Valérie Delavigne, Sara Vecchiato, Sonia Gerolimich, Mario Casini

Interactions verbales en contexte numérique médical: ajustements discursifs

Introduction

Interactions verbales en contexte numérique médical: ajustements discursifs. Analyse les interactions verbales et ajustements discursifs en contexte médical numérique (diabète). Étudie les stratégies d'explication, gestion des incompréhensions et l'apprentissage par les pairs.

Abstract

This contribution analyses verbal interactions between diabetic patients and between healthcare professionals and patients, in a context of written electronic communication. Our socio-discursive and pragmatic approach involves examining exchanges in social networks in which patients, relatives and carers share their peri-medical culture, as do healthcare workers engaged in therapeutic education. We focus here on the negotiation of meaning and the construction of reference between these different actors; more specifically, we analyse, on the one hand, cases of conversational misunderstanding and non-understanding and, on the other hand, the discursive strategies implemented with the aim of explaining some complex disciplinary content, most often conveyed by scientific or medical terms, sometimes in a foreign language. Certain socio-discursive practices are particularly relevant, such as the various forms of discursive ergonomics: reformulations, translations, reorganisation of content, and so on. These are situated between the two principles of approximation and explicitness. We emphasise that these exchanges constitute a dialogical appropriation of knowledge, in other words a form of peer learning.

Review

This paper, "Interactions verbales en contexte numérique médical: ajustements discursifs," addresses a highly relevant and timely topic: the dynamics of verbal interactions within digital medical contexts. It proposes a socio-discursive and pragmatic analysis of written electronic communication, specifically focusing on exchanges among diabetic patients in social networks and between healthcare professionals and patients during therapeutic education. The core contribution lies in examining the negotiation of meaning, construction of reference, and the challenges of misunderstanding in these complex communicative environments. The abstract clearly positions the work as exploring the dynamic adjustments made in digital discourse concerning health, promising valuable insights into contemporary medical communication. A significant strength of this contribution is its focus on the practical, observable discursive strategies employed to bridge communication gaps. The authors highlight "discursive ergonomics" through reformulations, translations, and content reorganisation, operating between principles of approximation and explicitness, which is a compelling theoretical framing. The analysis of how complex medical content, often technical or in a foreign language, is explained offers valuable insights into effective digital health literacy practices. Furthermore, the emphasis on these exchanges as a form of "dialogical appropriation of knowledge" and "peer learning" underscores the profound educational and empowering potential of such digital interactions for patients, providing a robust argument for the study's practical relevance. To fully appreciate the scope and impact of this research, the full paper would benefit from a more detailed elaboration on the specific methodologies employed. Clarification regarding the nature and size of the datasets from social networks and therapeutic education contexts would enhance the generalizability and robustness of the findings. While the abstract points to "conversational misunderstanding and non-understanding," a detailed typology or analytical framework for identifying and classifying these phenomena would strengthen the empirical foundation. Nevertheless, the abstract presents a highly promising line of inquiry into the critical area of digital health communication, offering valuable insights for both linguistic studies and practical applications in patient education and support. The work is certainly publishable and contributes significantly to understanding digital medical discourse.

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