ERVING GOFFMAN INTERACTION RITUAL Essays on Face-to-Face Behaviour 4M 24 Weng Bec Lid arden Mtn aga recat gt ies, Fit lie te USA op CONTENTS nprih © Bring Gta, vate TORO aay ee ‘Reading ‘ Introduction On Face Wok The Nate of Defereoe and Demenor Embaraoment end Sol Orpen Aetion fem Interaction Mest Spon and Publ Order Where he Aton ra ng te “Scene SoS Se ns 1st 9ON FACE-WORK* An Analysis of Ritual Elements in Social Interaction Evecy person lives in a word of soll encounters n- volving Bim either in face-to-face or mediated contact with other participant. Tn each ofthese contacts, he tens to act oot what i someties called line that i pater of verbal and nonverbal acts by which be expresses his iow of the station and though this his evalstion of ‘the participants, expecially hineaf. Regardless of whether a person intends to take line, ho wil find that ho bas Aone 20 in fet. Th other participants will ssune that I has more o ler willy ken a and, 30 that if he i to deal with their response to him he mst take into com sideration the impresion they have possibly formed of im, “The ter fac may be defined a the postive social valve 1 peson efoctvly clans for Himsalf by the line others ‘assume be has taken during a pareuar contact Face Is fa image of slf delineated fn terms of approved socal ‘tbutes—aDbett an image that ethers may share, as when ‘person makes 4 good showing for bis profeapn or to Tigjon by making a good showing fr Mins, 1s prs ewan he Unley foe eandal pen ‘itn ifated oa US Wie ia Sa (Sse fry of te he tet of oil vata, beaded by De Wikan Sak he Bremen of yl, ety Fer Etcuiono he Cine Conon fc, me the 5 i FSS 1 — ——————————_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_=e ——X—__ ES ~=S: =: =Ss=s‘é#=é#;SSNNNNgp Ooa3s$—<—~ ‘A person tends to experience an immediate ematinsl response to the face which a contact wih otberr allows him; he eathocts his face; his “Tein” Become attached tof If th encounter ristains an image of Hen that be Tas long taken for ranted, he probably wil have fow feengs about the matter. If events esablch a fase for ‘im tat beter than ho ght have expected, be is ikely to “el good” if hs ordinary expectations are not fullled, ‘one expects that howl “fee! bud” or “Tel burt” In gen: fal, 2 penn’ afachment to a parcular face, coupled ‘rt the ease with which diconfining information an ‘be conveyed by hinself and other, provides one reason shy he finds that parttpation in any contact with others 4s & commitment. A peron will alo have feelings about the face sustained for the oer patitpants, and while those feings may difer a quantity and tection ‘rom those be has for his own face, they constitute an vols sent ia the face of others that iv a immedite and. Spontancous ar the involvement he has in his own face (One's own fae and the face of others re contrcts of the same order; th rls ofthe group nd the dfn ton of the situation which detemine how much fsing fone to ave for face and how thi feling i toe die: (uted among the face involved ‘A person may’ be sid to have, of Br dof mania face when the line he effectively takes presets an image of Fim that is internally consistent, Ghat is spported by fudjgments and evidence conveyed by other partipsnts tnd that & coafimed by evidence conveyed Brough i Fine ae Chin Ta Te Ce Ce of Ps ‘Amencon Antvopoloit ium. 4645-61, Marta C. Yang, A” Chine Vilage (Cxarbat "Users. Brae, New Ye, {od 'pp. LETTE. J. Macgowan, Mon and Manners of Mod en, Ching (Cow, London 1812, pp 01-12. Achar H ‘Stich Chinese Charen (Peli Reel] Co, New ‘York, 183 pp, 16-18 Fora comment onthe Ameren indian ocopion af fac, see Marcel aa, The Gif an Cana Son Een te Wet, Landon 1384) 6 personal agence inthe station, At roc ties the per 5 fae leary is something that isnot ledged ino on bout rather something that difsely leat nthe fow of events fa the encounter and becomes mani- ‘oce of lines wil be open to him end a small ebaice of faces wil be wating for hin. Further, onthe basis of fe Kiowa attbutes, he jr piven the responsiblity of ows a vast number of otor. His copartipants are ‘ot ely tobe conscout of the character of many ofthese ‘tutes unt he acts perceptibly fn such a way as t Ascredt hi possesion of them; then eveyone becomes ‘comeious ofthese atutes and asumes that be willy {ve fale inpreson of posssng then. "Thos wale concera for face focues Hi atetion of the person on the cureat scvty, he mus, to matatain face! in this activity, take nto consideration his place i the socal world beyond s_A prion who can mlntin face in fhe current usion it someone who abstained ‘dependence between the cueat situation and the wider fouel word: an encounter with people wham he all not Inve dealings with again leaves im free to fake a high Tine tht the fture wl discret free to sfer hulle 7ons that would make fture dealings with them an em- Iurasing thing to have to face. “A person maybe said to be & trong face when ine formation i brought forth In some way bout his sci ‘worth which cannot be integrated, even with eet ato the line that being sstsned for im. A person nay be ‘ald toe out of face when bo partipter in cootact ‘with others without having ready a line of the hind Dartfpats in such situations ave expected to take. The Intent of maay pranks i Yo leeds person into showing 8 ‘wrong face or9 face, bot there wil also be seis aca Sons, of couse, when be will fod ine exprestively fut of touch withthe sation, ‘When a person senses that be i in face be typeally responds with feelings of conSdence and amaranc, Ema Inthe line hei aking he fel hat he ca had his head vp ond openly preset Mimsl to others. He fels some Scurty ahd some vlif-at be ali can when the others feel be isn wrong face but successfully hide thee fee sings ro his. ‘When a persn isin wrong face or out of fac, expret sive events