Getting Acquainted in Conversation: A study of initial interactions

Pragmatics & Beyond New Series #64

by Jan Svennevig

What makes a 'getting acquainted' a recognizable conversational activity, and how are interpersonal relationships established in a first conversation? This book presents a theoretical framework for the study of relationship management in conversation and an empirical study of a corpus of initial interactions. It provides detailed descriptions of the sequential resources unacquainted interlocutors use in order to:
- generate self-presentation
- introduce topics
- establish common contextual resources
It is argued that these sequential patterns embody conventionalized procedures for establishing an interpersonal relationship involving some degree of:
- solidarity (mutual rights and obligations)
- familiarity (mutual knowledge of personal background)
- mutual affect (emotional commitment)
The sequential analysis is based on a conversation analytic approach, while the interpretive framework consists of pragmatic theories of politeness, conversational style and common ground.

Genres: Linguistics

393 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2000