Institutional Talk

Institutional talk refers to conversations that take place within structured settings, such as courts, classrooms, hospitals, or customer service interactions. These talk types follow specific rules and patterns that help maintain order, clarify roles, and achieve particular goals. For example, a judge's questions or a teacher's instructions are designed to guide the interaction efficiently and appropriately within that institution’s context. Understanding institutional talk helps us see how language functions not just to communicate information but also to uphold social roles and procedures important to that setting.