Everyday Talk, Second Edition Building and Reflecting Identities

This engaging text explores how everyday talk--the ordinary kinds of communicating that people do in schools, workplaces, and among family and friends--expresses who we are and who we want to be. The authors interweave rhetorical and cultural perspectives on the "little stuff" of conversation: what we say and how we say it, the terms used to refer to others, the content and style of stories we tell, and more. Numerous detailed examples show how talk is the vehicle through which people build relationships. Students gain skills for thinking more deeply about their own and others' communicative practices, and for understanding and managing interactional difficulties.

New to This Edition
*Updated throughout to incorporate the latest discourse analysis research.
*Chapter on six specific speech genres (for example, organizational meetings and personal conversation).
*Two extended case studies with transcripts and discussion questions.
*Coverage of digital communication, texting, and social media.
*Additional cross-cultural examples.

Pedagogical Features
*A preview and summary in every chapter.
*Accessible explanations of core concepts.
*End-of-book glossary.
*Endnotes that identify key authors and suggest further reading.

Karen Tracy, PhD, is Professor of Communication at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she teaches a course about how everyday talk builds and reflects identities. She also teaches classes in discourse analysis and ethnographic methods, as well as special-topic seminars that examine communicative trouble in the justice system, in higher education, and in meetings of governance groups. Dr. Tracy is the author of more than 80 journal articles and book chapters, as well as several books. She is past editor of the journal Research on Language and Social Interaction. Jessica S. Robles, PhD, is a faculty member in the Communication Department at the University of New Hampshire, where she teaches courses connecting interpersonal communication, language and social interaction, and discourse analysis. She has also taught special-topic courses on moral practices and problems in everyday talk. Dr. Robles's research and publications focus on the role of moral issues and difference in interactional trouble.

I. The Argument 1. Talk and Identity 2. Two Perspectives II. Talk's Building Blocks 3. Person-Referencing Practices 4. Speech Acts 5. The Sound (and Sight) of Talk 6. Interaction Structures 7. Language Selection III. Complex Discourse Practices 8. Style 9. Stance 10. Narratives 11. Genre IV. The Conclusion 12. Putting It All Together Glossary