Peculiarities of Medical Discourse in Professional and Non-Professional Settings

Abstract

The article discusses structural and functional differences between the medical discourses that are used in professional and non-professional settings. Having analyzed over 51,000 word usages, the authors conclude that the most significant differences are: the organization of the synonymous sets of the hyperonym 'Disease', the design of paradigmatic and syntagmatic connections, and the application of slang words and expressions.

Communicative risks in the dyad ‘doctor – patient’

“…Institutional interaction between participants of the medical discourse is a necessary condition for proving an effi cient medical aid [1]. The level of contemporary higher professional medical education, provision of the population with remedies and medical goods, technical equipment and facilities of in-and out-patient medical institutions, installation and application of new methods and technical devices for diagnosing and treatment of diseases are com-pulsory conditions for rendering a qualitative medical aid [2]. However, it is absolutely obvious that communicative competence of a doctor and his/her adequate speech behavior are also quite signifi cant factors for achievement of professional success [3,4].…”