are belag contrbuted to te eneoonter which ‘cannot be really woven into the exeesive fabric ofthe ‘ccasion. Should he sense that he iri wrong face oF oot ‘of fac, bei kly t fel ashamed and inferior bose ‘of what hae happened tothe activi on Me acount aad ‘because of whit inay happen to is reputation ax par- teipant. Further, may feel bad because he Bed relied finds threatened Felt lack of Jodgmental support fom the encounter may take him back, confase him, and ‘momentary facets hin at an interactant. His man- ner and bearing may falter, cllapse, and cramble. He Iay become embarrased and chagsned; he may become Shamefaced The foling, wether waranted or aoe, that he pereived in a steve state by other, ond tat be {s presenting no wale line, may add further Inu to Tis feelings, fst as his change from being ia wrong face ‘or ot of face to being shamefaced can add further dis ‘order to the expesive organization ofthe station. Fo Towing common ssage, I tall employ the term poe to refer tothe expacy to suppres and conceal any tendency to become shamelaced daring encounter with oes In our Anglo-American society, asi some ater, the phrase “to lose face” seems to rean to bein wrong face, to be out of face, ort be shamelaced. The phe “to save one's face” appear to refer to tho procest by which the person sustains an impresion for others that he has tot lot face, Following Chinese usage, ope can sa that lo give face” to arrange for anther to take a beter Hine than he might otherwise have been able to take? he other {hereby gets face given him, tis being one way in which Iie can gain face ‘Avan aspect ofthe social code of any social cle, one may expect to fd an understanding to how far # per fon should go to save his fae. Once be takes on 2 Sle Iiag expressed through face he will be expected to live Up toi In diferent ways in diferent societies be will be eauired to show selfrespec,abjuring certain actions be fate they ae shove or beneath im, while freag hi Self to perform thers even though they cot him deal By entering a sation in which be fe given a face to ‘mains, a person takes on the responsiblity of standing Ipvard over the Bow of event a8 they pass before hin. He ‘most ensure that particular expesto ordor i stained is order that regulates the Sow of event, large or ‘mall, 20 that anything tht appears to be exposed by ‘them wil be condtet with i fae. When a person man fests these companctions primarily fem duty to hime, cone sprain our society of pide; when he does 10 be ‘ate of dy to wider socal uns, and receives support 2S for example, Sah, fstte 1 p47 °tales ae aah "doo ela he ct oe Shey wee ‘Waa f WE ted tad vel et another's huniton and vnfeeingly sean a col Conndetence Kiwis eid im or nity toe “hare les jo he who can unfeningy partis inhi om Aelacement i thovght tobe sheen” ‘The combined elect ofthe rl of seerpct andthe ‘ale of sonsidertenes i that the pean tends to cont “imal darog on encounter ao malta Both is own face andthe face of the ole petigpante. Ths means {hat the Hoe taken by each parlpnt i aly lowed tb preva and each purtpunt allowed fo cary of the tle be spon to ave cose for hinsll A te ‘where everyone temporary gees everyone el’ ne bled’ Ths hint of dll Scepasee eee 8 ‘Bsc seta etre of ateracon expecially th inter ston of faetofce talk. Typical "worg” 8 Cxptece, not teal oe, ce tends to be based nat fn agreement of cnly expressed hart evans bt upon a wilingnes to pve temporary Hp service to Judgments wit which the participants do ot ely ae "The mal seeptance of les as a mportot om- serie eft upon cocouters Once the por aly S Suface agreement inthe anesment of wl worth dose of cour ply equi the ealaton conway aes oe ty be ei ent fo emery Fad ee ach ng so = oe as SE nt te cme re 2a the othe tha the other alas Sy het Han Ere es posed by oem sly so bare libs wen se EES ata ty be ney cn ‘Seopeey wil ech pagent re tll tie mh pai EA ne err wa ce oa Seay pi wat Te open eae te ‘Bee oan gue canbe Raion ar armen by which ‘ietinage of fa payer cn be ears, st a the ba sf payer can be ony ew eae Uy Bh he Sh etgdate as gine te sstained. i E F psows i to exert over the ater pattlpnts, and so on lo may want to save the othe fae because of his emo onal attachment to an image i Eveyed judgments and is sodally shiled, be must yot be ‘From the point of view of «particular patlpant, these io a three types of threat can be itroduced by th paticpant ‘rllng to exerci his percepivness and bis sil he mt, by In shor, be pidful and conlderste, Admittedly, of cours, ‘imal against his owe face, by himself agaist the face the ponendon of pereptivener and socal ail so often oF the others, by tho thes gaint thelr own face, o by leads to thei epliaon that In our society terms such ‘he others agnnt Ninself. Ths the pason may fod him ‘ poltenes of tact fall to distinguish between the i ‘elf In many diferent relations to threat to face. If be linaton to exerls such capecties and the capacities to handle bined ad others well i all contingencies, be emselve, ‘wil bave to havea repre of facosaving practices for T have akeady sald that the person wil have two ‘ich of there pomble relatos to treat. pointe of views defensive orientation toward saving hit ‘wn face and a protective orentaton toward saving the ‘Tee Bane Koos or Face Won ‘thes fae Soma practices will bo primary defensive land others primary protctive, although in general one oe imny expect tho two perspoatves to be taken at the ‘preven threats to his face is to avoid contacts in which ‘me tine In yng to save the face of others, the peron ‘hese thre ‘most choose a tack tht will ot lend to ls of is ow ad het aves owe nn, omar te ‘tS for cradle tet ob conc ee het B ston my eal or cto ty gobeenoc Sina, many nt, members Ta may setae Hew be ky fo ditngth Bolte rae of volutdy malig» peck