Occupation

• What did John Swales say about Discourse Community?

  Defines a discourse community (group of people) as having members who

  • have a set of common goals
  • communicate using at least one 'genre' of communication spoken
  • use specific lexis (words)
  • have a required level of knowledge and expertise to participate in the community (e.g training)
• How does your occupations affect the function of your speech?

  Different jobs require different reasons and ways to speak to people. for eg:

  • chef- to instruct/give orders so may use a lot of imperitives
  • teacher- to instruct/to explain/to praise so may use a lot of FTAs

  The function of speech has an impact on features you would fine e.g: if you're a therapist you may find a lot of back channeling.
• What did David Crystal say about Occupational Dialect?

  At work we take on an 'occupational dialect'.

  within this we use jargon and slang specific to our work environment

  when we leave work we stop speaking in this occupational dialect
• Explain more on Occupational Dialect

  • The linguistic featyres of OD may be just as distinctive as regional or class features but they are only in temporary use.
  • The more specialized or professional the occupation, the more technical language is likely to be used (eg: doctor)
  • The more established (how long it has been around) the more likely it is to have 'linguistic rituals'
  • Hierarchy is in all occupational groups and this is reflected in lexicon (words used)
• What is the difference between jargon and slang?

  • Jargon is technical lexis (most people are unlikely to understand it)
  • Slang is language that is more informal in nature and often restricted to specific contexts or people
• Give some examples of Dr Adam Fox's Medical slang

  • Slasher = surgeon -> noun
  • CBT (chronic biscuit toxicity) = overweight person -> noun + initialism
  • GLM = Good Looking Mum + initialism
• What was Koester's theory?

  • Phatic speech (small talk) + non essential work related speech establish and maintain personal relationships in the work place.
  • use of playfulness in the workplace e.g Banter, Inside jokes etc
  • Claimed that solidarity is important
  • Being personal is an important aspect of effective working
• Why might discussing face theory and accommodation theory link to occupation?

  Face Theory (Goffman) and Accommodation Theory (Giles) explain how workplace language adapts to maintain relationships and authority. Face Theory -> employees and employers use politeness strategies to protect positive and negative face e.g., a manager softening criticism to avoid conflict. Accommodation Theory -> how professionals adjust their language—converging to build rapport (e.g., a doctor simplifying medical terms for a patient) or diverging to maintain authority (e.g., a lawyer using legal jargon in court)
• Why have The Royal Navy began their own slang?

  As a way to strengthen group identity. With strict formal procedures governing their daily routines, they have limited opportunities for self-expression, so language is the only way to assert their identity. Slang creates a sense of exclusivity, reinforcing a shared culture. Also serves a practical purpose, enabling quick, efficient communication in high-pressure situations. It reflects the heritage and pride of the Royal Navy allowing sailors to express solidarity and maintain morale within a highly structured environment.
• Give some examples of the Royal Navy slang:

  • Zeds = sleep (noun)
  • Essence = gorgeous woman (adj)
  • Anchor-faced = to be totally intoxicated by the Navy (adj)
  • Pinged = to be seen (verb)
• What is 'Legalese' and give some examples of it :

  the specialized, complex language used in legal documents and proceedings. It often includes technical terms, formal phrases, and long, complicated sentence structures that make legal texts precise but difficult for non-experts to understand.

  • beneficiary = someone who benefits financially from a trust
  • Actus Reus = guilty act
• What is the Plain English Campaign?

  a movement that aims to make written and spoken communication clear, concise, and accessible to everyone, especially in legal, governmental, and business documents. It advocates for the use of simple, straightforward language instead of jargon, legalese, or overly complex terms. They also offer a Crystal Mark, a certification awarded to documents that meet their clear communication standards.
• With the Plain English campaign, what would it mean if a document had the 'Crystal' mark on it?

  it means the document has been officially approved as clear, concise, and easy to understand. The Crystal Mark is a certification given to documents that meet high standards of plain language, meaning they avoid unnecessary jargon, legalese, or complex wording.
• What is meant by Coded Jargon?

  used in workplaces like supermarkets, retail stores, and public spaces to discreetly communicate about emergencies or security issues without alarming customers.

  • "Code Red" – Fire or smoke detected.
  • "Mr. Sands" – Fire in the store (used in some retailers).
  • Time check - bomb on site
• There is an article on why 'even lawyers don't like legalese' .

  What research was conducted on legalese and plain english?

  Researchers recruited 100 lawyers from different law schools and asked them to conduct a comprehension test that non-lawyers also did.

  • Lawyers were better at recalling legal docs around 45%. Non-lawyers remembered 38%.
  • When in Plain English lawyers recalled up to 50%, non lawyers upto 45%
• There is an article on why 'even lawyers don't like legalese' .

  So why is it that legalese is still used?

  • it keeps laws consistent with past rulings and prevents confusion. It also helps lawyers maintain expert status, ensuring only trained professionals can interpret legal documents accurately.
  • they often have a "curse of knowledge", meaning they are so familiar with legal jargon that they don’t realize how difficult it is for others to understand. This can make legal documents confusing for the general public
• Arguments FOR jargon:

  • Overt prestige: people look professional/formal, reassures people they are with a qualified staff member
  • Discourse Community by Swales; creates a sense of solidarity
  • Legalese: ensures clarity in legal docs -> helps to prevent misinterpretation, allows for specifity.
  • Medical Jargon: ensures efficient communication, crucial for diagnosis, creates uniformity, helps with patient trust
  • Prevents fear/panic through coded jargon
  • maintains hierarchy: promotes respect for authority, establishes clear roles/responsbilities
• Arguments AGAINST jargon:

  • Exclusive: excludes people that arent in that group, may feel alienated, could slow down communication between people from different departments
  • People from lower classes or ethnic communities: create inequalities
  • Legalese: can be problematic for people who can't afford legal rep, contributes to inequality, favouring those with legal expertise, can be unethical/immoral.
  • Medical Jargon: patients dont understand -> get anxiety, patients feel disempowered to answer questions
  • Plain English Campaign: says it creates confusion + exclusion, promotes elitism.