Language and Power

Conversation 1:

Doctor:  Who’s in the house with you?

Patient: The wife.

Doctor: Just the two of you?

Patient: Yes

Doctor: Have you got any brothers and sisters?

Patient: Yes

Doctor: How many have you got?

Patient: Three brothers and one sister.

Doctor: Are thy all fit and well?

Patient: Yes, uhuh

Doctor: There’s nobody with blood pressure trouble in the family

Patient: No

Doctor: Or kidney trouble in the family?

Patient: No

Doctor: Do you know anybody with heart trouble?

Patient: My mother died when she was 56 with heart trouble. That was in 1960.

Doctor: Anybody else?

Patient: No

Doctor: Nobody else in the family?

Patient: Not in our direct family.

Doctor: Sure?

Patient: Not in the immediate family.

Doctor: Are you a worrier by nature, do you think?

Patient: Yes, I think I am. I think I actually I am.

Doctor: Have you had any particular worries recently, or are you

Patient: Well my sons living  in London and he’s not got a secure job, you know .I’m  not sure about him so – I know we shouldn’t be worried about him, he’s 24 next month, but.

Doctor: How many children have you got actually?

Patient: Just the one.

Doctor: Have you been worrying about your health?

 

The doctor’s questions, which look on the page like a barrage show he is in control of the conversation and the turn taking, this demonstrates power .He has the instrumental power because he has the knowledge, therefore the patient will happily comply with him co-ordinating the turntaking.The fact the doctor starts the doctor pragmatically implies he is in power. Topic management was directed via the doctor’s questions e.g.it changes from family to kidney problems, this shows power as the whole conversations content is decided upon the doctors choice. Usually the people in power will most likely being interrupting the other, but in this case the interruption only illustrates the patients worries not that they think they are in power, an example of a similar circumstance is a student interrupting a teaches for help, the student doesn’t have more power, yet the student still interrupts. The doctor also asks closed questions throughout the text ,  closed questions do not allow an elaborate answer therefore not allowing the other person to demonstrate power, therefore it is clear throughout the text that the doctor maintains power.