally or non-verbally presented information results in violating the communicative integrity of the utterance and creating the informational dissonance (discord) within the frames of the dialogic discourse. If in the coordinative type of interaction VCC and NVCC can present the necessary information independently, in case of subordination the utterance acquires integrity only on condition of taking into account both VCC and NVCC. Usually this principle is employed for the actualization of deictic components in the verbal part of the utterance and demonstrates the greatest dependence upon the context. Kinesic components (mainly--index gestures) are used in this case. The pronoun “it” in the dialogue cue is explained by the index gesture “he nodded to Schyler's bandaged arm”:

“How is it?” He nodded to Schyler's bandaged arm. “Okay I guess. It hasn 't hurt at all ” (Brown, 2011, p. 121).

The interaction of VCC and NVCC according to this principle takes place when the structural and semantic integrity of the utterance is provided by distributing information between them. Without one of them, the communicative, structural and semantic integrity of the utterance is violated. Splitting of the utterance appeals to the speaker's attention, too. The non-verbal component usually occupies the final position in the utterance. As a rule, in English the new information is placed in the final stressed position:

The porter came in. He was trying to keep from laughing.

“Is that barber crazy?” “No, signorino. He made a mistake. He doesn't understand very well and he thought I said you were an Austrian officer.”

“Oh,” I said.

“Ho ho ho,” the porter laughed. “He was funny. One move from you he said and he would have --” he drew his_forefinger across his throat. ...

“Ho ho ho,” I said bitterly. “How funny if he would cut my throat. Ho ho ho” (Hemingway, 1976, pp. 98-99).

The principle of identification is realized when structural and semantic organisation of the utterance is not informatively sufficient for presenting the final communicative goal. The intention presented in structurally and semantically identical utterances can be decoded only due to the non-verbal component. In the theory of speech acts it is accentuated that structurally and semantically identical utterances may acquire different illocutionary force in this way creating different speech acts which are to be identified by the addressee. Only due to the tone of Adam's voice Jennifer identifies his real attitude towards her activity as a lawyer. He doesn't approve her working for the Mafia:

“I read about you all the time,” Jennifer said. “I'm very proud of you, Adam.” “Thank you.” Adam hesitated. “I've been reading about you, too. “She responded to the tone of his voice. “But you're not proud of me.” -- “You seem to have a lot of Syndicate clients” (Sheldon, 2003, p. 298).

In case of interaction of a VCC and NVCC according to the principle of contradiction the information presented verbally contradicts to the information presented in the non-verbal way within the frame of one and the same dialogic utterance. That is, a NVC can bring out a meaning, totally contradicting to that of a verbal message. The non-verbal information is a unique means of revealing someone's true intentions and cracking down pretenses. Thus, most nonverbal means can not only bring about some new layers of meaning to the verbal message, but also provide veritable information and true intentions. The non-verbal information is usually more relevant and true to life than the verbally presented one. In the example given below the doctor tries to support the daughter's hopes for her father's quick recovering on the verbal level while the non-verbal component reveals the true state of affairs. Besides, due to the dual nature of the NVCC when it is stereotypically thought only to exacerbate the meaning of the utterance it may also mitigate it under the required circumstances:

Lucky knew Gino couldn 't live forever, but she'd never imagined the end would come with an assassin's bullet. “He 'll make it,” she said, a determined thrust to her jaw. “Gino's strong.” “I hope so,” the doctor said, his eyes revealing that he didn't think so (Collins, 2007, p. 328).

In the next case Maria Pastore's tone fails to give a true notion or impression of her agreement, it contradicts to the verbal information.

“Why not come around five? We can talk the things over in my room before we eat.” “Your room?” her voice was slightly nervous once again. “Uh--yes,” he answered suavely. “I mean, I've got a piano here and everything. If not, we can meet sometime in Paine Hall. But I should definitely be near a keyboard.” “Oh, no, that's okay,” Maria Pastore quickly responded, her tone belying her words, “your room would be fine. So I'll see you Wednesday at five. I'm really excited about this. Thanks” (Segal, 1986, p. 107).

Each of the NVCC has a definite discursive potential which is realised in different ways in different types of dialogic discourse, namely in the every-day and official types of discourse. The variability of NVCC usage depends also on the cooperative or conflict intentions of the speaker.

