Conflict Talk: A Discourse Analytical Perspective

Abstract

This paper surveys research in the area of conflict talk, focusing on discourse analytical studies of actual, naturally occurring conflict talk. The paper begins with a brief discussion on how conflict talk has been conceptualized. Then the scope of the paper is defined as focusing on discourse analytical studies that examine actual instances of conflict talk within a framework of argument as a situated, local interactional accomplishment. Next, some of the mechanisms and important factors by which conflict talk can be initiated, maintained or escalated, and terminated are reviewed. Finally, the methodological issue of missing data is considered, and a call is made for more detailed analyses of conflict talk in a variety of contexts.