Speech Acts in Doctor-Patient Linguistic Communication

المشهداني, فاطمة محمد ذياب (2019) Speech Acts in Doctor-Patient Linguistic Communication. Masters thesis, جامعة الشرق الاوسط.

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Abstract

This study investigates doctor – patient interviews in terms of speech acts theory advocated by Austin (1962). The study, though, depends on D’ Andrade’s classification of speech acts in the analysis of the interviews. Furthermore, it sheds the light on the relationship between the doctor and the patient, i.e. it provides some viewpoints relevant to the distinction in speech between the two interact ants in medical setting. Depending on Andrade’s typology, the research investigates seven medical interviews recorded at two internal medicine departments in Baqubah Teaching Hospital and Al-Batool Teaching Hospital/ Iraq. Frequencies of speech acts categories are examined and the data found are explained via tables and histograms. The study finds that the most recurrent of speech acts categories are statements and questions, which is attributed to the nature of the discourse where in the doctor, asks to elicit information to diagnose, while the patient answers. Besides, there was expressive increase in the patient’s speech, which is attributed to the fact that the patient is in need for care and cure. Reactives are also more frequent in the patient’s speech particularly replies, since the patient answer the question raised by the doctor. This indicates that the patient is in a passive state. Nevertheless, directives are only found in the doctor’s speech which indicates the control of the doctor over this speech event, the doctor speech is also distinguished by the more use of guarantees and promises, i.e. the doctor promises the patient. XIII The study ends with a discussion of the results, a conclusion stating the significance of more investigation in this field and recommendations. Keywords: linguistic communication, doctor, patient, speech acts theory, discourse analysis.

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