An analysis of the use of language in a social service context using microethnographic research techniques is described. The study examined a single interaction between a welfare caseworker and a client as they address the client's employment and educational options. The interaction was videotaped and a segment of just over a minute was analyzed in the context of theory concerning face-to-face communication and looking specifically at the relationships between linguistic, non-verbal, and proxemic cues in the exchange. Results indicate significant differences in the way each participant uses hands and arms in communication, patterns in the caseworker's handling of documents, a shift in caseworker role during the client's extended turn at talk, and use of a range of communication strategies by both participants. It is concluded that microethnographic techniques can illuminate the complex processes involved in communication. Contains 12 references. (MSE)