Discursive hybridity at work

The notion of discursive hybridity has been put forward by Sarangi and Roberts (1999: 62) to define ‘shifting modalities – at the levels of identity, modes of talk, socialization into communities of practice, negotiation of backstage/frontstage, etc. – but in an orderly and organized way’. The paper examines intercultural data in two types of social interactions at the place of work: selection interviews for future professionals in Social Work, and telephone conferences in two multinational companies in Braşov. The aim is to examine shifting modalities, suggesting that the hybrid nature of these types of social interaction help both reproduce and construct new discursive practices in intercultural encounters. The analysis focuses on the way in which participants deal with hypotheticals, narratives, and small talk.