wi tives lvl of pny tht» pron ay bave r eval bore en stpted teat fee ar ad ‘threat to face that his actions have created, First, he may ‘chance to ocour* Shrew to bee ted moray afee soe to be in gu wm wyotin fee ford oy, (Sitcoled ct 'eitng ad thee wh perv oT See te feta fel at be wal have tent o ved ned See Seas Se ey tte fFaateiae SoS epactby te tcl ol al eee ive consequenaes, In our society one ‘ample, Charles Johnson, Patterns of Negro Segregation (Harper, ay at ef p,m ears eae ieee Second, te ofeing prt menor tas Nee sally enn mall pier ee ted alc adap, wih eatin of SPS tpl aes Se | ‘agen iy eM nel ees Te tes gre by & tare Te Cnet ce ae tan upland bet soci stated een wt ace aco an, tel ther he nr pen Fe pe nhs nan ge Ce ‘cing ha face ‘lien Ey seenlng th ike pel dei mong Hw Hh ta ad be Sc eta a ed Et we = TOPS Gest te ater arate at my te ncn TE OES ie Hard Cael tas speed Site EF per aed ral a se pe Bt ee Se TS siss ero SMa ean ser op 4 35 IL 7 i i i 7 i {ng un be hat found what Mod of se the others wll be ready to support for hin. Any caine zepuding {if may be made with belting modesty, with ston tod embarrass the positive claims made by other. He ‘Hz and tnt thi may ele a wid ao oly {o cata ln ef fac bat ala to stu napally tos pit Eye won av ba ple ave fa by Te We e pr knows the thers well, be wil now wit oes ught nt tobe ted and wht sons te ‘her oop oo e placed in and he wl be reno nrc S'IiS wal dn eva he omy esting bat 1 mpeg amare kage are sao On tha cro ab Simtel egges = dacetion ont by no pear ely In Ahern fr tesco the ter fo at ped il 0 ome ‘al Tr tat from sb in saying sey re the Boh (Sheetal ht th ches ce net Spon vel tot” So ne ‘of Cog Smal (Sa, Well, te ade) (Pree Pres lepoe I, 1950, yp 80-2 ‘employs cireumlocutons and deceptions, phrasing bis re- ples with earfal ambiguity 50 that the oe” fac Is Preserved even if their welfare is not” He employs ‘Soares, making light modifcatons of his demands on for appraisal of the others 19 that they will bo able to ate the station at one in which thet selfsespect i ot trestened, In making 2 bebtling demand upon the ‘others, ori imputing uncomplimentary abuts to them, The may employ «Joking manne, allowing them 10 take the ne at they are good spars able to relax frm thelr ordinary standards of pride and Boner. And before fengacing in a potentially offensive act, he may provide txplanation ato why the others ought not wo be afonted by ie For example fhe know that wil be necessary to withdcaw from the encounter before ie has temsnated, The may tell he thers fn advance thats is necessary for ‘it leave, so that they wll have face hat are prepared for i Bat nevalzing tho potently offensive act need ot be done verbally be may walt for a propitious mo- tent or naturel break-for example, in conversation, a ‘momentary ll when no ono spetker can be afronted— tnd then leave, in this way using the contest instead of [is word aso guarantee of noSensvenes ‘When a perso falls to prevent an incident, he can stl attempt to mints the Beton that no threat to Face has ‘onuted. The ort blatant example of ths fond where “clue, Weer snl a wan da he Cho Star Gy es Westen tee? waned o bane The (Cine lel to complain Gat the Waterer war rane, ‘bork, sd uomanacted To es of Chine ara Pe” eons who cane um group with fret hua ania, Ite pw cn a a rg Sa is anor as ees Seta whe ease Sob cy ned te fate so SLL Sta Sate ahaa Sco i sentient ieee Sat eieee sane Sr capa aes a ea Sear ieee eceieipaa alana Suiits isucfrasuey mate PROT aca enc eel Ooi 1 Se as pcan ef at wher ple tea nel om wilfrwscractrcre’ eres Ser Lavine oeaee se SASS Timpei as SE i Sitar Sedna ic TOURS at ea a Lotte gener agers ae Shy SOEs ie bape Scola arnt anaaneaeaey Sea Is Sc nec neces cnt A Set ea Serica Sia mae ote edie ae tana a Som Ss ae Yen drat LEST pecien eit aca Seti tat lt cag ae Soria eaepad oh te ee, cen aye ed ces SRT LT ec ey atl Peete inetd Es vA ay eu lade ae ses 8 Te conectte rcshen tn artpnts fon cotta eae a poet ti cues fies re at eevee he apne of scl wrt a re ng mate, ad hte cate kn at boat one {B'day eg sated sue intently er ett dommes nt otal stron fo posse ty ces fre sree eee pa oe are perp ft es ‘Sin on elie se ef tal qin Spc, a tect fe mae to teh selec a hn I he to ad ‘Se Tag deni tt wine rie ‘Sionece swsfw wey fil eet ribeye fee eo To tae of rua at tre Sexes the nhs ney ik evn et sy aged Be ens foi ey of be eet" Onno ten, ved nade ces oder eed ee tes tal So “Ti equ of ie st atin by an winged soe toe tol tent in he feta ‘at elim tS fa cang’™ ede Th of ge» ett el iio Talay Sis Sool Stand ‘Boats ir wie esto dean it se Sel te er raining an bo tae comments wi he dere of eo ign chaple Nomapte (Soue)Sa"0-t, pail pp. obama ram 5 ral spl C. Arner. Teen anf Psu: yin Shoe Factory” Hom Organon (aau0) S:19- B% pear pao, Hor frter mnt the nechange SSE se Galen, “Commescaioe Condos in 19message o move as everyting conveyed by an actor luring a tum at taking action, one can sy that sn nts ‘change will nol two or mere moves snd fo of more puricipants, Obvious examples in ou society may be found in the sequence of “Excuse me and "Certanhy” snd inthe exchange of presents o vss. The feterchange fers to be a bate concrete unit of social activity and Provides one natural empirical way to stay Snteraction fall inds Facesrving pracies canbe tel clasfed Secording to ther postion ia the mata sequence of ‘moves that comprise this unit. Asie fom the event which Intodces the need for a comectve interchange, for clase moves seem t be invlved “There ifs, the challenge, by which partcpans take ‘on the respons of calling ntenton tothe miscondvct, ‘by implication they suggest that the threatened. claims are to stand fr and thatthe threatening event elf wil Ihave tobe brought back into ne "The second move consists of the oferng, whereby 