Complaint Sequences Within Antagonistic Argument

Abstract

This article examines a corpus of audio and audiovisual recordings of people engaged in acrimonious argument, in which complaints and accusations are being made about the behavior of copresent parties. Analysis focuses on the sequences immediately following complaints. The initial replies predominantly consist of denials, which are made up of 2 main types-"didn't do it" and "not at fault" denials. Their shape and distribution is considered with special reference to claims that have been made concerning the reversal of the preference for agreement within argument sequences. Further analysis is provided of the ways in which the original complainers treat initial replies from complainees. These are shown to be consequential for the subsequent trajectory of the sequence and, specifically, for the exposure of acrimony and rancor. The complainer and complainee alignments are also constructed so as to preserve a relation between them in which one is the complainer, the other the complainee. However, this is altered where this order of collaboration breaks down, as when both parties complain against each other.