Abstract: Conflict talk is a very complex and common language phenomenon in our daily life. Since 1980s, scholars from abroad and at home have studied it from different aspects. Based on previous research, this thesis begins with an brief introduction to the domestic and foreign scholars’ literature reviews about the conflict talk and then analyzes the main strategies  employed in the initiating stage, developing stage, terminating stage of conflict talks in an American film Flipped under the theoretical framework of Conversational analysis and Face theory. We can find that people’s face-threatening act is the main reason for causing conflict talk in the initiating stage and developing stage. In terminating stage, the compromising strategy is the most common way to solve the conflict. This thesis aims to help English learners understand thoroughly the causes of conflict talk and learn how to avoid conflict talk effectively so as to establish a more harmonious and friendly relationship in interpersonal communication.

Key words: conflict talk; Flipped; conversational analysis; face theory; strategies;

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction...1

2. Literature Review .2

2.1 Literature Review Abroad

2.2 Literature Review at Home

3. Theoretical Framework.4

3.1 Conversational Analysis

  3.1.1 Turn-taking

3.1.2 Adjacency pairs

3.2 Face Theory

4. Analysis of Strategies of Conflict Talk among Characters in the Film Flipped6

4.1 Strategies of Initiation of Conflict Talk

 4.1.1 Accusation

 4.1.2 Request

 4.1.3 Order

4.2 Strategies of Maintenance of Conflict Talk

 4.2.1 Negation

 4.2.2 Explanation

 4.2.3 Interruption

4.3 Strategies of Termination of Conflict Talk

4.3.1 Compromise

4.3.2 Third Party Intervention

4.3.3 Withdrawal

5. Conclusions ..22

Bibliography.23

Acknowledgements..24