8 participant, typally the ofender, ie given a chance t2 onet for the ofense and reestablish the expressive ©. ‘er. Some claric ways of making this move are svalabe, ‘On the one hand, an attempt can be made to show that ‘what adaitedly speared to be 2 trestening expres lon i really 2 meaningles event, or an nntentonal A Information say be provid to show thatthe eestor was under the influence of something and ot Mise, ot that he was under the command of tomebody ee sod ‘ot acting for hswel. When s pero ais that act ‘Wes meant In jet, be may go om ad claim that the self ‘jag mel episied PLD. drain, Dearest oF Secklog Unto a asp a5 pel 12 Seis pp ess that remed to le behind the act was alo projected as joke, When + peron suddenly fads that he has demon- ‘ably fled in capcie thatthe others astmed him to ave and to cain for hinslf—such a the capacity to spl, to perform minor tsk, to talk without malapropisns, and to once may quickly add in 4 serious or uaserous wu, that he lnm these inapacies ab part of his self. The tmesning of the Ueatening incident thus stands, but it fam now be incorporated sothly Into the fw of exe Dresave events “Ar 8 supplement to or susttte for the strategy of redefining the ofenive act ot himself, the oflender can follow two oer procedures: he can provide compen stone to th fjured-when not hs own face that he has threatened; oho ean provide punishment, pence, snd expiaton for Kimalf. Those ae important moves ot ‘hase in the vital fatercange. Even though the ofender Inay fall to prove bis Innocence, he can suggest through thee meane that he ie now a renewed person, «person ‘who has pid for his sn aginst the expressive order and 4 once more tobe trusted in the jdenental scone. Fur= ther, be can show that he dows not eat the felings ofthe ters lightly, and that if thi feelings have been iejred by lit, however innocently, he fs prepared to pay = pice for Bs scion Ths he assures the ethers that they can steep his explanation without this acceptance constut- {ng sgn of weakness and lack of pride on thelr prt ‘Als, by his treatment of Mmel, by bis self-astigation, Ie shows that o is eonly aware ofthe kind of crime he ‘would ave commited had the incident been whats fest “tppeared toe, and hat he knows the kind of punishment that ought to be scorded fo one who would commit such ‘8 coime. The muapaced person tau hows that hI hor ‘ughly capable of taking She ole of the others toward his tity, that he can sll be used. a5 «responsible ‘the sual proces, and that the roles of ondact which e appear to have broken are sill sacred, i E E tteal, and unweakened. An offensive act may aroase ‘nulty about the nif code; the offender aye this fnaety by showing that both the coda and he stn pe Dold of are sll in working order ‘Alter the eballenge and the ollering have been made, the third move can occur: the perons to whom the oe” Ing is made can sept It as satiuctry means of re. ‘stalhing the expressive order and th faces supported by this order. Only den ean the olen cee the major Diet of his tal fering Ta the terminal move of the interchange, the forgiven person convey a sign of gratitude to thse who have gvea Fim the indulgence of forgvenes ‘cept the corrective offering, the ofender may supect that this has been sgrudgingly dove from tat and so he lain that thel challenge was aba and tha the Bla ha ‘ben called, This i an untenable postion; a face for them selves cannot be decived from St and they are left to biuter. To avold thir ft, some dale moves are open to them, For instance, thy ean resort to fates, voent retaliation, destroying elther themselves or the person tv had refused to heed thls waning. Or they ean with Arar from the undertaking fn a vsble alfihteously lndignant, outraged, but coaSdent of ultimate vindication, Both tacks provide 2 way of denying the offender his fates as an interactant, and hence deayieg the reality fof the offensive jdgment he las made. Both strategies tre ways of salvaging face, but for all concerned the costs se usualy high It is partly to forestall such scenes that fn offender i wasaly quick to offer sploges; he does ‘ot want the afronted persons to txp themselves into the obligation to seort to desperate messes. rested feelings aze ely to Bt lto tho formal pattern of the tal nterchange more elegantly than conscously de- 23Mare Poors Tw Accussave Use or Face. Wore very facesvng pate which lowe to netalise * parc test opens up the pesehty thatthe test wel bo wilted for wit can bo fly gained by i Ifa pen knows that his modesty wil be anmered by other? rae ofan, he ean fs fr complies 1b own appa of self wil be chock wp incest vent then be can erange for favre fect events 1 sopesr. If olny ee prepsed to ovetuok an sont to them and at forbmaraly,e oso pales, thon ‘Be ca ely on sas buss fr safely offing them, He ca atten y men wid t force the oes general method ls for the person to introduce favorable {fet aboot himself and unfavorable facts aboot the oters fm such « way that the only reply the others wil be able to think up wil be one thet terminates the Interchange [iva grumble, a meager excuse, a facesaving Fearne {ole laugh, or an empty seratyped comeback ofthe “Oh Joab?” “Thats what you thine” variety. The losers in buch cases wil have to cut thelr lowes, tacky grant the Joss of point, and attempt to do better in the next inter. ‘hinge, Point nade by allusion to toil las status are femetimes called mcbs; those made by allsons to moral {spedtabilty are sometiner called ig; in eltber ease one dae with # capacity at what is sometimes called “bitch Tn aggresive interchange the winner not ony succeeds in introducing information favorable to hizsll and wn favorable tothe othr, but also demonstrates that as in- ‘eracast he can handle hil beter than hs adverse, Evidence of this