Formulating age: Dimensions of age identity in elderly talk

Abstract

It is illuminating to study identity as a dynamic, interactionally achieved process rather than as a static, intraindividual construct. Our article identifies and seeks to overview the diverse means by which the age identities of elderly (aged 70–87) interactants are formulated in a corpus of 40 cross‐generation and within‐generation conversations, based on transcriptions of videorecorded data. We propose an informal taxonomy of age‐identity marking processes in talk, spanning particular age categorization and temporal framing processes. Detailed analysis of individual cases shows how variable identities may be constructed by and for individuals, often bilaterally, and relative to projected identities of others. Finally, we consider theoretical and practical implications of the discursive management of age identity for intergenerational relations and contact.