Chapter published in:

Imperative Turns at Talk: The design of directives in action
Edited by Marja-Leena Sorjonen, Liisa Raevaara and Elizabeth Couper-Kuhlen
[Studies in Language and Social Interaction 30] 2017
► pp. 299–324

Chapter 10. Imperatives in Swedish medical consultations

Jan Lindström | University of Helsinki

Camilla Lindholm | University of Helsinki

Catrin Norrby | Stockholm University

Camilla Wide | University of Turku

Jenny Nilsson | Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore

This chapter investigates the use of imperative-formatted directives in Swedish medical consultations. The specific focus of the chapter is the division of labor between straight, non-modulated imperative turns and imperative turns which are modulated with a discourse particle or some other verbal mitigating device. The results show that non-modulated imperative turns are embedded in diagnostic work, nominating subsequent actions in a series. Orientations to projected trajectories of action and the other participant’s expectations are clearly present when modulated imperative turns are produced; they are also frequent in the opening and closing routines of the consultations. Thus, there is a link between routinized and projectable actions and the use of imperatives with a pragmatic modulating element.

Keywords: Swedish, pluricentric languages, Finland Swedish, modulated imperative turns, non-modulated imperative turns, diagnostic activity, series of actions, routine actions, medical consultations, discourse particles

Published online: 18 August 2017
https://doi.org/10.1075/slsi.30.10lin

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