A PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO THE DESCRIPTION OF MEDICAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

 This article examines the essence of speech communication as a complex and dynamic system from the perspective of pragmatic linguistics. In particular, the pragmalinguistic, psycholinguistic, and sociolinguistic features of medical discourse are analyzed, and the institutional and personal aspects of “doctor–patient” communication are revealed. The study substantiates the main functions of medical discourse, including information delivery, cognitive impact, ensuring communicative interaction, and serving therapeutic purposes. Special attention is paid to the role of mitigating linguistic devices in medical discourse (such as euphemisms, periphrasis, politeness strategies, expressiveness, and others), their influence on the patient’s psychological state, and their close connection with medical ethics and deontology. The article also highlights the scientific and everyday (colloquial) types of medical discourse, its discursive features as an institutional form of communication, and the importance of communicative strategies and tactics in doctor–patient interaction. The results of the study demonstrate the necessity of investigating medical discourse within the framework of a cognitive-pragmatic approach.