Abstract
This study examines how bilingual family members use language choice and language alternation as a local scheme of interpretation to distinguish different and often contesting social identities in interaction. It is argued that the playful creation of oppositional identities in interaction relieves the speakers from responsibility and creates a safe environment for challenging otherwise strict social hierarchies. The data are drawn from ethnographic research and informal conversations audio recorded in bilingual and multigenerational Azerbaijani families in Tehran, Iran. The methods of analysis integrate a sequential analysis with membership categorization analysis and ethnography. This paper also highlights the need for a multilayered analysis in order to approach the issue of social order as a product of participants' situated conduct.
© Walter de Gruyter
