Cooperative Strategy of Image-Building in English and Russian Conversational Discourse

The article discusses tactics of image-building as a cooperative strategy in English and Russian conversational discourse. The strategy in question is realized through its two variants – self-presentation and enhancing the status of the communicative partner. The tactics of self-presentation are as follows: positive and negative self-characterization, appealing to the third party’s opinion and self-irony, whereas enhancing the status of the communicative partner is actualized through the tactics of interlocutor’s positive characterization, engagement demonstration, appealing to the interlocutor’s expertise and change of the topic. The differences in tactics usage can be explained through linguoculture.