Language and Occupation

• How are language and identity linked?

  They affect each other.
• What kind of lexicon do most occupations have?

  Specialised - with special codes. Eg. AST, AFL, CPD (teaching).
• What is jargon?


  Specialised or technical language of a specific profession or group.
• What is some jargon used in the US navy?

  Baboon ass, chow hall, rain locker (shower).
• What kind of prestige does jargon carry?

  Covert prestige - used to exclude others.
• What kind of occupational titles are known to us?

  Head Teacher, Deputy Head.
• What are some less well known occupational titles?

  Mining job titles, only understood by mining communities.
• What is a Hewer?

  The one who cut up the coal.
• What is a Dataller?

  Was given work on a daily basis as required.
• Were the same terms used everywhere?

  Terms varied by regional dialect.
• What is the name of someone who hauls wagons in Yorkshire?

  Waggoner.
• What is the name of someone who hauls wagons in Lancashire?


  Drawer.
• What is the name of someone who hauls wagons in Northumberland?

  Putter.
• What is a situation where the same mining words can mean different things?

  In Durham, lunch can mean bait. In Scotland lunch = piece.
• Examples of occupational language in supermarkets?

  Team 5, SQTs, Protector Line.
• What languages have an influence on legal and medical language?

  French and Latin.
• What is the French word for witness?

  Voir dire.
• What is the Latin term for based on the first impression?

  Prima Facie.
• What are some terms that have specific meaning within a profession but with a broader meaning in general use?

  'Action' 'party' 'execute' 'seizure
• Which general discourse terms have originated in occupational lexis?

  'Bringing home the bacon', 'balancing the books' 'out for the count' - boxing
• What is the purpose of occupational codes?

  To deal with issues discretely amongst staff.
• How are codes used to describe people's ethnicities?

  W1 = White British

  A4 = person of Chinese ethnicity

  SDE codes = self-defined (consistant across all police forces).
• Why are these same codes used throughout the force?

  Standardisation, efficiency, data collection, transparency, compliance
• What does Standardisation mean?

  Providing a consistent way to communicate information about a person's ethnicity.
• What does Efficiency mean?

  Predefined codes = officers quickly convey information w/o lengthy descriptions.
• What does data collection mean?

  Codes facilitate data collection and analysis related to ethnicity.
• What does Transparency mean?

  Codes allow police to transparently document interactions related to ethnicity.
• What does compliance mean?


  Visual assessment, self defined ethnicity codes = compliance with legal requirements.
• Are USA police codes the same in every state?

  No
• What do some law enforcement agencies use instead of codes?

  Plain talk. (Standard speech) = lack of concealment
• What kind of pattern do most occupational texts follow and why?

  A predictable pattern so the job is done in a systematic and effective way.
• Who is John Swales?

  Emeritus Professor at the Uni of Michigan
• How did he define a discourse community in 2011?

  1) Share a set of common goals.

  2) Communicate internally, one or more genres of communication.

  3) Possess a required level of knowledge.

  4) Use specialist lexis + discourse.
• What is Field Special Lexis?

  Vocabulary/manner of speech that define and reflect a particular profession which is difficult for others to understand.
• What are acronyms?


  Abbreviation formed from initial letter of other words and pronounced as a word.
• What is a Discourse Community?

  A group of people engaged in similar activities who use language in distinct, identifiable ways.
• What is Instrumental power?

  Enforces authority and is imposed by the laws, state, conventions and organisations. Eg. SHUT UP NOW
• What is Influential power?

  This is power used to persuade and influence others eg. Please do not touch the wet paint
• Who said there was these two types of power?

  Norman Fairclough 2001
• How are pragmatics and power interconnected?

  There is power in knowledge. If you know the rules of a community you can participate in it.