Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Data: Transcription, Ethics and Anonymisation
- List of Figures and Tables
- Introduction
- PART I Approaches
- Chapter 1 Theorising Discourse and Identity
- Chapter 2 Conversational Identities
- Chapter 3 Institutional Identities
- Chapter 4 Narrative Identities
- PART II Contexts
- References
- Index
Chapter 2 - Conversational Identities
from PART I - Approaches
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Data: Transcription, Ethics and Anonymisation
- List of Figures and Tables
- Introduction
- PART I Approaches
- Chapter 1 Theorising Discourse and Identity
- Chapter 2 Conversational Identities
- Chapter 3 Institutional Identities
- Chapter 4 Narrative Identities
- PART II Contexts
- References
- Index
Summary
This chapter contrasts two approaches to the analysis of identity in conversation: performativity and ethnomethodological approaches. We have chosen to focus on just those studies that analyse identity in everyday interaction. This cuts out a large literature based on interview or focus group talk and studies of institutional settings. It is probably fair to say that the majority of discourse-based work analyses identity construction in interviews and focus groups, particularly in the study of gender identity, sexuality and ethnicity. Some of this interviewbased work is discussed in Chapter 4 (Narrative Identities) and Chapter 5 (Commodified Identities). Identity practices in institutional talk are explored in Chapter 3 (Institutional Identities), Chapter 4 and Chapter 6 (Spatial Identities).
Let us start by considering some data, which come from a conversation between friends before embarking on a night out together:
Extract 2.1: VH: 3: 90–111 Simplified transcript
Dawn: We need to go in three quarters of an hour.
Elena: Okay.
Marie: Oh MAN I haven't even gone out and I'm sweating like a rapist! (Laughter and ‘horrified’ reaction)
Marie: I'm really hot!
Elena: You two have got to stop with that phrase.
Marie: Has anyone – has anyone got any really non sweaty stuff.
Dawn: Dave has. But you'll smell like a man.
Kate: (Laughs)
Marie: Right has anyone got any feminine non sweaty stuff.
Kate: I've got erm roll on.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Discourse and Identity , pp. 48 - 86Publisher: Edinburgh University PressPrint publication year: 2006