Sharing procedural knowledge in manual work environments: Material-bodily actions as explanatory resources in construction-site interactions

The study examines the use of material objects constituting material-bodily actions in explanation sequences in construction-site interactions. Using multimodal Conversation Analysis as a method, it investigates the explanatory role of such actions and their sequential environments, comparing their application with gestural depiction. The analysis demonstrates that material-bodily actions are employed when the matter of explanation requires a focus on the details of prerequisite manual actions and when additional troubles emerge during the explanation. By using material-bodily actions, speakers direct recipients' attention to the salience of spatial accuracy to ensure understanding of the procedural order. The study discusses the interactional differences between gestural depiction and the employment of material objects as explanatory resources. • Explanation sequences are one method of dealing with troubles on construction sites. • Explainers use gestural depictions and material objects as explanatory resources. • By employing objects, explainers constitute material-bodily actions. • Material-bodily actions come in response to additional troubles during explanations. • Material-bodily actions are used when spatial accuracy matters.