mono 197, Ln a Positioning Between Structure and Performance Michael G. W. Bamberg Deparment of Psyholgy, Clark University TEMPORALITY AND EVALUATION ‘Tere ar two posible nerpesions of wha the term narrative implies in Labov snd Walk inal 1967 his sue: hencefodh L&W) famewrk in terms of bow naraiveistinked o personal eserencipartcular ato Sese-nakig i ental. The fst, move Simplistic reading ingles that naatives parca) ‘how of personal experience ar representations of somthing that one happened nd what this past happening meant (or now” means) tothe ator The second, ‘nore indeteading requ the ct of lig or "vepresenng” at prtcular ‘ction in he frm of a pariculr sor itervene, 0 pea, between he tual experience andthe try. I was the fist reading of LEW that xginally| fascinated me an fared me ino exploring nraiver ata window to pople™s caperiences, However nthe couse ofhaving worked with ative overeat, te decades, IIave moved ore nd oreo al he second rating ‘Other contrbitor to this re ave commented i ne or ante way on thi ‘epson between tation seucural pproch anda mere performance Sad, gmat approch fo native and narative analysis Whereas the ie tke String poi rom what was dad he way i was aid) and work toward why ita sad that i is meaning, he second focuses more song oa how twas forme athe main inde fr what the mate aban ctf istataton means {othe performer also shoul be note that within this second reading the sionce SS much mae ofa faetor tht inpinges on te shape of the naraive and its performance, What actly x being sts neo the many fret performance etres in what the speaker aso achieve in tbe ac of mara Se EE SS ae Been i Ga396 wawnene [L&W splyiclsuggeston start withthe identification ofnaratvelawe ‘hats with "matching verbal sequence ofclausesto he sequence of even whi ‘cull ocured (issue), and then tke the fe clawes asa inde fr ‘nara’ evaluate state, appears 1 ive prominence to form over function Inns ait sem common sensible ta one bas oft Ment the sare ‘of temporal events before one can asst the seemingly more subjctive criti at led toan erative stance on tote events Ths the evens present some of an objective” bass, witout which an evahtve stance could ne e rational aimed and upheld. Temporal, which erin the TOs beamea acnatig tp forall kinds of erssinguisic comparisons, seemed form solid basis yon thick ermal nguisic systems and systems nse (a in arativs) could be explores "Without being sbletofllow upon the history of thes hopes ad hei demise {and some recent rasp insta] to new hopes in th expoation of he reliion beewees language and space), atempt het oon an approach evaluation that picks upon LW stwigial suggestions; however one at more ine with ‘he funconalistoventaton, treating temporality at one among many ober formance features taal ukimaely ae fo the Service of discursive purpose. nd the formations of cl Metis, NARRATIVE POSITIONING. 5 Although the notion of pooning was xiialy not developed excasvely fr ‘he analyse of aaling as an itrcive activity, I nevertheless ate employ satepcally the notion of pls and story lines. Building on Helly ((984), Davies and Ha (1990) defined posioning asa discursive pace’ “whereby selves ae loeted in conversation 28 oberbly and intersubetivly ‘been parcpants in joimly produced tory ines (p48. Ts, n conversa "inde to hentai oil Fre of conversing people poston themes Invelation oone another aways that waionallyhivebeen dein as oer Mor ‘tmporat, in doings, people produce” one anche (and themselves) situation ally Sol bing.” ‘Although this pproch explicitly address the analysis of language under he beading of how people attend to ove another in inertial settings, ad ath ‘rational native analyse along te lines suggested by LAW adres the ‘ls of what he language is efreily “about raely sequently deed (pat) events and ther evaluations, we have atempted to apply the notion of ostoning moe productively tothe analy styling ee Bamberg 193, 19966, 1997: Cranford, 196; Tle, boc, Bokhour, & Bamberg, 1997) incre to ink these two approaches, For this purpose, we onsdered the proces of poston take plaeat re ifferentees tht reformulate inthe following 2 thee diferent pstoning questions: PosIONING METWEEN STRUCTURE AND PERFORMANCE 397, 1, Hove are the characters postion in relation to one another within the repored events? AX ths level, we atemp 10 analyze how characters witht the ory word are corte in cms of for example, protagonists ad snags or pespettrs and victims. More concretely, is ype of analysis aims at the linguistic means that do theob of marking one person for example: (the agen iho ein contol while the action i flict upon theater or (0) a the ena character who is elplsly tthe mery of ouside quasi aura”) forces a Who irrewardd by lack, fate cr personal qulies (auch raver, nobility or simply characte) 2. How doe the speaker postion him- or herselftothe audience? Atha ev swe sok to analyze the linguistic means tht ae characteris forthe particlar scours mode that being employed: Does, for stance, the ara atemp 