Transcript analysis.

Language and Power – ‘The Apprentice’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW9ENhFoWBE

• What is interesting about the language used?

Alan uses metaphors and exaggerated language regularly, ‘if I asked you to dig me a trench you’d dig me a trench’. However, the other participants in the conversation were noticeably less powerful and therefore did not use recognised language features  like metaphors etc, this is because they had less control and less time to say what they were trying to say, because usually all their speech is in reply to Sugar’s questions – one word replies, ‘no’ and  ‘I didn’t’.

• What theory could you use when analysing the transcript?

Goffman’s theory of ‘face’ during conversational interactions, which is expanded upon by Brown and Levinson is displayed in the transcript. Brown and Levinson identified face – saving and face – threatening acts that arise during conversations, for example if a person is being rude, it is threatening their ‘face’. An example of this in the transcript is when Lord Sugar dismisses one of the hopeful contestants from the board room,
‘I’m getting sick of looking at you at the moment get out that door’ and ‘get back to the the bloody house’.

• What other data could you collect that would compare with it?
• What could you title an investigation into data like this?

-Language and power in the board room.

• What real data could you collect?

Sound recordings and interviews of the eliminated contestant immediately after his departure.