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there and then entity) versus 'us' (by the same measure here and now entities)
is predicated on the first type of self I want to talk about here - the gossiping
self. Again, a self rarely mobilised in German (which seems to prefer more here
and now type conflict), the gossiping self normally coalesces with other co-
present 'gossipers' to turn critical attention to some absent and commonly
known third party. Normally, evaluative solidarity is expressed as a shared
definition of a non-present person is constructed. This joint alignment of
gossiping selves seems to have tremendous solidaric functions in signalling that
'we are as one' in terms of both identification of characteristics which we find
negative, and our ability to talk in such a way freely (Cf Shimanoff 1985).
Perhaps more then any other type of alignment I observed in English sociable
episodes, such gossiping powerfully indexes an 'in-group' ethos (see Chapter
2).
In the following example, 'Cookie' -a character known by varying
degrees to all present - provides the central figure and symbolic resource for
solidaric gossiping.
Excerpt 7.12 'Cookie's Shirt'
DB: =The only thing that wasn't borin'was Cookies shirt=it was absolutely
hideous=he had a (0.5) a scar[let shirt on
LM: [cgh(hhh)hehe=
DB: =With a big waftincollar
MB: he [he::
LM: [hahahalha
DB: [Rupert the bear keks=
LM: =. hhhyou're lyin'=
DB: =No
(0.5)
DB: Well they were stri: pes sorry they weren't Ruperts= and he had this horrible
purple jacket on
0
MB: Sounds love-what colour was the shi: rt
(1)
DB: Tartan (. ) Red=
LM: =HE SOUNDS like that [fella on Changin'Rooms (0.5) [you know him that
MB: [(Red)
DB: [Haha (. ) yeah
LM: wears them purple (. )jackets
DB: (he [had)
0
LM: [And does everythin'in [black [and red
DB: [bi [big beaufont hairstyle [he had as well= 220
MB: ["haha"