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‘Hello, we're outrageously punctual’: Front door rituals between friends in Australia and France

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 January 2010

CHRISTINE BÉAL*
Affiliation:
Praxiling Université Montpellier 3 et ICAR, Université Lumière Lyon 2
VÉRONIQUE TRAVERSO*
Affiliation:
Praxiling Université Montpellier 3 et ICAR, Université Lumière Lyon 2
*
Address for correspondence: Christine Béal, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier III, Route de Mende, 34199 Montpellier CEDEX 5, France e-mail: [email protected]
Address for correspondence: Véronique Traverso, ICAR, ENS-LSH, 15, Parvis René Descartes, 69007 Lyon, France e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of Australian and French social visits between friends from an interactional perspective. The study focuses on the first few exchanges that take place as the guests come face to face with their host and are ushered in across the threshold and shows similarities, but also significant differences, in the three main elements that are regularly used in these ‘crossing the threshold’ exchanges: greetings, miscellaneous comments (on setting, arrival time, etc), and laughter.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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