Semiotic spaces in antidiscriminatory political discourse : Naming practices as indexes

This article explores the semiotic spaces occupied by organizations working against discrimination in Sweden. Expressions of identity, norm critique, and political goals are studied in relation to word production and language policy and planning. The study departs from interviews with representatives from three organizations within the hbtqi, antiracist, and disability movements. Other resources connected to them have also been analyzed, such as glossaries. Theoretically, this study draws on Yuri Lotman's concept of semiospheres, allowing the analysis to weigh in the whole semiotic process, including meaning production, policy work, and concrete word production. This approach completes an analysis of indexical orders. The results show that (a) organizations are aware of the importance of linguistic choices, (b) when new concepts and words are spread to the public, tension can arise and sometimes objections, and (c) word meanings change when used in public discourse. (Language policy and planning, semiosphere, indexical order, hbtqi, antiracism, disability, discrimination).

Språkpolitiska inslag i kampen mot diskriminering

This article takes an interest in words and expressions evolving as part of the fight against discrimination, derogatory attitudes and oppression. A point of departure is that linguistic changes relating to increased diversity sometimes become the object of public criticism, which in turn may produce challenges to writers and journalists, as well as to language-planning activities. The aim is to investigate new naming practices within a framework of political justice agendas of people facing discrimination, and to relate this type of language development to the work of languageplanning institutions. This study is mainly based on interviews with representatives of three Swedish organizations whose members are engaged in activism or education: the disability movement, the LGBTQ movement, and an antiracist organization. It is also based on text examples from Mediearkivet and Korp (Språkbanken) relating public discourse. Analytical results indicate that different ideological standpoints (such as tolerance policies or norm critique) generate different types of naming practices and word meanings that often exist in parallel. Suggested language-planning activities to enable viable recommendations could involve an update of ideological points of view and the identification of meaning variation regarding potentially useful expressions.https://doi.org/10.33063/diva-376239</p

Becoming the expert constructing health knowledge in epistemic communities online

From a discourse analytic framework, the article analyses health blogs and patient’s forum discussions in which parents to children with congenital heart defects recontextualize medical professional knowledge and share their own experiences. The study show how the two types of online media may serve as a means for parents to attain expert status in their own case by sharing lay knowledge expressed as an amalgamation of the two key perspectives – professional and experienced – as an indivisible unit. Monological discourses, such as narrating, in blogs and more direct and immediate responses in forum discussions are noted as examples of differences in how medical facts are explained and negotiated, how advice is provided and how patient expertise is created. The study also show how blogs and especially forum discussions are used to problematize the validity of actions and opinions of medical staff. The role of developing patient expertise in epistemic communities online may therefore come with a risk of spreading misrepresentation of medical cases.Hälsolitteracitet och kunskapsbyggande i informationssamhälle