10 instr! the stn terms of what odo ae of adverery conditioner dos te naratr engage in making excuses for hs action ad in uibuting Bae 5. How do naratore poston themscves 19 themes? How is lnesage ‘employed to make clas tht the narator hold tobe te and elevant above and devices employed in uating point o more than he content (or what he narrative Is tout) ar the nerlecuor In contuting the conten and oes auince teams of role pitcpants, the nator transcends the question of "How do want tobe understood by you he aaiene?” and constbets lcal) answer to the Gestion: "Who am 1?” Simultaneously, however, we mst esuion tat any tempted answer this queson snot one that necessarily hols across coments, atrater sa project of hinted range Positoning: Three Examples Chicron’s accounts of emotion stuations. Axa int example of how he positioning pprschonaatives was put use, tme offer twollistations fom ry ongoing stds of citren's account of emotion events. When ake to gv account ‘of suation when “Jou mae Someone else angry” a yen _nswered-"Th waa coupe of years ago, when took the crab away fom my bother, heb stuck my ist out a eran it iad ot blondy nose” Typed for this answers the posioning ofthe Fas an ageat who nevertheless doesnot hae fall Conta ve the ute of his scons an consequently cannot be eld feponsi- te The marae postions then sich away tht he event deste f haa. teste ofthe even type “acient™ The other here hs brother, is postoned ‘ieevehe as somewhat agente: Ife bade moved inven he fs chis Staton would not ave occured998 pawns YOSITIONNG BETWEEN STRUCTURE AND PERFORMANCE 399 Incomrst othe ings devices employed fr his tp of scenario, a cca Tome ane pealy psn oe tes fedvduted and often ust agent, whose acon ar tet willy a he inaig eels ern eto hates on feet Scum "When ny ss slapped me con tea, at becanse she i Inter room, and mtd play game, bt she dhe me, ad she ag te across the face.” The two ferent ypes of ings sae can lel be iferenined team othe sync contacto te employed Gee for oe deal Sumbug, 1990, 1996, 1997) However, thes diferent static cont ‘open ut argued be progatilly organizes the iaersiv purpose for wh they arc employed wheres constriction sed forthe consul ofthe ist pea ‘soning serve the purpose of saving fac, he satis employed forthe second Fostoning serve cick empahy an ign the sokenc in a moral stance wi teagan the oer aginst an adult worl, in harmony with the pee-group values, By conta [Saraive2employsaraher diferent psioningwatey: ely, thedesrptions othe agentve characters are ferent we the: they mae th call, heres Narative I, we used the phone: secodly, thir id Joh, who was the vient oF pe callin Naraive |, ispostonedagetvely as having pone sex in Nar 2 nth, who is ot mentioned in Nate I, single ut and poston as tangent (siting) and expliy dancing here fom whats happening. In sition to postoning the characters distinct the arate ia unr of fe nse inthe idle of Nara 2) seeks to poition baal tobe audience os an expert onthe topic of phone ex (ostoning Level). In sum, the linguistic devices employed inthe two naraives resale: in Aferen positioning of he character nthe narative event the sitvaton described) nd (0) in wo eater diferent relationships between the ator and her two ferent aodenes. Furthermore, Crawford demonstsed tat the ferences in ‘ese two postoning stteies rested ia tw diferent moral poston and emi cla, bth af them teractivly and aly achieved. The it can best be desribed as claim with egrd to ex potion asx young peso in confit with heal weld of telephone ills ad espns, the second as a young pen whois knowledgeable stout topics concerning boys and sexuality. Both lnm ae mate against the background of exiting moral onder that are beng {ested out and questioned inthe narativesacoerse conducted wth the audience In ther words theo clans so how the arto wants tobe usted 3 ssn (who she“) ae explorations that could be midis the subsequet oure ofthe conversation. The natatr’s implicit enim inthe second arate tha “she is ot that Kind of gi iclerlymainsied, but “open omepodaon’ (Ge Crawford, 1996, fr a abortion o hs pin, Teenagers accounts oftheir sexual dontty. Crawford (1996) prepa sad anol reson eno nae tthe same experience bath given by te same 13-year-old i. The experienc ‘tvolved being ay fom home and pending an excessive amount of tine onthe hone The fst edu ke place in claszoom context ands given toa fea Sequainance of he same age : edi acan ° Women's decouns oftheir pregnancies, In my thie example, we (Ta cr paeLi ater man ima ernie ‘Atanother occasion the same sition presented to er best ind (emale) ad two overhearing bos, gui the caso: ‘ert Cue his nce my tend ne wee yin sea nity me oy ity cat en on the hotel nl be was having phone ith one fm ends, you kaw weet acto se tea youe ven tn ayy Taka yotoe:o ye ag pee he Taig oposite Dio Intra Crofo fit inet posioing devices we tp vena anne sna aig mete Semen340 manmexo FosrmcwNG HETWEEY STRUCTURE AND PERFORMANCE 944 Url] ates. Let me sip til count the lingutic conse employed