The Relationship between Language and Health: Index, Medium, and Resource

Zhou Deyu and Zhang Wei

Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2021, Vol. 6 ›› Issue (6) : 13-22.

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Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2021, Vol. 6 ›› Issue (6) : 13-22. DOI: 10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20210601

The Relationship between Language and Health: Index, Medium, and Resource

  • Zhou Deyu and Zhang Wei
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Abstract

With continuous improvement of people’s living conditions in modern societies, health-related issues have become one of the major concerns attracting increasing attention. Language, as the major vehicle for human communication, is closely related to and plays important roles in health-related activities. Many scholars from different disciplines have examined the relationship between language and health from different perspectives. Drawing on previous studies and adopting a linguistic perspective, we argue that language takes on multiple roles, namely as an index, medium, and resource, in its relation to health. First, an individual’s language behavior may be seen as indexical and constitutive of certain aspects of one’s state of health. Second, language serves as an important medium through which to disseminate health information and implement health activities. Third, language also provides useful resources to realize health goals for the individual, the community, and the nation. By exploring the relationship between language and health, we hope to broaden the vision for linguistic research on health and health-related activities.

Key words

language and health / health index / activity medium / language resources

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Zhou Deyu and Zhang Wei. The Relationship between Language and Health: Index, Medium, and Resource[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2021, 6(6): 13-22 https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20210601

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