Administrative Writing

Journal of Business and Technical Communication Apr 1998

MARGARET BAKER GRAHAM

Abstract

To understand how context affects language use, students can analyze the relationship between the power dynamics in an organization and the linguistic politeness strategies in memos written to subordinates. Although this assignment offers a viable approach to understanding how power influences language, students should recognize that multiple variables can affect actual language use. They can also scrutinize the responsibility they implicitly assume when they perpetuate—or perhaps attempt to change—an organization's communication style.

Journal: Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published: 1998-04-01
DOI: 10.1177/1050651998012002004
Open Access: Closed
Topics: voice and style affect and writing

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

Friess (2011)

Politeness, Time Constraints, and Collaboration in Decision-Making Meetings: A …

Technical Communication Quarterly
Rogers et al. (2003)

Reconceptualizing Politeness to Accommodate Dynamic Tensions in Subordinate-to-…

Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Cites in this index (2)

Baker et al. (1994)

The rhetoric of power: Political issues in management writing

Technical Communication Quarterly
HAGGE et al. (1989)

Linguistic Politeness in Professional Prose

Written Communication

Also cites 1 work outside this index ↓

10.1177/002194368802500204

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