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Finally, additional explanatory dimensions have also been drawn upon
which, although not specifically addressing face concerns, do seem to provide
some insight into interpreting these competing styles. For example, drawing on
Tannen's (1990) work on gendered conversational orientations, Straehle
suggests how German and US-English conversational differences display
similar characteristics to these gender associated styles. Germans show a
greater general tendency towards the former more male oriented style
(including for example maintaining and negotiating hierarchical status, exhibiting
knowledge and skill, verbal performance, self-display, and employing minimal
small-talk in favour of more abstract and non-domestic topics). US speakers
tended towards the latter more female oriented style (including for example
displaying similarities, matching experiences, employing more small-talk, gossip
and personal experiences)".
Of course, what the preceding exposition of German communicative style
in particular points to is an orientation to discourse similar to that identified at
the conclusion to chapter one by scholars such as Katriel (1986), Schiffrin
(1984), and Tannen (1981 a, 1981b) (see Chapter 1). In terms of the poles of
ritual equilibrium set out in Chapter 1, it appears that the Germans and the
English fall towards opposing ends.
There is then a set of conceptual language which might be brought to
bear on a consideration of the differences in communicative style between
English and German cultures"norms' English - German communicative style.
That is, the concept of equilibrium, the claiming of positive social values in and
through talk, and related images of self proffered in talk. These are central
themes running through extant studies. Neither the Goffman's nor Brown and
Levinson's essential premises have been undermined by the findings to emerge
from these studies, but the conversational work routinely and normatively
engaged in to sustain equilibrium, or orient to negative and positive face needs
has been shown to differ markedly. Further, concepts applied more often to
account for East-West differences have been employed to account for English -
German variations in term of, for instance self- and other directedness in talk.
These suggest that not only positive social values, but the fundamental status of
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