pact soften more inportant than all the other Jaformation the person conveys in the inter- ‘ange, 20 Ut the Introduction of a "cack" in verbal fpteracion tends to imply that the into is better at footwork than those who must suffer his remarks. How. fever if they eucced In making a succesul parry of the ‘Host and then a sucofl porte, the dastgatar of the play most not only face the disparagement with which the ‘thes have anrvered him but also acopt th fact that his ‘tsrumptlon of soperirity Sa footwark has proven fale. Ho i ade to lok ool be oes face, Hance alway ‘gamble to "make » remark” The tables can be fumed fod the egeresor con lve more than he could have gained baad his ove won the point. Succsfal ipctes or come backs in our solely are sometimes elle squelches or foppess theoretically it would be posble for a squelch to be sqvelchod, = topper to be topped, and a riposte to be paried with coanteripast, but except in staged *5i tL f i é msg rte tetra 1 i L Are i ll i Hi i; i fs | t r I ‘Smobrck Silay, whe fest an op a ert poste uring tay ty sem to bee at imate pat ea fp ote prc woeirearasea alr Se Bees Wess Grate naeatee cami ie Therap ee aie ie Fe; {ed opin of the ther god Ee paces! oe aap, ‘Eckog to a fon puri of whether the ancrater "E Gn ‘oe ar and, Une who ae te he power ft Fifwepatipant tend to be very uch comers oth te ‘dane be ak of theo wines bing ae fe, advo Sod eon to sna sgh ng fae wit i ombamased end upalogte 1 mony Boe tat ‘ese who lek symenese ofthe smb ta events {Bay keep soln difialt sastirs, Sowing ple tet Uy do ot realy poses, 6 Shamefaced, if he isthe crestor of the incident, or de ‘srucively assertive, ifthe others are reponuble fori. Yet on the other hand, a penon may manifest pote when the others fol that he ought to have broken dow into embarrased splory-that he # aking undue advantage oftheir belpfulner by his attempts t Brazen out Some times « parson may himself be undecided as to which ractice to employ, leeving the others fn the embarrasting postion of not knowing which tack they ae ging to Fave to follow. Thus when a person makes sight safe, Ihe ad the other may become enburased not because ‘of Sonbilty to handle such diss, bat because for ‘moment noone kaos whether the olfender going to act Bind to the incident, or lve it fing recognition, or ‘employ some otorfacosaving practice, Gooner 1 Face Wor ‘When a face har been thretened,face-vork must be done, but wheter thie Sniited spd. primacy carsod through by the person whote face Is thestened, or DY the offender, or by a mere witness i often of secondaryBlame is typically «secondary consideration. Hence terms such af tact and severe fall to distinguish whether {tis the person's own face that hs diplomacy save or te face ofthe others. Sinlry, terms such as gale and fou par fll to spely whether i ithe acta’ own ace he has (Greatened or the face of otber partipans And It is understandable that if one person finds he fs powerless to we his own face, the others seam especially bound 10 Poteet him. For example, i polite society, 2 handsbeke that perhaps should not have been extended becomes one that cannot be declined, Thu one acount for the noblsee oblige through which the of high status are expected to eur thelr power of emburasing Ue leer a8 afelaneherededronis oui fortes te atte SSE rere FES cis ey wee Mia te apa arya dost kaww whccber {am rrponile foe Cat Ea far ccnp ats Spurs eee Steg Sea oe camer Scher carne (ae taped to eer elbow abet fan fa eof the abe ship tr Sled payin ems of vob 8 weal elsg natty ee ree stenatgrh ees snort Sacre eee, eg ae Emre Heme tne « Sites macnn eee ae Sates Wises a ope “BiSCie gle jee Sapeditentacss Bain Seca mete Sincabmrbt fata suet ner amece fe ire ual ara Eis oe ies el Mle a a Secatan Ree cca te sive ist gone ser sae ies dv Salsa es feces tans boo ae eer ‘esa ri me te ta cent a Sitios iene ea Se meee eisai ae iitceea rena hte SNGIG Worse Solon cea at Sa pet SEV api as ged en Et SEBS Et atte arama Sioeishvae tac aaa cere ot ata aS Spee i oes fuel hatin Wile dence aes ee rea Tepscomet eye oepea poles meena eee Bevan tok eens 2 sven chance to show that they aro not bound or en tained by thetr own desires and expectations, that they Iaave «propery modest view of themselves, snd that they ‘an be counted upon to support the ital code. Negative bargdning, through which each prticpent tres to make tho' terms of trade more favorable to the other sie, is nother instance; as «form of exchange perhaps its mare pera who cannot be relied upon to play the facosuving ene. “Tx Rerwat Rots ov mae Sexe So far I have imply boen wing a double definition of self the self as an image pleced together from the ex: prev fmplcaons of the fll flow ef events in an un- ‘eran ad the sl at «ind of player in ania game ‘who copes honorably or dishoorably, diplomatically or Uundlplomatielly, with the Jodgmental contingencies of the ‘uation. A double mandates involved, As sacred objects, ‘men are subject to slights and. profanation; hence as players of the ritual game they have had to lead them Selves Into duals, and wat for road of shots to go wide aof the mark before embracing thelr opponents. Here fn echo of the distinction between the value of nd ‘iawn at cards and the capacity of th person who pape [This distinction mast be kept f2 mind, even hough i appear that once a peron bas gotien reputation fr good cor bed pay this reputation may become part of the face De must ater play at maintaining. ‘Once the two Tales of the self have been separated, one mn look t the sual ‘ode impli face work to learn how the evo rs aro related. When a persoa response for Introducing a treat to anothers face, be apparently Iba © ght, within ts, to wrigle ot ofthe dielty by means af selfabasement. When perforned voluntary these Indlgaties do not