What is "backchannel"

alt. 1 To employ a back channel. 2 (context linguistics English) To employ non-verbal (oral and visual) means to influence a speaker without interruption. n. (context computing English) A real-time online discussion that occurs simultaneously with a verbal presentation. vb. 1 To employ a back channel. 2 (context linguistics English) To employ non-verbal (oral and visual) means to influence a speaker without interruption.

A backchannel is a real-time online conversation using networked computers that takes place alongside live spoken remarks.

Backchannel may also refer to:

• Return channel, a low-speed, or less-than-optimal, telecommunications transmission channel in the opposite direction to the main channel
• Backchanneling, the method a malicious malware program uses to secretly communicate to command and control servers from a compromised computer
• Track II diplomacy, an unofficial channel of communication between states or other political entities
• Backchannel (linguistics), listener responses that can be both verbal and non-verbal in nature
• Backchanneling, an organizational practice in business that involves bypassing recognized or official chains of command in order to create vulnerability at the level(s) skipped
• Backchannel, a technology publication on the blog-publishing platform Medium

Backchannel is the practice of using networked computers to maintain a real-time online conversation alongside the primary group activity or live spoken remarks. The term was coined in the field of linguistics to describe listeners' behaviours during verbal communication.

The term "backchannel" generally refers to online conversation about the conference topic or speaker. Occasionally backchannel provides audience members a chance to fact-check the presentation.

First growing in popularity at technology conferences, backchannel is increasingly a factor in education where WiFi connections and laptop computers allow participants to use ordinary chat like IRC or AIM to actively communicate during presentation. More recent research include works where the backchannel is brought publicly visible, such as the ClassCommons, backchan.nl and Fragmented Social Mirror.

Twitter is also widely used today by audiences to create backchannels during broadcasting of content or at conferences. For example, television drama, other forms of entertainment and magazine programs. This practice is often also called live tweeting. Many conferences nowadays also have a hashtag that can be used by the participants to share notes and experiences; furthermore such hashtags can be user generated.

In linguistics, backchannels are listener responses in a primarily one-way communication. These can be both verbal and non-verbal in nature, and are frequently phatic expressions, primarily serving a social or meta-conversational purpose, rather than involving substantial two-way communication.

The term "backchannel" was designed to imply that there are two channels of communication operating simultaneously during a conversation. The predominant channel is that of the speaker who directs primary speech flow. The secondary channel of communication (or backchannel) is that of the listener which functions to provide continuers or assessments, defining a listener's comprehension and/or interest.

Due to research development in recent years, backchannel responses have been expanded to include sentence completions, requests for clarification, brief statements, and non-verbal responses and now fall into three categories: non- lexical, phrasal, and substantive. A non-lexical backchannel is a vocalized sound that has little or no referential meaning but still verbalizes the listener's attention. In English, sounds like "uh-huh" and "hmm" serve this role. Phrasal backchannels most commonly assess or acknowledge a speaker's communication with simple words or phrases (for example, "Really?" or "Wow!" in English). Substantive backchannels consist of more substantial turn-taking by the listener and usually manifest as asking for clarification or repetitions.

The term was coined by Victor Yngve in 1970, in the following passage: "In fact, both the person who has the turn and his partner are simultaneously engaged in both speaking and listening. This is because of the existence of what I call the back channel, over which the person who has the turn receives short messages such as 'yes' and 'uh-huh' without relinquishing the turn."

Backchannel communication is present in all cultures and languages, though frequency and use may vary. Confusion or distraction can occur during an intercultural encounter if participants from both parties are not accustomed to the same backchannel norms.

Backchannel is a Medium-hosted blog for technology-related news. Numerous prominent journalists have been recruited to write for the blog, including Steven Levy, Andrew Leonard, Susan P. Crawford, Virginia Heffernan, Doug Menuez, Peter Diamandis and many others. In addition, Backchannel has interviewed many notable figures, such as Demis Hassabis of Deepmind and Orrin Hatch of the Republican Party. In 2016, Backchannel was purchased by Condé Nast.