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A discourse analysis of Singaporean family mealtime interactions
Author
Chee, Alex Wei-Zhi
Supervisor
Weninger, Csilla
Abstract
Family mealtimes are important times when families come together. They are also an opportunity to socialize children into cultural and social norms (Blum-Kulka, 1997) particularly in relation to eating and food; what Aronsson and Gottzén (2011) have termed "food morality". This study aims to see how food morality is interactionally negotiated, and the kinds of generational and cross-generational dynamics that characterize mealtimes; based on recorded observation of one Singaporean-Chinese family's mealtimes over five days. The study differs from previous research as there are three generations of family members observed, and at times even extended family members join in the mealtimes.
The mealtimes were recorded and analysed with regards to the interactional management of food morality, particularly1) the discursive strategies used to resolve food morality issues, 2) the generational alignment of participant's stances towards each other during the interactions, and3) the generational positioning of participants through discourse. Firstly, the analysis show that the family has a different emphasis on what is acceptable with regards to food morality in comparison to the findings in Aronsson and Gottzén (2011), specifically with showing less concern for the maintaining of proper bodily comportment, all other aspects of food morality remaining relatively equal in terms of how often the parents address the violations. Secondly, the parents in the family also use a great deal of food reward of both tangible and intangible, immediate and delayed rewards to get the children to eat. Thirdly, the participants are observed shifting their generational alignment, taking similar stances and then taking a different stance with other participants during mealtimes. Finally, the adults are also seen taking on "mature" roles when it comes to generationally positioning themselves at the dinner table, however one of the children is seen changing from a "childish" role to a "mature" role during a meal, and one grandparent is seen taking on a somewhat "childish" role at one point.
The mealtimes were recorded and analysed with regards to the interactional management of food morality, particularly1) the discursive strategies used to resolve food morality issues, 2) the generational alignment of participant's stances towards each other during the interactions, and3) the generational positioning of participants through discourse. Firstly, the analysis show that the family has a different emphasis on what is acceptable with regards to food morality in comparison to the findings in Aronsson and Gottzén (2011), specifically with showing less concern for the maintaining of proper bodily comportment, all other aspects of food morality remaining relatively equal in terms of how often the parents address the violations. Secondly, the parents in the family also use a great deal of food reward of both tangible and intangible, immediate and delayed rewards to get the children to eat. Thirdly, the participants are observed shifting their generational alignment, taking similar stances and then taking a different stance with other participants during mealtimes. Finally, the adults are also seen taking on "mature" roles when it comes to generationally positioning themselves at the dinner table, however one of the children is seen changing from a "childish" role to a "mature" role during a meal, and one grandparent is seen taking on a somewhat "childish" role at one point.
Date Issued
2016
Call Number
P302 Che
Date Submitted
2016