LFU:online

Sound and broad knowledge of applied linguistics; competence in applying and reflecting methods; critical examination of special problems in this field.

To any individual, health is of major concern for well-being (especially in medical contexts). It is also a central topic of institutional and political communication.

Health communication is about transferring and exchanging knowledge, attitudes and feelings about health between professionals, patients, representatives and citizens. This exchange mainly happens via language. So, Applied Linguistics investigates and improves health communication thoroughly.

In this lecture, we discuss the most important and most interesting research results on health communication in Applied Linguistics: How shall we interpret talking and writing on health? What can linguistics do to improve health communication? We look at the methods applied to answer socially important questions with the means of linguistics.

Some topics:

• Medical communication: e.g. doctor-patient interaction.
• Risk communication, technical language of medicine.
• Media coverage and health communication via the media (e.g. campaigns)
• Institutional communication, public relations etc.
• Health Literacy
• Intercultural aspects.

Lectures, exercises.

Written examination.

Hurrelmann, Klaus; Baumann, Eva (Hg.) (2014): Handbuch Gesundheitskommunikation. Bern: Huber.

Recommend for 1st semester MA German Philology, for 5th - 8th semester Teacher Training Programme German and the MA Programme Media Studies

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training program German/specialized degree program German), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.

Prerequisites for the MA Programmes German and Media Studies: none.

Prerequisites for Teacher Training Programme German: completed 1st diploma examination (German Linguistics)