Language and Occupation

• Who is the founder of Speech Act Theory?

  1. L. Austin
• What is the main focus of Speech Act Theory?

  It examines how words can be used to perform actions, not just convey information.
• What is a locutionary act?

  The actual utterance made by the speaker.
• What does an illocutionary act represent?

  It reflects the speaker's true intent behind the utterance.
• What is a perlocutionary act?


  A speech act that produces an effect on the addressee, intended or not.
• What are the five categories of illocutionary acts identified by J.R. Searle?

  Representatives, Directives, Commissives, Expressives, Declarations.
• What is the function of representatives in illocutionary acts?

  They assert a proposition to be true.
• What do directives aim to achieve?

  They aim to make the hearer do something.
• What is the purpose of commissives in speech acts?

  They commit the speaker to a future course of action.
• How do expressives function in communication?

  They express the speaker's attitude towards a state of affairs.
• What is a declaration in the context of speech acts?

  A speech act that alters the external status of an object or situation by the utterance itself.
• What year did Howard Giles introduce Accommodation Theory?


  1973
• What does convergence mean in the context of Accommodation Theory?

  Using language to resemble that of the audience to improve communication.
• What is divergence in communication?

  Using language to distance oneself from others.
• Why might teachers need to converge with their students?

  To ensure students understand and learn new facts and skills.
• What does convergence not imply according to the study material?

  It is not about 'dumbing down' language.
• What did Byrne and Long recognize about general practitioners?

  They relied on language to assert their power and control consultations.
• What are the six phases of the consultation sequence established by Byrne and Long?

  1. Greeting and relating
  2. Discovering the reasons for attending
  3. Conducting a verbal or physical examination
  4. A consideration of the condition
  5. Detailing further treatment
  6. Terminating the interview
• How do doctors guide patients through the consultation phases?

  By relying on their medical prestige and socio-cultural authority.
• What is the nature of the consultation process according to Byrne and Long?

  It is a 'goal-seeking activity' for both the doctor and patient.
• How do doctors gather a detailed medical history from patients?

  By linguistically probing into the patient's background using various types of questions.
• What role does non-verbal behavior play in doctor-patient interactions?

  It indicates understanding and provides encouragement during the interaction.
• What struggle for control can occur in doctor-patient interactions according to Mishler?


  A conflict between the 'voice of medicine' and the 'voice of the lifeworld.'
• What does the 'voice of medicine' represent?

  It represents the technical jargon associated with medicine.
• What does the 'voice of the lifeworld' consider?

  It considers the patient's personal experiences of events and problems.
• Why does the 'voice of medicine' usually dominate in consultations?

  Due to the paternalism and power associated with medicine.
• How does David Crystal describe the language of politicians in public speaking?

  It is a mix of old and new, with ritual phraseology and rhetorical techniques.
• What are the key characteristics of the language used by politicians according to David Crystal?

  • Mix of old and new language
  • Displays ritual phraseology
  • Consciousness of precedent
  • Uses rhetorical and dramatic techniques
• What is the primary language used in medicine?

  Scientific jargon (Latin)
• What is the purpose of exclusionary language in medicine?

  To make the job quicker
• What is the role of codes in medical language?

  To facilitate communication
• What does the term 'divergent' refer to in the context of medical communication?

  Hierarchy/Authority
• What does 'convergence' refer to in medical communication?

  Code-switching between professional and general language
• What is the communication situation in medical practice?

  • A doctor attempts to understand the patient's problems
  • The patient attempts to understand the doctor’s diagnosis
• What did a study of ten major medical journals in the 1960s find about doctor-patient communication?

  There was general agreement on certain characteristics of communication.
• What are the key characteristics of doctor-patient communication identified in the 1960s study?

  1. Topics should be restricted to the patient’s body and disease conditions.
  2. Conversations should be only with patients, not relatives.
  3. Doctors should ask questions, not patients.
  4. Doctors should avoid telling all the truth.
  5. Patients are responsible for their own health improvement.
• What factors can cause miscommunication between doctors and patients?

  Regional, social, and cultural differences
• How can age be a problem in doctor-patient communication?

  Older doctors may struggle to communicate with inner city teenage patients.
• What issues can arise even when the doctor and patient share the same social background?

  Identifying the real reason for the visit and potential misunderstandings due to fear.
• What are some lexical features of medical language?

  • Vocabulary of classical (Greek and Latin) origin
  • Importance of spelling (e.g., ileum vs. ilium)
  • Medical terms have precise literal meanings
  • Use of metaphors for explanation
  • Use of acronyms and abbreviations