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Qualitative Social Work
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Meta-communication in Institutional Talks

Carolus van Nijnatten

University of Utrecht/Radboud University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands

In a single case study, the employment of meta-communication is explored. The use of meta-remarks in achieving institutional goals is shown. Three different uses are presented as especially significant in the light of institutional goals: evaluation of client's contributions to the conversation, structuring the talk and selection of elements of the conversation. In the context of care and control that characterize child welfare, the conversational positions of clients and professionals are uncertain. That is one of the reasons that extra relational work has to be done to show the conversation partner a reliable and sincere face. Structuring meta-talk is often used by professionals to limit the long-winded contribution of clients and to decide on which issues should be given extra attention.

Key Words: child welfare • conversational analysis • discourse analysis • institutional communication • metacommunication

Qualitative Social Work, Vol. 5, No. 3, 333-349 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1473325006067364
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[Abstract] [PDF]