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Fig. 9.1 The Symbolic Propensities of the Conversational Self
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Contraction of Expansion of Contraction
Self Self of Self
Mobilisation and Alignment of Selves as
Conversational Players and Images
ONGOING CONVERSATIONAL FLOW --jo.
The Self as
Conversational
Construal
Face Needs
I have treated the second key term of alignment in quite general terms to
refer to the way selves are mobilised vis-ý-vis other selves in talk. Participants
in sociable episodes have been conceived of as being both alignable and align-
dependent entities in their sociable capacities. In sociable episodes, particular
selves were shown to be mobilised, commonly typical ones, recognisable by co-
participants as sociable. In order to ratify and support these selves, appropriate
recipient selves were shown to be mobilised and, appropriately aligned.
I demonstrated in Chapter 6 that the facework as alignment approach
allows for a range of conversational possibilities centred around the ratification
and n on-ratifi cation of sociable selves. It was argued that - and in line with
Goffman's (1967) comments on the fundamental condition of ritual equilibrium
under normal circumstances, selves are aligned in a way that encouraged
ratification and support. This preference for ratification was shown to apply
equally to both negative and positive alignment. On occasions when selves
were not ratified, participants were shown to normatively re-align so as to
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