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expressed. In this sense they are symbolically opposite to English conversation,
where proffered selves are rarely examined or challenged but rather are
allowed to be played out relatively unhindered.
The demeaned self is again a rather broad conceptualisation, but one
which nonetheless points to a salient symbolic resource frequently mobilised in
the playing out of German sociable episodes. Interestingly, the demeaned self
allows for the identification of one of the most salient ways in which German
and English speakers differ in terms of their sociable styles. Similar to the
English use of the abased self (see 7.3.1), German conversational ists
frequently mobilise demeaned selves both in response to others in situ and -
albeit less frequently due to the lower frequency of narrative - as a replayed
figure in replayed events and experiences. In general, whereas the abased self
of English sociable conversation is in effect deference oriented, the demeaned
self is, by definition demeanour oriented (see Goffman 1967). In terms of
alignment vis-A-vis other selves mobilised in situ, whereas the abased self in
English essentially stoops down to the individuated self being presented, in
German, the demeaned self rises up to meet head on (or rather face on) any
co-present self. Conversationally this leads to the prima facie combative style of
German agonism that has been described in previous chapters (see Chapter 2),
as opposed to the accommodative style characteristic of English sociable
conversation (see Chapter 6).
One frequent conversational environment where German speakers
mobilise demeaned selves is those where some 'attack' has been made, not
infrequently do the sudden mobilisation and alignment of an examining self (see
above). In such instances, as I noted above, the recipient often conversationally
adopts a defensive posture. Indeed, this constant readiness to 'defend with
demeanour' one's position seems not only an endemic part of participation in
German sociable episodes but almost a basic involvement obligation (Goffman
1963) (Cf. Watts 1989; Straehle 1997). The following episode illustrates the
defensive demeaned self rising up to challenge a mobilised examining self.
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