Data Integration, Annotation, and Transcription Methods for Sign Language Dialogue with Latency in Videoconferencing

This article aims to explain how latency is captured in sign language dialogue via videoconferencing and how recorded data are integrated and annotated using an annotation tool (ELAN). First, we present two examples of the analysis to clarify basic theoretical issues that affect turn-taking via videoconferencing systems focusing on the sequence structure of 'greetings' and 'encounters.' Videoconferencing dialogues often begin with the participants greeting each other, which may be delayed because of the nature of online communication or the technical specifications of each individual's device. Next, to discuss sequential issues with videoconferencing dialogue, we introduce how the fundamental adjacency pair, such as question (first pair part: FPP) and answer (second pair part: SPP), appears to each participant on their computers with latency. This research shows that recording videoconferencing dialogues with latency is useful for next-generation data collection in vision-sensitive sign languages, as well as audio-centred spoken languages with gestures.