This article, published in July 2021, discusses how Aboriginal Australian English can be a useful tool in effective health communication.
In 2021, the Heart Foundation decided to create video content about heart health using Indigenous slang in order to more effectively get their message across to Indigenous communities. The videos also featured 'yarning', which is a common style of discourse in these communities.
This demonstrates the use of covert norms, seen in this example through lexical choice and discourse strategies that have prestige within Indigenous communities.
Read the article to learn more:
The Conversation - Yarns from the heart: the role of Aboriginal English in Indigenous health communication
Useful quotes from the article:
'Both of the videos we created include a host of features that characterise Aboriginal English: the words “mob”, “fellas”, “crook” and “youse” are only some examples. The videos were also designed to include communication between a group of First Nations people gathered together outdoors. The entire video is presented as a yarn.
The practice of yarning is a form of conversation and storytelling that includes repetition as a way to emphasise what is important in the message. The video features repetition and use of familiar language as a way to warm the audience up to the medical message. These features made it possible to communicate important medical information in a culturally safe way.'
'Language is fundamental to a sense of identity. Producing a video in Aboriginal English allows First Nations communities to relate to media directly and to feel the messaging is intended for them.'
留言