Conversations

English Language: AQA A Level, topic 3.3.3

Occupational Groups - Conversations

Linguists have examined the way we talk to each other at work, the way in which people start conversations and the subject of these conversations in great detail.

Koester

Koester argues that the workplace is varied and that, within conversations, we can divide interactions into ‘transactional’ and ‘interactional’.
Transactional conversations are all about making a transaction (i.e. getting something done).
Interactional conversations are all about serving a social purpose.

Norman Fairclough

Norman Fairclough believes that in conversations at work, there is a trend towards ‘conversationalisation’ – a process by which interactions in the workplace become less and less formal.

Drew and Heritage

Drew and Heritage argue that conversations that take place at work are goal-orientated – the person who starts the conversation is trying to achieve a work-based goal.
For example, Abbie may start a conversation about her love life by talking about an engagement ring she is selling.

Herbert and Straight

Herbert and Straight’s research detailed that in conversations, compliments are paid, but the compliments move down the hierarchy.
For example, your boss is more likely to pay you a compliment than you are to pay them a compliment.
In this sense also, Hornyak believes that conversations are initiated by those who have the most power.

Heritage

Heritage argues that a turn-taking structure comes to play in a transactional conversation.
In this structure, the person with the most power asks the most questions.

Occupational Groups - Conversations

Roberts and Sarangi challenged the previous theories by arguing that our workplace roles are negotiated by conversation and so are not fixed.

Gavruseva

Gavruseva built on this research and argued that we have many different ‘discourse identities’.
In other words, you will probably talk to your boss, your friends and your customers all differently.

Myers-Scotton

Myers-Scotton states that we code-switch our language to one which will benefit us the most.
This will often include moving up and down the registers (the language used in relation to formality) and the increased politeness markers (ways of ameliorating things, like fronting an imperative with ‘please’ like ‘please move those boxes’.

Herring

Herring believes that both technology and gender can have an influence on our work-based language.
His research detailed that in emails, men used harsher and less euphemised methods of expression (‘it’s clear to see that Melissa has broken the rules’) whereas women used more emotion-based responses seeking a more personal touch (‘I find it interesting that you feel Polly is an asset to the team’).

Test yourself on Conversations

Who argued that conversations are initiated by those who have the most power in the workplace?
Who argued that we have many different ‘discourse identities’?
Which two factors did Herring believe can have an influence on our work-based language?

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