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An interesting set of mainly anecdotal yet insightful observations are
those provided by Byrnes (1986). Drawing on Tannen's (1984) work on
'conversational style', Byrnes (1986) compared observations of US-English and
German interactional style - essentially normative orientation to the activity of
joint topic talk - in conversation. Again, striking differences emerged in terms of
how German and US-English speakers in their respective cultural settings
oriented to developing conversational topic. For example, compared to German
conversation, US-English conversation was marked by a noticeable preference
for greater general levels of indirectness and focus on interpersonal concerns.
Conversely, German interactional style was characterised by a much greater
preference for direct and clearly conveyed informational aspects, where
message content rather than interpersonal concerns was treated as primary
concern by interlocutors. These two differing general orientations - indirectness
and interpersonal vs. direct and substantive - were clearly manifest in the way
conversational topic was collaboratively handled in conversation. Byrnes noted
that:
[US-English conversation] tend(ed] to give the general impression of
less commitment to the topic at hand, but more commitment to
creating an air of civility and graciousness toward the other. A topic is
more a vehicle for personal bonding than an issue whose truth is to be
ascertained. Should there be a focus on topic, a deferential style is
more likely to produce negotiable, inconclusive, non-committed
contributions, a cautious presentation of one's own position
(which] ... avoids potential damage to the surface harmony that
upholds conversation. (Byrnes 1986,199-200).
Whilst with German conversational style, in general:
there is greater emphasis on the information-conveying function of
language, as compared with its social bonding function. Such an
orientation is concerned more with facts and truth values, and in their
service seeks, or at least should not shy away from, overt
disagreement and confrontation (ibid., 200-201).
Thus, negotiation of truth versus truth-seeking and cautiousness versus
confrontation, and were two of the salient differences between US-English and
German conversational topic development. In structural terms - i. e. the turn
organisational features of conversation - further differences were identified. For
example, Byrnes pointed to an American preference for turn-taking with
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