This paper is a response to Coupland et al.'s (1998) recent analysis of negotiating sun use. In critical engagement, a simple methodological point is made about the use of interview data. Despite claiming to analyse negotiation in context, Coupland et al. neglect to consider the implications for pragmatic analysis of an interviewer of female gender asking questions of sunbathers of male gender, while they are sunbathing. Linguistic contributions to the study of environment and risk are welcomed, but such contributions must in turn be prepared to consider the narrowness or breadth of their conceptual and theoretical foundations.