seem to prone his own image It {ss i ho had the right of inpulation and cond casteate Himself qua actoe without Sojering Himself qua object of timate wort. By token of the tame insulston be can bolt himself and modesty underlay his potive qua tes, with the understanding that no one wl take his Statements 25 fale representation of is sacred sll. On tho ether hand, fe is forced against his wilt teat himself fn these ways, his face, Ab pid, and hs hosor wil be seriously threatened. Thus, i terms of Sh ital ‘de, the poron seems to have a special lice fo accept ‘mistreatment thie own hands tat he does not have the Fight to scept fom others. Pathaps ds afearange- ‘ment beens he isnot key to carry this Hens to fr, ‘whereas the others, were thy given ths pevege, mht bbe more Hel to abuse ‘Further, within limits the person has a right to forsive ‘other participants for afoot to hs sacred nage. He ean Terbearanly overook minor sare opon hie face, std fn regud to somowhat greater injures be 1s the one person ‘who i fa a position to accept apologies on behalf of his Sacred self. This is relatively rafe prerogative for the ‘person to have in regard to himself, for ft one that is ‘eerie in the interes of the others or ofthe nr = requte each patcpant to show seriou concern ‘wth the way in which he handler hinge sd the others ‘resent. Ritual factors which are present in mediated com {hats are her present in an extreme form. Ta any sooty, whenever the physical posbity of spoken interaction anv, tsooms that eayrem of prac: =tices, conventions, and procedural rules come into play which functions ab a means of guiding and organizing the {ow of menages An understanding wil preva act when and where i will be permis to dnte fall among ‘whom, and by means of what topic of convertion. A set Of siguicant gestres ie employed to ilate » spate of ‘communication and at a meant for th persons concemed to accredit each other at legitimate partfpants2« When this proes of reiprocal tiation occu, the Persons 50 rated rein what might be called a tte of tall~tat i, they have dedared themsehier ofiilly open to one an ‘othe for purposes of spoken communication and guarantee Together fo maintain Bow of words A set of siniomnt testes 1 also employed by which one or more new ‘articipants can ofSilly Join the tal, by which ooe or ‘mote accredited partipants can oficilly withdraw, and by which the sate of talk can be terminated, ‘A single foes of thought and visual attention, and a single Bow of talk, tends to be mantaned and to be legitimated as offcilly zepresentative of the encounter. ‘The concerted snd oficial viral attention of the partil- pant tends tobe transfered smoothly by means of foal The manag ofthe ar canbe ty tokn st the nds of alegtimatod of ean pation at fg ger in spaten trction, A pron ay overeat Sitetnowart fo thm, bo can over thew en they ho {hte the cue an when hry chow er tonto tre pot evra thm fsa th ifomaly at they Keb he tr oveberng them Ta of han ce, te ‘oti olay held a yar taeoe who tr ool eget nthe cunt edo sure gu ¢ reign ef ae ei al ooh Mle ee {SH fama rid partcipeat can’ bo gnred who. the {idee prc eta arf fae to ‘ ‘fee a plo they tat ehaenge the feeder and nad ‘egos However i many sco sparen, many Made of ‘eal bape for raed pans ean ered wit (nth far to calnge esau oo fase 4 or informal clearance cues, by which the curentspesker Size Gate abot to lag th Sor and he ‘rorpctve speaker signals dese to be sven the for. ‘Av tdetcg wi peal a 9 tow lang ade oon. The te ge that ace not pat of the filly accredited flow are Jrodulated so a8 ot to dotecere seously with the ac Credited mesages. Nearby persons who aze not pte ‘ents vishly dest in some way Grom exploiting thelr mmunication postion and alo modify ther own com Srumatin, if any, 20 as ot Yo provide diet interfer fence. A particle ethos or emotional atmosphere Is ak Towed to preva. A polite accord typically maatlned, fod patcipants who may be in rel disagreement with tne anter give temporary Hip service to views that bring then into agreement on matters of fact and pencpl. Fes are folowed for smoothing oat the tation, if ‘ty, fom abe tape of conversation to anther “Phew rules of talk pertain ot to spoken oteraction considered as an ongoing proces, but fo an oso of {alk or epode of Interacon a a natrally bounded nit. ‘This unit const ofthe total atvy that occurs during the time that a given set of partcipnts havea ‘ve another for fk snd tastain a single moving foros of atenton = 2a tent of arcs of pen ae selon tet Catia, op SF nt tat wie ral of cochlea feb eal cee sol Weep 3s‘Tho conventions regnding the structure of occasions of talk represent an efletive soliton tothe problem of or sanizing« flow of spokea messages. In attempting t ds- over how It that these conventions are mistained fn force as guides to action, one finds evidence to suggest fanetional relationship between the structure ofthe self snd the structure of Spoken Interaction “The rocialied interactnt comes to handle spoken in teraction as be would any ether Hed, a5 something tht rust be pormod with ritual eae, By sutomatially 3p paling to face, bo knows ow to conduct himself inv ‘5rd to tlk By repeatedly and automatically asking hin Self the question “if do or do not actin this way, il Tor others lowe face?” he decker at each moment, cone ously or unconcouly, how to behave. For example, fentrance into an occasion of spoken interaction maybe taken a5 « symbol of intimacy or legitimate purpose, and £0 the person most, to save his face, dest fom entering {nto talk with a given set of others unless is lrcum tance joy what ir expresed about him by i entrance ‘Once approached for talk, e must accede to the hers in order tn save their face. Onco engaged Sn conversation, he mist demand only the mount of ttenton that