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Title: Linguistic Analysis of Aeronautical Institutional Interaction in Bonaerense Spanish
Author: Lorena de- Matteis
Email: click here to access email
Degree Awarded: Universidad Nacional del Sur , Doctorado en Letras con orientación en Lingüística
Degree Date: 2006
Linguistic Subfield(s): Discourse Analysis
Pragmatics
Sociolinguistics
Director(s): Elizabeth Rigatuso

Abstract:

Since its beginning years, clear and efficient communication constitutes an
invaluable 'tool' within the institutional domain of aviation. The
characteristics of radio communication between air traffic controllers and
pilots have been thoroughly analyzed in several languages, most noticeably
in English and French, but little information, if any, exists in the case
of Spanish.

Research of this type of communication in Spanish-speaking countries turns
out to be of the utmost importance if we take under consideration the
2003-2004 ICAO's dispositions regarding the international levels of English
proficiency for speakers who are not English native speakers but still need
to perform their professional duties within the international aviation
environment.

Regardless of communicative procedures standardization in each language for
the specific purposes of aviation, speakers of different cultures apply
their respective procedures and react to them in very distinctive ways.
Results of investigations about this particularities could be used to
better implement ICAO's regulations and to improve aviation English
programs in the different countries.

Drawing on several theoretical approaches to talk in interaction, such as
interactional sociolinguistics, conversation analysis and discourse
analysis, in this dissertation we set to demonstrate the institutional
features that characterize current aviation communication in Spanish in
Argentina.

We analyse a wide sample of pilot-controller interactions, recorded at
different control towers of the province of Buenos Aires, which
concentrates the great majority of air traffic in Argentina. This sample
includes mainly communications civil aircraft, but we have recorded some
military communications as well. As complementary data, we also considered
a set of interviews we performed with the personnel of these facilities, as
well as with local pilots (in this case both recreational and airline pilots).

Among other significant results, the qualitative and quantitative analysis
demonstrates that syntactic features are the most prominent linguistic
reflections of the institutional objectives, needs and personal identities,
but some of them -such as ellipsis, juxtaposition and paratactic
structures- can also be counter-productive in terms of linguistic security
if not used properly by the speakers.

Therefore, the speakers' sensible exploitation of these linguistic
resources becomes one of the most distinctive objectives to be achieved
during their basic and recurrent training, both in their native language
-Spanish- and when they undergo aviation English programs. In this
particular situation, training must also take under consideration
individual attitudes towards the use of this language, as well as pay
considerable attention to the use and interpretation of ellipsis in a
foreign language.
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Page Updated: 28-Nov-2009

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