Occupation

• jargon is the specialist language used in a profession that is not a part of a person's usual lexicon. People outside of the profession may not understand what they mean.
• Shared language code or jargon within a profession or trade may act as a kind of short hand to help members exchange specialised information very quickly, especially in the medical field to relay precise information quickly to avoid mistakes and misunderstanding. It also acts a kind of linguistic glue bonding members of that group together.
• Penney Eckert (2006) recognized the importance of language in these workplace communities and that it provides an accountable link between the individual and the group. Exclusive language creates a sense of identity for all those involved.
• Bernard Spolsky 'if you cannot understand my jargon you don't belong in my group'
• Bernard Spolsky said specialised jargon serves not just to label new and needed concepts, but to establish bonds between members of the in-group and enforce boundaries for outsiders.
• Medical jargon may include comminuted fracture (broken bone that shatters) Lesion (a wound or cut) Polyp (a mass or growth of thin tissue)
• Medical jargon may make a patient feel confused or alienated as they are not part of the 'group' and likely wouldn't understand what's being said. However, it potentially could provide comfort as it makes the staff appear to be well-educated and professional, or prevent them from having to understand information that might frighten them for example, saying comminuted fractue rather than shattered bone may appear less frightening (although could go the opposite direction)
• Examples of Plummer jargon include 'ballcock' and 'caulking'
• The Plain English Campaign is a group that campaigns against the use of jargon and misleading public information and argues that language which is transparent and accessible to everyone should be used.
• The way members of a particular profession use their language can reflect their power or status in society, and express their particular values and interests.
• Institutional power is the power you hold because you are part of an institution.
• Influential power is the power to persuade and influence people
• In a employee client/ customer transaction, typically the employee will have the power.
• In the transcript between a customer service employee and a client, where a client is trying to cancel their membership, the employee held the power by using longer passages of speech, more questions and lots of direct addresses to drive their point. The client, however, used hedging and short answers, showing less power. 'its just er just that I don't use it'
• Teacher tend to use imperatives, direct address, and controlled turn taking by use of names inorder to assert power and keep control over a classroom. Imperatives allow for control and the ability to give instructions as seen in transcripts 'sit down' 'hands up' 'be quiet'.
• dominance in occupation is important inorder to maintain a controlled environment and maintain a hierarchy
• Holmes found that 25%-80% of work time is occupied by meetings
• Register switches in the workplace may occur depending on who a person is addressing e.g. customers, colleagues, or managers. Teachers and support staff need to be able to switch registers depending on the audience. The language is also complex due to multi-audiences. They need to make judgements and adjust their language accordingly.
• In order to build rapport a person may use an informal register, with phatic talk and make the customer/ client/ patient feel more comfortable and welcome and make explanations more comprehendible.
• An example of when phatic might be used in occupation is in an orthodontist, at the beginning of a session they may build rapport by catching up with the patient, making them feel more at ease and welcome by talking about heir holidays etc.
• Technical language and jargon may not always be appropriate for example, outside of the professional environment, it would likely alienate a person rather than build a community as others wouldn't understand the jargon (you wouldn't usually start discussing a comminuted fracture with your non-medic friends)
• Some jobs require register switching between written communications. Articles or emails may require a formal register with precise technical jargon, however, the same person would be required to switch register when sending informal texts or written notes involving abbreviations, slang, acronyms etc (something not expected of a doctor)
• In the work place, employees will likely switch between registers, for example, whilst talking among colleagues register may be informal in breaks or outside of work, but formal in the workplace
• Drew and Heritage (1992) differences between everyday and workplace talk


  Goal Orientation

  Turn-taking rules or restriction

  Asymmetry

  Professional lexis

  Structure

  Allowable Contributions
• Discourse community (John Swales)


  People who share common goals, communicate internally using and 'owning' one or more genres of communication e.g. school reports, use specialist lexis and discourse and possess a level of knowledge and skill to be considered eligible to participate in the community.
• Janet Holmes and Maria Stubbe (2003) 


  Examined the idea of community practice. They define this as groups of people who 'regularly engage with each other in service of a joint enterprise and who share a repertoire of resources which enables them to communicate in a kind of verbal short hand which is often difficult for outsiders to penetrate.'
• Penny Eckert (2006)


  Recognised the importance of language use in these workplace communities. 'It provides an accountable link between the individual, the group and the place in the broader social order, and it provides a setting in which linguistic practice emerges as a function of this link.' 'The use of an exclusive vocabulary creates a sense of identity for all those involved'
• Bernard Spolsky (1998)


  A specialised Jargon serves not just to label new and needed concepts, but to establish bonds between members of the in-group and enforce boundaries for outsiders. 'If you cannot understand my jargon you don't belong in my group'.
• Use of specialist language


  A shared language, code, or jargon within a profession or trade may act as a kind of shorthand to help members exchange specialised information quickly, and also as a kind of linguistic glue bonding members of that group together. It may also reflect the power and status of someone within society, and express their particular values and interests.
• Multiaudiences


  Language within the workplace has to adapt due to multi-audiences. For example teachers may have to switch between registers depending on whether they are talking to bosses, co-workers, parents, students etc. Making Quick judgements and adjusting their language accordingly.
• Andrzej Kollataj (2009)


  Andrzej argues that jargon is not as stigmatised as other language choices such as slang, that mark group boundaries. This is an accepted form of language, making it powerful.
• Eric Friginal (2009) Call Centre Customer's language 


  First-person pronouns

  Past Tense

  Interrogatives and words like 'what' and 'why'

  Informal texts

  short Responses
• Eric Friginal (2009) Call Centre Staff Language


  Second person pronouns

  Imperative 'lets'

  Brand names and other related proper nouns

  Present tense

  Specialist technical terms

  Politeness markers

  Discourse Markers

  Fewer topic shifts than everyday conversation

  Limited uses of hedges and vague language
• Janet Holmes the role of the chair


  Holmes found meetings occupy anything between 25% and 80% of work time. In a meeting, there may be a hierarchical structure in place. The chairperson would be at the top of this, providing leadership, discussion topics, opening and closing the meeting, designating turn taking etc.
• Exchange structure theory (Coulthard and Sinclair (1975)


  Uniquely seen in the classroom, a regular structure in the verbal interaction between pupil and teacher. It is defined by Initiation, Response and Feedback.
• Face Theory


  We work to protect, support or challenge the 'face' of others aka 'face-work'. A face-threatening act directly challenges someone's face needs. Goffman Brown and Levinson's theories of face and politeness suggests we all protect our 'face needs' and avoid threatening other peoples. (customers always right)
• Positive Face needs


  the desire to be liked and accepted
• Negative face needs


  The need for respect and distance
• Frame and Schema Theory


  Goffman and Minsky (1974) proposed we use our past experience to structure our present language use. We use contextual cues (frames) Enabling us to structure our language appropriately to meet face needs. A conversational schema explains the conventions of a specific linguistic situation

  • routines and patterns we use linguistically in the workplace may shape how we use language
• Institutional power


  power you hold because you are part of an institution