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approach, I hope to further illuminate the bases for English - German
differences in sociable style.
6.4 Positive and Negative Claims: Their Non-Ratification
The preceding examples have evidenced supportive conversational
facework in each milieu in respect of positive and negative claims. I have
employed the concept of alignment to describe the work done by participants to
support these proffered claims. The conversational data illustrate quite clearly
the ratification and support typical of sociable conversation in each respective
cultural milieu. I have also alluded to certain obvious cross-cultural differences
in terms of the conversational styles drawn upon for supportive alignments.
However, ratification and support of solidaric or individuated, negative or
positive claims is not predetermined nor guaranteed but rather contingent on
the participants' turn by turn, move by move, claim by claim practices and for
that reason does not always occur. Although normative conversation in both
cultures can be seen to follow a general conversational maxim which might read
'support proffered solidaric and individuated claims, such a maxim is often
breached at various and indeterminate junctures in the routine playing out of
actual sociable conversation. Both positive and negative claims are susceptible
to having their claimed solidarity or individuation non-ratified and non-
supported. Here I want to briefly then draw on instances of non-ratification of
both proffered positive and negative conversational claims in each respective
culture, beginning again with the English. Importantly, I shall demonstrate here
how such routine non-ratification of both solidaric and individuated claims can
be achieved within the equilibric boundaries of sociable conversation (Cf. 6.5).
6.4.1 Non-Ratification of Positive Claims
A frequent and prime site for the non-ratification and non-support of
positive claims occurs in conversational environments where a claim (definition,
evaluation, viewpoint, or experience) is being made by one participant on the
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