SHIFTING FROM ONE LANGUAGE TO ANOTHER AS A COMMUNICATIVE STRATEGY IN TELETANDEM INTERCOMPREHENSION

This study explores the communicative dynamics of plurilingual interaction within the context of Teletandem Intercomprehension, a model where participants use their own native or dominant languages to communicate while relying on receptive skills to understand their partner. Focusing on how speakers manage discourse and negotiate meaning, the research investigates language shifts—specifically code-switching and translanguaging—as strategic tools in digitally mediated oral communication. The methodology involved an exploratory analysis of approximately 10 hours of video-recorded sessions from the IOTT (Intercomprehension Oral TeleTandem) project, featuring dyads speaking typologically related languages such as Italian and Portuguese. The interactions were analyzed using the PraTiD multilayered dialogic annotation framework, which categorizes speech into transactions, conversational games, and specific conversational moves. The results identified 48 instances of language shifts, which occurred more frequently in "End" game positions (such as answering or acknowledging) than in "Open" positions. The most common move types involving language shifts were Answer/Clarify, Influencing/Explain, and Understanding/Repeat Rephrase. The study found that while participants fluidly mobilize their linguistic repertoires to reiterate concepts and foster solidarity, these strategies fail when speakers make incorrect assumptions about their partner’s proficiency in a "bridge language" (often English). The findings suggest that while language-shifting is a vital strategy for maintaining interactional flow, its success depends on pragmatic awareness of the interlocutor’s actual linguistic resources. Ultimately, the study contributes to the development of analytical tools for understanding multilingual competence and provides insights for language educators to support reflection on multilingual interaction.