Erving Goffman

Definition

Erving Goffman was a Canadian sociologist best known for his work on face-to-face interaction and the concept of self-presentation in everyday life. He introduced the idea of 'deixis' as a way to understand how individuals navigate social contexts through language and behavior, which includes person, time, place, and discourse deixis.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Goffman's work emphasized the importance of context in understanding language use and social interactions, making deixis crucial for communication.
2. He argued that deixis is not just about reference but also about the relationships and dynamics between people in conversation.
3. Goffman's theories on presentation of self highlight how language choices can signal relationships, status, and social roles.
4. His analysis included how various forms of deixis can reflect power dynamics and social hierarchies in interactions.
5. Goffman's insights into deixis continue to influence contemporary sociolinguistics and communication studies, providing tools for analyzing how meaning is constructed in context.

Review Questions

• How does Goffman's concept of face-work relate to the different types of deixis?
  • Goffman's concept of face-work involves managing impressions and maintaining a positive self-image during interactions. This connects to deixis because it illustrates how individuals use person deixis to identify themselves and others, time deixis to indicate when an interaction occurs, place deixis for spatial context, and discourse deixis to refer back to parts of the conversation. Together, these elements help individuals navigate social situations while managing their identities.
• Discuss how Goffman's theories on self-presentation impact our understanding of discourse deixis in conversation.
  • Goffman's theories on self-presentation shed light on how discourse deixis functions within conversation. Discourse deixis allows speakers to refer to segments of talk or text, which is vital for structuring interactions. By understanding how individuals strategically use discourse deixis to highlight or downplay parts of the conversation, we see how they manage their identity and influence audience perception, reinforcing their role in social dynamics.
• Evaluate the implications of Goffman's ideas on deixis for understanding power relations in communication.
  • Goffman's ideas on deixis have significant implications for understanding power relations in communication. He posits that the way individuals use deixis reveals underlying social structures and hierarchies. For example, the choice of person deixis can indicate who holds authority in a conversation, while time and place deixis can reflect context-dependent power dynamics. Analyzing these linguistic choices allows us to critically assess how language reinforces or challenges power relations in various social settings.

Related terms

Face-work: The actions taken by individuals to maintain a positive self-image and manage impressions during social interactions.

Social Interaction: The process by which individuals act and react in relation to others, forming the basis of social relationships.

Role Distance: The separation between an individual's personal identity and the social roles they are expected to perform in various situations.