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salient positive German self, the agonised self. That is the theme all
participants in'studieren als hobby' are orienting to is the ultimate value
associated with'Arbeit, or more specifically, 'bezahlte Arbeit'. In that sense
there is an over-arching positive alignment to this episode in that although the
nature and status of RP and EP's studies are causing some negative
alignment the question of whether or not paid work is valued is never explicitly
brought into question. Indeed, the immediate rejection of the association of
KP and RP's work as a hobby evidences this paid work (highly valued) vs.
hobby (non-valued) dichotomy. This, of course, relates to the images invoked
of non-present RIP and EP in that where KH and SH seem to be abasing RP
and EP, HB and GB are struggling to invoke demeaned images of RIP and
EP, thereby further evidencing the value of demeaned selves in German
conversation interaction.
Thus, as with the previous three excerpts, 'Studierien als Hobby' is
primarily rather than exclusively negatively aligned (although prima facie it
may appear so) and stays within the boundaries of equilibric sociability.
Although - at least to the English reader - this piece of sociable
conversation may appear prima facie potentially non-sociable and threaten
the underlying condition of ritual equilibrium, it is not uncommon of
conversation within German sociable episodes. Indeed, in my own data and
from my wider observations, such talk is endemic to German sociability.
However, as I have maintained throughout, the reasons for this particular
episode and much of German conversation taking such a form is not in the fist
instance the motivations of speakers but rather the normatively available
sociable selves.
First, as with 'Internationale Arbeitslosigkeit, both sets of couples are
demonstrating a shared orientation to a common topic, that is, the academic
studies of RP and EP. Second, there is a clear distinction oriented to by all
participants in the talk between paid work and non-paid work, with the former
being valued and the latter much less so - this heightened valuing of paid
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