Reviewed by Gregory M. Matoesian, University of Illinois at Chicago

Sidnell’s book analyzes the practical epistemology—the social distribution and organization of knowledge—in everyday conversational encounters in Guyana, South America. Using methods from conversation analysis and linguistic anthropology, he focuses on epistemic stance and evidentiality in reports, assessments, stories, advice seeking and giving, and reminiscing—analyzing the source, basis, and (un)certainty of knowledge in interaction. In the process, he demonstrates in vivid detail how local knowledge is not only differentially distributed but also normatively accountable and interactionally organized.

Chs. 1–4 provide theoretical and methodological orientations to conversation analysis and linguistic anthropological approaches to discourse and knowledge, as well as ethnographic background of the history and language of Guyana. Ch. 2 provides an excellent overview of epistemic stance, evidentiality, footing and reported speech, and an overview of anthropological approaches to knowledge; S contrasts these with his preference for conversation analytic approaches.

Chs. 5–9 demonstrate the practical epistemology and social organization of knowledge through an in-depth analysis of audio recording of discursive interaction. Ch. 5 examines how children develop an orientation to evidence through question and answer sequences. This chapter shows not only how children learn to provide the grounds for knowing but also how to defend their claims when challenged by adults. Ch. 6 deals with uncertainty and expertise in advice seeking and giving and how it is asymmetrically organized around issues like authority and limited access to esoteric knowledge. Challenging the view of uncertainty as mental state, S shows in elaborate detail how mental predicates are interactionally organized and social structured. Ch. 7 deals with a case of ‘cultivated ignorance’ in a sexually charged case: the individual has had inappropriate sexual relations. Here the individual produces a defense to a projected accusation not by denial but by questioning the source of the information. The denial is embodied (rather than overtly announced) by epistemologically challenging the source of the information, that it was based on hearsay or gossip rather than first-hand observation, and here we can also see how participants position the epistemological status of knowledge.

Chs. 8–9 concern ‘reminiscing’ in the local rum shop and how this activity establishes, displays, and maintains specific alignments such as copresence, engagement, nonengagement, and informed and uninformed recipients. S demonstrates how claims to knowledge are produced, challenged, and defended, displaying the cultural fact that participants must possess direct access to the events under discussion. He also provides a fascinating explanation for the exclusion of women from participation in storytelling activity due to marital patterns of exogamy and patrilocal residence.

The book concludes with a lengthy appendix defining the major concepts of conversation analysis, such as sequence, repair, and so on.