isan sppropiste exreson of hit relative socal worth, Unde Tals come tobe potential signs of having nothing n com ‘mon, or of being ieuiciently selt-poresred to create Something to say, sod hence most be avoided. Similars, Interruptions and inattentvenes may convey diespeet and must be avoided unless the impled dsespect Is an fsccoptod part of the relationship. A surface of agreement ‘must be maintained by means of dsrtion and white les, 50 thatthe assumption of matal approval wll nt be dis. ceded, Withdrawal mst be handed vo that f wll not wean apes of poy ke lowed ball ie Acs wel aes este als whee reso Sot {pple sl Seer pen st Fe ont 8 ‘pterchange. "This strocrral aspect of tak aries from the fact that “when a person vohnters a tatement or message, However {evi or commonplace, he commits himtelf and those hehers, seeming th er pn ie ia ie Bat tn Eee ‘al’ nitpponte peer meta nk Se snd grey aslo eee we bec PAT a iy St ane ge tie btn hte ee al co ad Sule Sr ae te ape ty ie Shige nal en Son ate AGP" sf eae sn et ‘Scar wore dlpmre ww linge ere AS se a ote "her Ses Pen es « mesa, ey cog vin ih ay t's te Sed ‘utente pt elie fy at Satay te eae nd te son Splint ultacnc abe cop oie ‘adele, acon saws sencon ho ona sa ts (ast fx mot ah cw cas nace ny ol be buen cnt at Sasa inne ge ‘Son's doa vie pute te eae Sailer ee pes Spl tf Ra fey spc Bee clay ‘Sane Wes eee onal con he wh nb hd ie Scanned ie eel penn determi ho be eho coi haa taco uy oy ole meng Ra aa a sme ft tng eng face Si a ean lt eet Sl Veo epee a Sea taht a ndinte aas yt Spartan a Sere care aor a cass ‘seages, His nz to sve face; his eect ito save the ‘iteaton, From the point of vw of saving foc, then, it [Bra good thing Gat spoken intorscion bas the conven: onal organization given It; from the pont of view of raining an ord flow of spoken mesages, I good ‘hing that the nal asthe ton ractare given do not meas, however, to claim that another kind of cxpeinaton Trould aot do at well. More important, 1 do not cain oat i i E & i i ; f ‘lot indulgence cyle may oocar=much lik the hostilty 39jlo that can lead to open qureele—with each person ‘calving things Ie doer not want and ving in return {hinge be would rather keep. Agia, when people are formal tems, much nergy may be rpnt in earring tht events do not occur which might elctively camry anim ‘Proper expresdon. And on the ater and, when a et of Dette re on fair terme nd fel that they need not Sand on ceremony with one snother, tha inattentvenest fd Intruptons are ely to Boome rife, and talk may ‘generate ato «happy babble of dzarganiaed sound “The nual code iuelf requires delicate balance, end can be eaaly upset by anyone who upholds i too eaigely fr not eageely enough, ia terms of the standards and expectations of his goup. Too lite pereeptivenes, foo Ile savor, too Ile pride and conierstenes, aed ‘he poron cones to be sineone who can be tated to talo'a hint about himself or give a hint that wil save thes emburasomest,Soch a person comes to be teal UOreatt socity; thete i noting snuch that can be dove ‘with hin, and often he gets is way. Too mach perceptive: tess or too much pride, and the person becomes someone ‘who is thinskinned, who mut be eat with bid gloves, equiring more cae onthe part ofoters than maybe wath to them. Tao mech soirfire of too much con Sderatenss, and he beconer someone who is to social. tae, who leaves the ethers with the feeling tht they Abo not Inow how they really stand with him, nor wht they Should do to make an efetve longterm’ adjstment © him Te spite of these inherent “pathologie” in the ong ‘ation of talk, the functional ness between the soloed Derson and spoken interecon i a lable and practical one ‘The person's orientation to face, expecally his ow, is the pet of leverage tht the stad erder has regard to Inn yet promi to take itl cae ofl face Se but Into the very troctre of talk ° Face asp Soctt ReLamossamrs ‘hea pero bes mast or ned ene wet bey nal a tind esc lp Sse cen tere en ep tain ee ‘ony alee pre ewourer eo ‘hs fey eee ol es nha etc recta ia te ose eh fe sc canting ut on coor ta be ted Seared Sho adap! ial inno esate pr an unde gi ot dt SF Er aRiatp he pave, se ‘ip tee pcs f cane te bt lt ie enc sty don etn Svea crue of decoys Tr peoetne nea Secunia ‘tg and fel car sen eae fen Several eraser eS fen om cans Slovo s ay of hing ft lato wt Fyoca ike mn ofthe pos eer, ‘ol opty aye’ le soe Sppettne of hes foe perpen tonpwely ep er roo tk Feels es rite open lp dh Supe my yes f ne too wh Ory mt Sais caitsain of peng congener forte ‘esenng oe tetsu by esas fost Tam ee he etn ef reel son SA alte te hrm at abot be Soe tk by penn rng pay and he at tho purcps wil tla disog the eso af ik and 2 SP GRE cs Chie nla ec Eeheey rece ree ee! *1t seams to bo a characteristic obligation of many cal relationships that each of the members guarantes 10 sup- porta given face for the oer members in given st tons. To prevent disruption of thes relationships, i is therefore necessary for each member to avoid destoying tho others face. At dh same time, Bi often the person's ‘octal relationship with others tht leas hi to participa {ncaa encounters with them, where incidentally he wll be dependent upon them for ropporting his face. Furthermore, in many relatoaships, tbe membecs come to shares feo, that inthe presence of Burd pastes an {improper act onthe part of one member Becomes sorce of scat embarrsiment to the other members. A socal ‘elationsip, hen, cam be sven st way fn which the pet on is more thn ordinarily forced to tut he self-image sd facet the tac and good conduct of others ‘Tax Narunx or raz RrrvAL, Onoen, ‘The sual order seems to be organized basically on 2c cexnmodative lines, 30 Ut the Smagery wsod in thinking shout other typer of sell order isnot ult sltabe for it For the otber types of socal