Final symposium

Update on the Power, Control and the Language of Voice-hearing project involving Zsofia Demjen, Elena Semino, Filippo Varese, and Agnes Marszalek.

Earlier this week we presented our approach, tentative results and ideas for next steps to a group of six advisors: 3 linguists  and 3 voice-hearing experts, all from various disciplines. Daunting in principle, very exciting in practice.

We organised the day around 4 presentations, each with its own 30min discussion slot, starting with the most complex analysis and getting progressively easier as the day went on:

• Introduction to the Project
• Interactional Behaviour of Voice and Person – power dynamics and spheres of influence
• Transitivity & Negation – agency, ability and (frustrated) effort
• Metaphor – framing and empowerment

The format seemed to work quite well, with just enough time to absorb different linguistic approach and think through some implications.