ABSTRACT
In this chapter we explore the affordances and limitations of interactional sociolinguistics (IS) as a theoretical framework for investigating gendered talk at work, outlining the significance of IS in the development of the field of workplace discourse analysis. Special attention is paid to the affordances of different datasets for analysing organisational contexts. IS methodologies and tools are discussed and illustrated using past and recent research projects, conducted separately and as collaborators. We then turn to normative femininities and masculinities, reflecting the pervasive interest in identity negotiation in workplace discourse research. After exploring the role of the researcher in the inferencing process and the advantages of different datasets, we outline research in settings ranging from building sites, through eldercare to academia to problematise the concept of ‘normatively gendered’ occupations, exemplifying the unbreakable bond between gendered ideologies at interactional, institutional, and societal levels. The chapter closes with a discussion of the fuzzy distinction between masculinities and femininities and directions for future research on gendered identities in the workplace context.
