Linguistics of a psychological questionnaire
I don’t like psychological and psychiatric questionnaires. By reducing human experience into an item, a sentence or a dot on a sheet of paper, they take away what is crucial for experience: a story. As I say this at lectures or other speaking events, I am met with polite nodding and, oftentimes, reassurances that questionnaires are only of minor assistance, very readily discarded. I am met with some hostility, when I start unpicking the linguistic form of such instruments. And this is what this post is about. I want to show why the linguistic form of psychological instruments is important.
Continue reading “Linguistics of a psychological questionnaire”Power and docsplaining
A week or so ago, I read a piece on docsplaining. The term, as John Launer writes, refers to doctors’ explanations which are unwanted, unnecessary or patronising for the benefit of us who made the fatal error of not getting a medical degree. I agree with the points made by the author, but I think it’s worth taking the argument a bit further.
Continue reading “Power and docsplaining”On growing acceptability of suicide
In a recent article, the sociologist Julie Phillips raises the issue of the change in acceptability of suicide. Her argument is that taboos around suicide have loosened and, in the process, it’s become more socially available. In this post, which is likely to be controversial, I want to some comment on acceptability of suicide.
Continue reading “On growing acceptability of suicide”On ‘private parts’
The Guardian reports another victory of ‘ordinary’ over medical language. Their lead reads: The health service is ditching words such as faeces, urine and vomit in favour of simpler language that everyone can understand. Fair enough? Well, not exactly.
Continue reading “On ‘private parts’”