Occupation key terms

Question 1

Face Threatening Acts

Answer 1

• An act (linguistic or non-linguistic) that threatens someone’s positive or negative face.
• E.g. criticisms, requests, demands, and compliments.

Question 2

Restricted Occupational Lexis

Answer 2

• The lexis associated with a specific occupation, for example: Legal Lexis - primma face, habeas corpus.

Question 3

Discourse structure

Answer 3

• Discourse structure is a term used to describe the way in which an entire text is organised.

Question 4

Jargon

Answer 4

• A piece of language which is unique to the group in which it’s used and would not make total sense to those not in the group.
• For example, plumbers might use terms such as elbow, ABS, sweating the pipes, reducer, flapper, snake, and rough-in.

Question 5

Asymmetry

Answer 5

• Asymmetry between the speakers.
• For example, in a job the manager has more power than the ordinary workers.

Question 6

Convergence

Answer 6

• Where a speaker converges with the other speaker. Represents positive face.

Question 7

Divergence

Answer 7

• Where a speaker diverges away from the other speaker. Represents negative face.

Question 8

Overt prestige

Answer 8

• The prestige assigned to forms of language that are widely considered “correct.

Question 9

Covert prestige

Answer 9

• Covert prestige is when a positive value is assigned to a variety of language that is within a specific group.

Question 10

Imperatives

Answer 10

• The imperative has no subject as ‘you’ is the implied subject.