Discourse types and the interpretation of human activity: the developmental pontential of “action figures”

Abstract

This paper focuses on the role played by linguistic process, especially bydiscourse types, in the interpretation of human activity, in the context ofprofessional practice. Based on Saussure’s real work, the fi rst part presentsthe way semiotic units and linguistic signs have been conceptualized inhis theory, discussing the implications of this conceptualization for humansignifi cant process. The second part presents the results of empiricalanalysis of interviews with nurses concerning their nursing practice. Itbrings out the different action fi gures put forward by the nurses, as wellas the dependence of these fi gures on the discourse types and others linguisticchoices. The third part discusses the status of action fi gures: a fi rstapproach focuses on their role in development, based on the production ofmeaning about professional activity; and a second approach demonstratesthat action fi gures may be considered as macro-signs, or semiotic units.