by bah interviewees and move sag to soma of he clan ichow hey sem o understand themselves at esta his conveaton a ‘tthe clams ao who they ae show they wan fo be unon. May, the st ineriee, iw bere tel scant person, who avid thn anyone devs rogram ae at il neater nl seeds and ens the heh and safety of el and hr sor baya Complaint egaring doctors tha hey ft eect the soundness Judgment apd the eae of her agency. Her entity claim asa slsi inva Tends her athorky tsb adies oes clam seca, themsees She consrucs er ow ent by string that sh here ana 2nd hat was of understanding preg tt my apply to oes oem ae sel erin he effort cope withthe adverse calnges of ie pregsay Se te te nervewer—stites te notion of pregnant shed to matali te ayo te Fen! pe, we oy astminfrmed Heres ofthis popaar ew af pregnancy na Imre ada than Mary's fr Sues sein ot ony that hades vel tears no reseblane to her rena. bt that fal tah no somal the th hat competion se common experience fr many eghat Bearing wines ots diversity of experece among expectant mars cones thatthe concept of ormaiy embodied In che sanded ep arate tn ed of evision. When dtr pee in hers fey ‘iced nos epponens bt arenes and trowlcgebe es who lp al lve at's move realistic appreciation af pregnancy as penal pe snerakng Fa om coosrocting els aering he power cond ‘ucome of events in he preenant, Sue insists that ocean cb partoftheprocessan ino expecant mtr cncliminas prepay she "sso del its mysteries Sue ons her eli seat founded openes'o point af view bese hor wa and ine tle ‘eceptanc othe imation a her own com ter wos he eh Ink of omer and sel cont inspira reas Ese or saving fae. Our ass ofthe two epoing of he same event in he Syed aslecen’y naraveshghphed psitonng a Level 2 Here be poutuconal be aor awnce raion seo nguscconstions foreground. Alnugh bo arsine fered fo the sae eve, la tel aed tw diferent psitoning vis he two aes: Beh ed claims regring "what Lind of ge Iam though bth claims te cruehy pounded nt ee and-now oth convertona ein. Teeny ae) rt tna nn po pertain Our porning mali of Mary nd Sue fcsed mre sonal 00 fs ngs mean employed const ent laine levator Positioning evel. Aough thse cans are never locally Ged tothe interview saan thy tespeaka docu peta searcher aro past even esol spatence) fer rene to make ams fore decomextal ot. tour aticle ote 00 we eed to so hese dice ean tO eeising Frater Scour on he topo pepancy a mor ery at we sked eqution Where ihese cures come rm snhow they achive thelr eaterence and persusive powers? Terning bck tote question of how his type of posoning analysis compares ih LA's rgd non of vauston, shoul be ate tha in propos arave i dctned considerably more brealy than in L&W: The discursive Sonor andthe dscrse prose est cel she sematc Cempor) tarzan of he urate Intense ants of ositoningsan tert Jovniethe pragmatics oearaing witht ngisti rut aay lL -W um et cphasins mote tongly tue such "the snes f pase nd Wane” Labo, his re) and viwpolt as cetal ote emerence of sce and ning in rates Tang ith Labn gener ani fh analysis of lngege we. that beast pstoning stall linge analy, one howeer.harakes Inge (anextalingus) devices performance fetes (os ents onc" Sx Cook Gunprs & Gur iss) tha ndex ow naar forts te unde. "Temporal everbg” snd “stepping oto ew of [Sens we wocptosinteepoieof seers Oherconibuts sss fore pine o be devices ta igure cena in hi anaes, nd Lab's en cnbaton cary pon inthe sane econ, Postonngsnalss may oily beat be undestod granting more ena he speakers ative Eeagement inthe conrcon proces ara ‘Ae ae tne the pope type of anys point wp that ny atempt 1 Fase and analy france fees plo se fr scars proses tens to acgure « mulaplly of ptt fncons.ANBouph he "whats he poussins 1 fe pry lpimte, tryin serve more ian one purpose: Above is vey tlre ad informative function, may er beupiee of worl vie extend anf tobecome ore iMate 22k POSITIONING ANO EVALUATION Te ne exmps of soning analyser meant cto how iy asa pneets Alioth chien ot he ap of yeas ote oa ‘ome frescing cla wih ep oer ely ba cables tea ther mara pstoning te! ches iguana topsiion tense hares inept esl expense cel ‘habit cont snr inigh ef sae pans hoch sea342 anneno andere alignment fr the purpose of ot revenge. ad seve as alam ao {realy a™-andall hi the same ime nado, thee functions are not achieved with naatives hat postion the slfas ope of the cena actos. They siko ual in maratives abow (ied) persons ster thn the self fetional ‘nonttionl ad they smal apply to generic over as cea haat though native analysis ation tends opilepe martes of pes experience as providing some special acess fo experience ad "the Pe faratves a ts of mating in ene ly themselves ope othe sre Kindy posting nays REFERENCES Nee Des Te nga of oars. 2098) Amat ‘seater, Fempeeml gcy tea meaie et InD Sel TE Cine Amt, Rah Pa (he), Pg tr 2 Ae atta ns 8 rk Ceca ion (3 Ger dierent a He Ha ‘C Uma van BY ward fe Chang he mer Py i nian tn 27-20 one Mee Thi no heal ann a Prego spn et {fee a yp. Se ty og rahe sce RBar ante, M (97D, Ain destin den ‘Semel cm, ara i