order a Kind of schoolboy ‘model seems to be employed: if» pera wishes to saetan &particulrtmage of inself and trst his feelings to, The mst work ard for the eedits that il Duy this sl sahancement for him; shoold be try to oblain ends by Improper means, by cheating or thet, he wil be panisbed, lng ciroumstancermin the case of greetings for cizcumstances Emtec amg Sirti Sees eas cea etree as {pals allow tnpeesioy toe aad ate co oan naar ‘2 ey er ota tha Sy pb ay fl {clined todo, ins gsr tht dee channels fr por Ena e iaqualifed from the race, oat lest made to sat all ‘ver again from the begining. Tht isthe imagery of ‘ard dll game. I fac, society and he fndvidal fon fone that it easir on oth of thom, yet one that has dan- er of so, ‘Whatever his postion in society, the person isulates inal by blindness, alert eons, ad rational Zatlos. He makes an “adjustment” by convincing himsel, vith he tactful suppor of hi Hntnate cla that e vst he wants tobe and that be would not do to gala his feds whet the others have dave to gin thes, And as for Stclty ifthe person ir willing to be subject to Informal Soakal contol be is wiling to find out from hints and tances and facto caer what his place i and keep t— {hen thre vl be no obpeton to Bis friching this place this own dlscretion, wth al the comfort, elegance, and ‘obit tht hi wit can meter for hin. To pretect this thelr be doesnot have to work bard, o Jon's group ot ‘compete with anybody, be need only be cateful abot the ‘expressed judgment he places himself fo a postion to ‘eines Some stations ed acts and persons wil hve to be avoided, other, less thretenig, must not be presed too far, Social He ir 2m nclttered, orderly thing be- ‘ane the person voluntary stays way fom the paces Sind topic and tines where he i ot wanted and where he ‘might be daparaged for gong. He cooperates to save his Face, ding that thee ie much t be gaiped fom vent fing nothings) AN5.™ ar acts a9/6f the schotboy’s would-they canbe llered by dlignt effort bat they cannot be avoiled. But wat ‘he’ person protects and defends and invests his feelings fn ian ides about ins, and fess are loeb nat to facts and things but to'commnication. Cemmuniet- tions belong to lest punitive scheme Ban do facts, for ‘communications canbe by-passed, withdrawn fom, isbe- Heved, convenientiy minmdertood, and tactfally con- veyed, And even should the person misbehave and bresk Ethe true he as mado with society, punishment need not bbe the consequence Ifthe ofense one thatthe efended perio can lt go by without Ising Yoo mach face, then they are ily to act forbearanty, telingthenscves that they wil get even with the ofender im another way at nother time, even though such an ocasion may never Saris and might not bo explolted if edd. I the offense is ‘eat. the ofcnded pecoas may withdraw from the en ‘counter, of from fotire sina ones, allowing thle with ral tobe reinforced by the awe they ay fel toward Someone who breaks the ital code, Or they may have the (fender withdrew, #9 that no futher communion con ‘ooir, But since the ofender can savage a good deal of aco from such operations, witdraval i oten nots mich an informal punishment for an offense as I merely ‘moans of temiating i. Perhaps the main peincple of the ‘ual order snot fuse But face, and what any ofender rocuves i aot what he deserves but what wll sustain for the moment the line to which he has comsated hinsll, tnd through isthe line to which he Ba commited the Intestin ‘Throughout this pepe st ha been imrlied that under neath thei dferences in culture, people everwhere ae the same, If persons have ualersal buman nate, they themselves ar nt tobe looked to for an explanation of (Ono mast lok rather to dhe fac that societies everywhere, Af they are to be societies, mast mobilize thelr member as selfceguliting partipants in social encoustes. Ove Way (of moblang the individual for thir purpose i thoogh ‘ual be is taught to be perceptive, to have Feelings at tached to self and a well expresed through face, to have ‘ro, honor, and dignity, to have considerate, have {ct and a certain amount of poise. These aze some ofthe clments of beavior which must be bat fto the person ‘if practical wo to be made of hn ata teractant id “ 1s these clement that are refered to in part when one speaks of universal man ature, Universal maa nature rot very aman thing. By acting, the person becomes Hind of constrect, bbl ap na rom nner pechic propensities but fom moral ules that ae impresed spon him from without. These tle, when followed, detemine the evalation be wil take of himself and of hi fellow prtipants fa the en Counter, the ditbuton of hi felings, and the Kids of practices he will employ to maintain a specifed and Shligtory Kind of ual equim. ‘The general copay to be bound by moral rules may well belong to the inde ‘ial, tthe parole et of rea which wansforms i Into human being derives from requementsetablshed {the sual organiation of social encounters. And if puricular person or group or society seems to have a Unique character all Ke own, it because Hs stand Set of human-aature elements Is pitched and combined {na parelar way Instead of much pride, there may be ide Instead of aiding by the els, there may be much effort break them stely. But if an encounter or unde. taking i to be sustained ae viable sytem of interaction frganized on ital principles, then these variations mst bre held within cetan bounds and nicely counterbalanced by cortesponding modications In some ofthe other rules and understandings Sinlaty, the human nature of a Dut st of pertns may be specaly designed for the speck kin! of undertakings in which they partite, ‘bot stil each ofthese person must have witha hin some thing ofthe blonceof characteris required of sable Daricipant in any italy organized system of social