On the communicative affordances of instrumental action: Offering meal service to others, whilst serving oneself

Abstract

We begin with this simple observation: Taking food can present an occasion for offering food. The sheer visibility of mealtime self-service to other diners (reflexively) furnishes both a context and an account for these offers of service. Not only does mealtime self-service furnish a public launching pad for offering service to others, but the placement of that offer – either on the way to serving oneself or just after having done so—can frame the offer, casting it as a ‘no bother, while I'm at it’ offer. Furthermore, an Offerer can modify the path of their self-service so as to overtly promote the offer: A self-service Manual Action Pathway can be fashioned so as to incorporate visible preparation to serve the Offeree, just before or just after their own self-service. The report then turns to those offers made just as the actual transfer of food or drink is carried out. These offers are recurrently coterminous with the transfer, and thereby become fulfilment-ready just as the transfer reaches its material completion. Overall, we identify and detail just how practical embodied conduct can contribute to the formation of communicative action.