Disagreement in Chinese blue-collar workplace small talk: The role of assessments relating to regional knowledge

Abstract

This study explores some of the complexities of small talk in Chinese blue-collar workplaces, focusing on disagreements within these interactions. Particularly, we zoom in on how these disagreements can be initiated and navigated through assessments relating to regional knowledge, as these may construct epistemic primacy, both sequentially and on a contextual basis. Drawing on authentic recordings and ethnographic fieldnotes, we investigate these interactions by means of a qualitative discourse analytical approach. At first sight, our findings suggest that the small talk sequences in our data are a locus for expressing difference and foregrounding varying degrees of tension. Yet, we argue that through disagreeing, the participants may also demonstrate engagement in the interaction and may thus, in one form or another, establish rapport as well. In this way, this research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of workplace small talk and disagreement, emphasizing their multifaceted nature, while also extending the scope of current research to under-researched workplace contexts such as Chinese blue-collar workplaces.