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Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 1370

Part of General Paper Session (Other abstracts in this session)

Power and identity negotiations in language interactions between trabajadoras del hogar and employers in Lima Peru

Authors: de los Heros, Susana
Submitted by: de los Heros, Susana (University of Rhode Island, United States of America)

 Power relations among participants affect language interactions. Interlocutors have different conversational rights and obligations depending on their power and status. For instance, while high status participants usually feel free to start a conversation and also interrupt one with subordinates, lower status participants are less inclined to start a conversation, disagree with or change a topic of conversation with higher status participants. In this presentation, power and identity negotiations in language interactions between household workers or trabajadoras del hogar  and their employers in Lima Peru will be examined.  

In Peru, there is a great economic disparity between different social and ethnic groups. Domestic workers are usually more indigenous and less prestigious than their employers. In addition, they generally live at their employer’s house. The living arrangement renders the situation unique: there are power differences among household workers and their employers and at the same time there is familiarity between them because they live under the same roof.   

The data consists of a series of recordings between household workers and their employers and friends in naturally occurring interactions. The analysis of the data was carried out using conversational analysis as well as Culperer’s (2008) & Locher and Watts’ (2008) conceptualizations of social norms, relational work and power.

 The analysis of the data shows that there are differences between the linguistic rights of employers and household workers however, speech interactional rights are not static, but negotiated through interactions.  Household workers are less likely to ask questions and change topics or disagree with their interlocutors, however, they also can assert their linguistic rights when they talk about topics they feel they are in charge or more knowledgeable. They may also choose to show distance or familiarity and closeness with their employers and friends.