The role of the discursive surrounding of the interlocutor in the interpretation of NVCC When the individually meaningful characteristics of a NVCC prevail, the role of the decoding personality increases. To point out the role of the personality in the discursive activity we enlarged the concept of a language personality to the concept of a discursive personality (Soloshchuk, 2006) which is treated as a personality acting in the infinite communicative space and is able to combine different semiotic code systems--verbal and non-verbal ones belonging to different discourses of different cultural origin--while communicating in the discursive surrounding. The discursive surrounding includes communicative partners, with whom the discursive personality finds himself/herself in the permanent/occasional communicative contact during his/her lifetime as well as all the factors relevant for the process of communication. The number of communicative partners is unlimited and depends on the social and communicative activity of a discursive personality. The discursive surrounding, in the centre of which is placed the discursive personality, consists of three main zones: nuclear, marginal and peripheral. The boundaries of these zones are not forever stable. Its members can move to other zones. It depends on different factors of social, gender, psychological, age, etc character. The most mobile are the boundaries of the marginal zone the members of which can move either to the nuclear or peripheral zone. nonverbal communication verbal semantic

In the everyday discourse (parental and matrimonial) where the speakers belong to the nuclear discursive zone, the usage of individually meaningful NVCCs prevails. Their adequate decoding becomes possible because the members of this zone are very closely related, they are aware of nonverbal habits of each other. In the given example Rachel, the dying mother of two children, introduces Rachel, her former husband's new wife, into the nuclear discursive zone of her daughter and son trying to make a good mother for her children before she dies:

Annabelle pushes her hair over her eyes.

RACHEL: She's gonna trip over her own feet, if she doesn't get her hair out of her eyes.

Jackie casts a sidelong glance at Rachel. Decides to tell her...

JACKIE: Pushing her hair over her eyes means she's avoiding a confrontation. Rachel looks

over. Really? Jackie decides to share more. Reading Rachel's reaction to...

JACKIE: If she's twirling it, she's _ playing something out in her mind. If she's stopped combing

it, she might be depressed... As Rachel listens she's unconsciously twisting her hair.

RACHEL: What about obsessively picking her split ends?

JACKIE: Anxiety.

RACHEL: Last week when she chopped her Barbie's bangs all to hell--

JACKIE: She was angry at herself.

RACHEL: Jackie?

JACKIE: Yes?

RACHEL: When I twisted hair like this it means I'm intimidated by you...Jackie gives her the

trace of a smile.

JACKIE: I'll keep it in mind, and use it against you (Bass, n.d., pp. 53-54).

In the official discourse the usage of NVCCs and their combinability with verbal components is usually controlled consciously. The communicative partners are less knowledgeable about each others' non-verbal ways and habits that is why universally accepted NVCCs are usually preferred:

“Deal with me, Mr. Gilbreath,” she said imperatively, staring at him. “It's unrealistic to

hope that I can fill enough contracts to come up with that much cash in such a short time.”

“That's hardly my problem. " He tried to keep the gloating tone of his voice. He could almost hear her mind working during the ensuing silence (Brown, 2011, p. 153).

The business partners trying to win the position use both verbal components and non-verbal components--the Imperative mood in the utterance combined with the imperative intonation and a direct staring glance while the other one hardly manages to hide his delight presented in the prosodic way.

NVCC clusters and their peculiar features in the dialogic discourse

Recently, there have appeared some linguistic researches focusing on the characteristics of the combinability of VCCs with NVCCs and the influence of NVCC on the functioning of VCC (Kalyta, 2001, 2015; Seryakova, 2017; Kalyta & Taranenko, 2012; Dijk, 2009; Du Bois, 2012; Boguslawska-Tafelska, 2011, etc.). The combinability of kinesic, prosodic and proxemic components only starts to acclaim the researchers' attention. The clusters formed by different NVCCs may carry out the basic functions of the communication--informative, pragmatic, and expressive. Their effectiveness is being enforced by diversifying the information and expressiveness through kinesic, prosodic and proxemic components used contemporaneously. In this case we treat diversification as a measure of variety in the summation which contributes greatly to the intensity of a dialogic utterance in the whole. The interoperability of kinesic components with prosodic, proxemics and supraverbal are becoming topical for modern theory of communication. Traditionally these components are studied separately with the aim of establishing their correlation with VCCs. Nonetheless, NVCCs may combine their potentials within the frame of one communicative act. The verbal intention may be accompanied by kinesic, prosodic and proxemic components and supported on the supraverbal level, thus they are providing the highest degree of the effectiveness of the whole utterance. The multeity of the ways of information delivery reduces the risk of failure in the communicative process and prevent interlocutors from the inadequate and incomplete perception of transmitted information.

In the example provided below the cluster of verbal, proxemic, prosodic, gestural components and eye contact used by the addresser in the institutional discourse, do not give to the addressee any chance to pretend he does not catch the idea and brings him to the state preplanned by the addresser:

“What the hell are you talking about?"

