words are spoken, then tone of voice, manner of uptake, restarts,
and the variously positioned pauses similarly qualify. As does
manner of listening. Every adult is wonderfully accomplished in
producing all of these effects, and wonderfully perceptive in
catching their significance when performed by accessible others.
Everywhere and constantly this gestural resource is employed,
yet rarely itself is systematically examined. In retelling events--
an activity which occupies much of our speaking time--we are
forced to sketch in these shadings a little, rendering a few move-
ments and tones into words to do so. In addition to this folk
transcription, we can employ discourse theatrics, vivifying the
replay with caricaturized reenactments. In both cases, we can rely
on our audience to take the part for the whole and cooperatively
catch our meaning. Thus, in talk about how individuals acted or
will act, we can get by with a small repertoire of alludings and
simulations. Fiction writers and stage performers extend these
everyday capacities, carrying the ability to reinvoke beyond that
possessed by the rest of us. But even here only sketching is found.

So it remains to microanalysts of interaction to lumber in
where the self-respecting decline to tread. A question of pinning
with our ten thumbs what ought to be secured with a needle.

With my own thumbs, in this volume I want to hold up three
matters for consideration. First, the process of "ritualization"--
if I may slightly recast the ethological version of that term. The
movements, looks, and vocal sounds we make as an unintended
by-product of speaking and listening never seem to remain inno-
cent. Within the lifetime of each of us these acts in varying
degrees acquire a specialized communicative role in the stream of
our behavior, looked to and provided for in connection with the
displaying of our alignment to current events. We look simply to
see, see others looking, see we are seen looking, and soon become
knowing and skilled in regard to the evidential uses made of the
appearance of looking. We clear our throat, we pause to think, we
turn attention to a next doing, and soon we specialize these acts,
performing them with no felt contrivance right where others in
our gestural community would also, and like them, we do so apart

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