First published 1981
Erving Goffman turns his analytical lens toward the mechanics of ordinary talk and face-to-face interaction. This collection presents five key essays that dissect how people communicate in daily life. Goffman examines replies and responses between speakers, the spontaneous cries people make, shifts in conversational footing, the dynamics of lecture delivery, and the particular nature of radio communication. His approach connects verbal and nonverbal behavior to the social contexts where they occur. Each essay tackles a specific aspect of talk while revealing broader patterns of human interaction. Goffman demonstrates how seemingly simple conversations operate according to complex social rules and frameworks. The work shows readers how to decode the hidden structures that govern everyday communication across different settings and situations.
Genres: social-science, non-fiction, communication, academic
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic-study
Period: 20th-century
344 pages · Paperback · University of Pennsylvania Press