“You know what I am talking about," she affirmed in an agitated voice, and leaned over the desk top toward me, shaking her finger at me, “and you sit there and think you are so high- toned. If you were a man you'd get up and go in there and knock hell out of him. I thought she was yours. Or maybe he's fixed you up that doctor." She leaned farther toward me. “Maybe he's making you director of hospital? Yeah, what's he making you director of?" Under the flood of words and the savage finger and the snapping eyes, I jerked myself forward ... while the blood ppounded in my head to make me dizzy ... (Warren, 1979, p. 248).

The accumulation of a number of gestures combined with a prosodic component in a family discourse helps Mother to influence her son and impose her intentions on him. The son being in the nuclear zone of Mother's discursive surrounding decodes the meaning of her gesture (that kind of a sandwich out of one of your hands it is always a prelude to something--and it is really is):

She reached over and took my hand, and spoke earnestly to me. “Don't, son, don't talk that way," she said. “What way?"

“When you talk that way I don't know what to think. I just don't know ...She laid her free hand on the hand of mine she held, and when a woman makes that kind of a sandwich out of

one of your hands it is always a prelude to something. Which, in this case, was: “Why don't

you, Son, why don't you--settle down----why don't you marry some nice girl--" “I tried that," I offered. “And if you tried to rig anything for me with that Dumonde, you sure rang the lemons." ...I snatched my hand out of the sandwich she had made, and said, “I don't want anything in God's world out of them. Or anybody. And I don't want to settle down, and I don't want to get married, and I don't want any other job, and as for money--"

“Son--Son--" she said, and I turned her hands together on her lap...

She didn't move or say anything. She just looked up at me, and I saw that her eyes had tears coming into them, and that she loved me, for I was her son.

...She reached out with one hand, in a tentative humble way, and took my right hand, not by hand itself but _ just by the _ fingers, crumpling them together.

“Son," she said, “you know whatever I've got is yours. Don't you know that?"

I didn't say anything.

“Don't you know that?" she said, and swung on to my fingers as though they were the end of a rope somebody had tossed in the water to her.

“All right," I heard my voice said, and felt my fingers twitching to get away, but at the same time I felt my heart suddenly go soft and fluid in my chest like a melting snowball you squash in your hand. “I'm sorry I talked that way," I said, “but damn it, why can't we just stop talking? Why can't I just come home for a day or two and us not talk, not open our mouths?" She didn't answer, but kept on holding my fingers... (Warren, 1979, p. 126-128).

Though the son tries to resist his mother's non-verbal attack, he fails. The verbal filling is plain in this dialogue: the words are not numerous, the sentences mainly are not finished, but the goal is reached (I felt my heart suddenly go soft and fluid in my chest) due to multiple usages of the same gesture and introduction of new ones supported by the earnestness in the intonation.

Different non-verbal components may be co-directional as in the following example (the expression conveyed by Tom's lips, arms, feet, pose):

Defiance was written on Tom's lips, sucked into a thin line, and on his pose, arms folded across his chest, feet apart.

Yet she p pleaded, “Please. It's only a few words, Tom. You can't keep evading this..."

“I'm sorry, Mom, but I can't. You don't understand. I can't."

Laura put her hand on his shoulder and looked up--how tall he was--into his angry, sad, fearful face. “Tom, I do understand, much more than you think. We 're all in this together, so we have to understand each other" (Plain, 2004, p. 293).

They may balance the utterance while intonation is firm but gestures mitigate the severity of the situation and the addresser's intentions:

“Darling, I don't want any explanation from you and I won't listen to one," said Melanie firmly as she gently laid a small hand across Scarlett's tortured lips and stilled her words, “Not a word."

“But--" Scarlett fumbled and stopped (Mitchell, 1993, p. 935).

So, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of the diversified transmission of the information in the dialogic discourse. It enlarges the entire range of communicative means necessary for successful interaction of interlocutors belonging to different spheres of the society.



Conclusions

Summing up the role of NVCC, it should be admitted that it is impossible to avoid using them-- either in combination with VCC or with each other; they present the natural part of the communicative processes; it is impossible to hide non-verbal signals: one can consciously avoid using them for a while, but he/she will always lapse back into normal patterns. Mutual understanding of speakers is provided due to the valuable information encoded in separate nonverbal components and their combinations.

Thus, the results of this study may have significance for those who teach or train others and for those who would like to improve their interpersonal communication skills in foreign languages, for once they learn to read non-verbal signals, they will find it of great advantage when dealing with people of different cultural environment. The results will be of use in modelling communicative patterns of interaction based on the usage of the components of different code nature within the frames of the different types of modern English discourse.



Abbreviations

NVCC--non-verbal communicative components VCC--verbal communicative components



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