This is an amalgam of research from sociolinguistics, ethnography, anthropology and sociology, giving a cohesive analysis of professional discourse. Drawing upon real-life examples, the text covers issues of the construction of language and written and spoken discourse, and offers historical, social and linguistic perspectives. Topics include: the moral construction of discourse in social care professions; the discourse of dispute negotiation; narrative accounts in clinical research; doctor/patient interaction; legal discourse; and institutional discourse.
