Discourse intonation in English conversation: Negotiating health care expertise and support in relationship-centred family physician-patient interviewing style

The study explores the discourse functions of English intonation in one family physician-patient interviewing, taking negotiation as its point of departure. It adopts the theoretical-analytic framework of discourse intonation in conversation (Halliday, 1967; 1970) extended by Halliday & Greaves (2008) and Eggins & Slade (2004). It argues that discourse intonation in conversation, interactively defined as a situated activity within language and communication, is contingent on the interlocutors' mutual discourse goals and actions. Sequential phases (Gregory, 1985) realised as sequences of tone units constitute the transaction in dialogue for information exchange. Tonicity and the degree of emphasis focus information, as interlocutors negotiate individual expertise, culminating in shared decision-making. Moves realised as tone units in goods-and-services exchange reveal complex conversational behaviour as interlocutors negotiate through institutional power and support to achieve discourse actions. Key realised as tone conveys communicative sensitivity, characterising the visit as relationship-centred. The study holds significance for medical education.