A Study On Power Conversation

Power in verbal communication has always been the issue in the study of verbal communication research. But every scholar's angle of research is different so there is no deep and systematic study on power conversation. In this paper, we try to use qualitative study method, integrate the results of linguistics, psychology, sociology, communication to do some research on power conversation. We make an overall analysis and interpretation of the elements of the conversation, performances on verbal and non-verbal aspects, adjustments of the discourse roles and its implementation mode.This paper firstly makes an overview about the realm and the production of pervious research. To be specific, the scholars make a slight difference in the definition of power relationship in verbal communication, discuss how power influence the selections and usages of appellation, describe the deviation of cooperative principle which comes from the power relationship, characterize the power and solidarity in the performance during the process of conversation, inspect the characteristics of politeness language of different status of communicating parties,etc. We find that current research mainly focuses on describing the power relationship in verbal communication, but it is not sufficient on systematic power conversation, especially on the study of internal factor which makes a power conversation, how do the role relationship lead a conversation and show its characteristics in different aspects as well as how power relation enter a conversation and the performances during communication. And the problems it brings and adjustments and the implementation mode of discourse roles have not been studied concretely in details. In addition, the definition of power relationship in the communication mainly located on the different social status between two parties but the definition does not include the internal emotional factor between the two communicating parties.Based on the previous studies, we discuss the elements of power conversation. We hold the viewpoint that the formation of power conversation is the results of a number of factors. Not only the role and difference of social status between two the communicating parties but also the emotional factors during the process of communication can cause power relationship between the two sides. As the main elements, the speaker and listener's role and emotion are of great importance and these factors worth our attention. The emotion includes the mentally distance between the two parties and the instantaneous mood in a particular communication. These two emotional elements emerge in the context especially the situational context and impact the achievement of communicative purposes.Then we describe the performance of power conversation in details. Verbal as well as non-verbal manifestation is one of the most important elements make up a power conversation. Here we start on a separate chapter. In communication, verbal communication and non-verbal communication begin at the same time. So does in power conversation that is one of the three basic forms of verbal communication. From the point of view of verbal form, there are significant differences in style, voice and effect between the powerful side and the other side. The powerful side can choose the style of speech more flexibly; show his powerful communicative status and the effect of conversation often inclines to him. But the other party is the opposite of that. From the point of view of non-verbal forms, the two sides in the communication present distinguished characteristics in expression, movement, bounded domain and paralanguage.Finally we discuss the adjustment of discourse role in power conversation and the implementation of it. We point out the great value of adjustments and hold that it is meaningful to give some necessary suggestions to the two communicative parties. With regard to the adjustments, we mainly discuss in lowering power position and raising discourse power in communication. In each category, we analyze the mutual adjustments between the power role and non-power role. Both of the two parties always hope to create a harmonious atmosphere and achieve the ultimate communicative purpose so they need to make adjustments to the discourse role. The adjustment of discourse role can be achieved in two ways, which is reducing power position and raising discourse power and each of the modes can be realized through the adjustments of verbal means as well as non-verbal ones. Generally speaking, the adjustment of the discourse role always follows a rule. For the power side, he leads the adjustment from powerful role towards the non-power side and makes the conversation more harmonious. For the other party, he maintains a harmonious atmosphere, tries to narrow the emotional distance between each other and avoids conflict with the other side. But in certain context, he will improve his communicative status through verbal and non-verbal ways if it is necessary.In this paper, we do a systematic research on power conversation, which enrich the study of conversation. And we put forward the implementation mode of adjustment on discourse roles. Both of the two modes have guiding significance for people in communication.