Swearing, identity and power in professional interaction

Abstract

Swearing is a risky interactional activity but has also been shown to have great potential for fostering social cohesion and positive relations in professional communication. It is particularly interesting to observe in intercultural and multilingual team interactions, where on the one hand attitudes and practices around swearing are likely to differ and on the other, the need to foster positive relations is more pressing given that social cohesion in diverse teams tends to be lower (Stahl et al., 2010). This study accordingly investigates the social practices co-constructed around swearing in one multilingual and intercultural team. Drawing on 25 h of audio-recorded data collected over 9 months, the analysis explores the contexts, forms, and functions of swearing in team meetings and illustrates how swearing is used strategically to construct powerful speaker and team identities while simultaneously promoting in-group solidarity. At the same time, the findings indicate that this is not without risk, as others can and do resist such identity constructions, especially when they do not foster in-group solidarity. Team members co-constructed a narrow set of norms that guide swearing behaviour and its acceptability in the team, demonstrating pragmatic competence and sensitivity in this process.