The Epistemic Engine: Sequence Organization and Territories of Knowledge

Abstract

This article reviews a range of conversation analytic findings concerning the role of information imbalances in the organization of conversational sequences. Considering sequences launched from knowing and unknowing epistemic stances, it considers the role of relative epistemic stance and status as warrants for the production of talk and as forces in the process of sequence production and decay. It is now more than 30 years since Charles Goodwin, in a classic article, analyzed the following utterance: “I gave, I gave up smoking cigarettes::. (0.4) I-uh: one-one week ago t’da:y acshilly.” The article observed that the utterance was initially designed for, and addressed to, an unknowing (K−) recipient (Don, a dinner guest at the table). Finding little supportive uptake from the latter, the speaker shifts his gaze to his wife (Beth) and adds a small increment (“one-one week ago t’da:y acshilly,”) suggesting that today is a minilandmark or anniversary in his passage to ex-smoker status. This increment, Goodwin argues, is appropriately constructed for Beth because, while she is aware that he has quit smoking, she may not be cognizant of the day or date on which he quit. As Goodwin notes, “with the addition of this section to the sentence, the news that John has stopped smoking cigarettes is transformed into a different piece of news: that today is

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 2012 · DOI ↗