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The Role Of Code Mixing And Code Switching In Doctor-patient Communication
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Communication
is a process in which a message is sent from sender to receiver. It is a
practice that the sender encodes message and the receiver decodes it.
Communication may occur in small groups or in organizations where there
is work to do, or several small groups that need to interact among each
other within a single organization. Gumperz (1982),states that
communication is a ‘social activity that requires the coordinated
efforts of two or more individuals’ that construct talk to produce
sentences. However, no matter how well rounded or stylish the outcome
may be, it does not by itself constitute communication. Communication
takes place only when a common understanding is obtained among
communicants. Therefore, it is necessary to have the knowledge and
ability to create and sustain conversation. The knowledge also needs to
be not only grammatical competence but also linguistic, socio-cultural
knowledge, and understanding the nature of the conversation Gumperz
(1982: 2).
Interpersonal communication is one type of communication,
which is defined in many ways. Miller(1978) defines it based on the
situation and number of participants involved and states that
interpersonal communication occurs between two individuals when they are
close in ‘proximity, able to provide immediate feedback and utilize
multiple senses’. Others such as Peters(1974) described interpersonal
communication based on the degree of personal closeness’ or perceived
quality, of a given interaction; it includes communication that is
private and occurring between people who are more than acquaintances.
Canary(2003)view of interpersonal communication is from the perspective
of conversant goals. According to Dainton(2004:50) states that
communication is used to attain or achieve personal goals through
interaction with others.
As one category of interpersonal
communication, medical communication is central to clinical functions in
constructing a good doctor –patient relationship, which is one of the
major tasks in medical profession. In this regard, Van Naerssen (1985)
identifies two kinds of medical communication that includes doctor to
patient and doctor to other medical personnel communications. Naerssen
claims that, both kinds belong to different registers, each with a range
of variations within it.’ The first is the interaction between two
medical professionals (doctor with nurse, doctor with doctor, as well as
nurse with nurse). The second is, the interaction between medical
professionals with their patients, which includes interviews - called
‘chief complaint’, treatments, breaking bad news, consultation and
follow-ups. Each part has its own structure and characteristic features
that can be observed and analyzed either separately or as part of a
larger discourse.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
Having a good
medical communication is important in the delivery of high-quality
health care and has the potential to help regulate patients’ emotions,
facilitate comprehension of medical information, and allow for better
identification of patients’ needs, perceptions, and expectations.
Patients reporting good communication with their medical care
professional are more likely to be satisfied with their care, and
especially to share significant information for accurate diagnosis of
their problems, follow advice, and adhere to the prescribed treatment
Naerssen(1985: 44).
However, according to Naerssen, patients complain
about their doctors that, they are not willing to listen, do not answer
their questions, or inform them properly. In addition they are
authoritative and unhelpful, at the same time; doctors criticize their
patients for not following their advice Naerssen (1985: 43).
For code
switching and code mixing to work properly, there should be background
knowledge of more than one language by the parties involved, the absence
of which may lead to ineffective switch and may sometimes lead to
misconception of ideas, communication barrier and misinterpretation of
messages. This research therefore investigates the role of code mixing
and code switching in doctor-patient communication in Federal Medical
Centre Katsina.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]This research examined the concept of code switching and code mixing in Doctor-Patient communication in Federal Medical Centre, Katsina. The data used for the analysis were obtained from tape recording, questionnaire and personal observation. The analysis employed the descriptive statistical method with Bach and Harnish (1979) Mutual Contextual Believe (MCB) as the theoretical framework of the study. The findings shows that code-mixing and code-switching are used very often in Doctor-Patient com ... Continue reading---
