Discuss the idea that a person’s language might be affected by their occupation

Within a workplace there is a hierarchy of employment. Bosses, usually seen at the top of the hierarchical structure, have instrumental power because of their position. Their authoritative language is issued through commands, demands and sometimes blunt statements with a lot of imperatives to reinforce what they have to say. However, it is accepted because of a inferential framework built by the people within an organisation. It is a term coined by the theorists Drew and Heritage which means a inferential framework governs how people communicate, behave and hierarchies of power within a discourse community. Colleagues part of the inferential framework, but of equal status, will use more inferential power techniques than a boss to persuade or influence others rather than using authority.

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