Facial and Verbal Expressions in Assessing Stories and Topics

Abstract

This article examines the intertwining of facial and verbal expressions in assessing stories and topics. The main focus is on the facial expressions of the speaker of a story or telling that occur before their verbal evaluation. It is shown how speakers and recipients arrange face and talk in different configurations in order to display their stance toward what is being told. A key finding is that facial expression can stretch the temporal boundaries of an action. This temporal flexibility of the face enforces its role as a subtle device for securing shared understanding and affiliation. The data consist of 10 telling sequences that are closed up with assessments, drawn from Finnish two-party everyday conversations.

Notes

We would like to thank Anna Lindström, Lorenza Mondada, and two reviewers for their very helpful and insightful comments. The study has been made possible by two research grants from the Academy of Finland: Language and Social Action: A Comparative Study of Affiliation and Disaffiliation across National Communities and Institutional Contexts, and Emotion, Interaction and Institutions.