Speaking as someone with a datacomms background who thought about this while working on trimming out 'filler' words for public speaking. I started getting talked over, realized those words 'hold the floor', parallel to many datacomms protocols in which a sender might send a periodic blip to indicate that it was still sending (more important in CSMA/CD protocols with multiple potential senders like Ethernet, but also in others). What worked perfectly at the front of a room or on a stage absolutely did not in conversational situations. I finally figured out that open gestures can be used to show that you're in mid-statement, started using opening hands a lot. I'm not southern European. This did not come naturally :-)

Also, I've always taken 'upspeak' to mean 'do you follow me so far?', an invitation to respond, particularly if I don't follow. Maybe don't ask for a response if you don't want one right then.

Just my $0.02