Extract 7
1 Hala: and i see that as an eating disorder
2 [speciali:st .hh
3 Clare: [but- but you wouldn’t- but wouldn’t force
4 a child t- to eat (.) to stuff themselves in
5 a Henry the eighth style [ban quet (.) what
6 Hala: [well-
7 Clare: you would do is you’d have por tion control
8 .h you’re a [responsible parent .hh you’re
9 Hala: [but-
10 Clare: giving them a wide variety of nutrition
In extract 7, Hala asserts her topic-relevant Expertise as an “eating
disorder specialist” (lines 1-2), credentialing her rights to be heard
on the matter. Clare interrupts, with a tongue-in-cheek remark about a
“Henry the eighth style banquet” (line 5). Invoking a trope of
responsible parenting (lines 7-8), Clare both aligns her own actions
with well-worn expectations of what a ‘good mother’ should do, and by
use of the generalising person pronoun “you”, she elevates a claim
whereby all “responsible” parents are expert when it comes to managing
children’s weight. Clare further bolsters her argument by asserting
wisdom related to her interlocutor’s field of topical expertise, with
references to “portion control” and “a wide variety of nutrition”
(lines 7, 10). Aligned with prior findings where parents engage in
debates with professional experts (E.g. Holland, 2019), we witness Clare
increasingly negate the value of Hala’s topic-relevant contribution as
she assumes the role of Mother-cum-Expert.
The next debate concerns homework. Ruth hosts, and Richard has been
introduced as a secondary school teacher.