French Medical Poster as a Genre of Medical Discourse

Dugalich Natalia Mikhailovna ORCID: 0000-0003-1863-2754 PhD in Philology Head of foreign languages department of RUDN Institute of Medicine, Associate professor of RUDN Faculty of Philology 6 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117198, Russia dugalich_nm@pfur.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

Medicine is an important part of the life of a modern person who, in a situation of medical discursive communication (according to V.I. Karasik ^[1]), is either the recipient of a medical service or the one who provides it. With regard to a medical poster, it can be said that the purpose of creating a text is to convey medical information to a wide range of recipients, which involves simplifying the text and using attractive techniques to attract and retain the reader's attention.

Medical discourse is a heterogeneous, diverse phenomenon considered in linguistics in such aspects as: features of the use of linguistic units ^[2-7]; communicative strategies ^[8-9]; genre originality ^[10-12]. A new aspect of linguistic analysis is the texts of medical discourse dedicated to Covid-19, implemented most of all in the genre of medical poster ^[13-16]. Studies of the axiological component of medical discourse ^{[17; 18]}, the points of intersection of medical and pedagogical discourse ^[19] remain relevant.

Methodological basis and research material

The study was conducted on the material of 100 polycode texts in French devoted to medical issues, made in the form of a medical poster, by which, following E.E. Saraeva and Yu.I. Detinko, we understand "a means of mass information about the organization of health and public health, presented in the form of a large sheet with an image and text, the combination of which provides increased influence on the recipient" ^{[14, p. 50]}.

The examination of the medical poster was carried out according to the method of analysis of the polycode text proposed by Yu.N. Ebzeeva ^[20] and O.I. Tayupova and E.V. Polyakova ^[21]. The polycode text, which combines verbal and visual components ^[22], is considered as combining the efforts of two series of codes to perform the functions of informing and teaching.

The results of the study

The study showed that thematically medical posters are divided heterogeneously (see Table 1).

Table 1

The subject of the medical poster in French

Attention is drawn to a relatively small number of posters about diabetes, which is the most dangerous disease, awareness of the causes, hidden and obvious course of the disease, the risks of disability and death of which remains, according to WHO^[1], insufficient. Attention is paid to the problem of prevention and treatment of cancer (breast, lung, colorectal and prostate, as well as melanoma), the treatment of which has a culturally specific form (see Fig. 1a). In the upper part of the drawing there is an image of roses in the form that is the most frequent request from tattoo artists. Two roses are accompanied by the inscription in Gothic style TATOUEURS D'PISTAGE du m'lanome ‘Detection of melanoma by TATTOO ARTISTS’. This design has an attractive function, since the verbal part – TATOUEURS ‘TATTOO MASTERS’ and the visual part - roses and Gothic font are in some contradiction with the general style of the medical poster. In a schematized form, this title is repeated three more times and introduces such parts of the poster as TATOUEURS ‘[what TATTOO ARTISTS celebrate]’ (information is provided in a high percentage on how and why tattoo artists detect skin problems in clients that may be a manifestation of melanoma); TATOUÉS ‘about TATTOOED’ (this part describes the prevalence of tattoos in men and women, the most preferred places of their application and the frequency of melanoma) and MÉLANOME ‘MELANOMA’ (visual signs are presented, which are accompanied by a comment). The attribution of this poster to culturally specific ones is due to the fact that this topic has not been identified in the selection of medical posters in Russian, Arabic, Chinese and English, and the form of presentation of the material, which is transmitted from the position of the tattoo artist, is creative. We assume that this is motivated by the high prevalence of tattoos among the French, the prestige of tattoo parlors, and their significance for many subcultures. The poster is characterized by a significant amount of statistics, a schematic image of men and women, drawings of moles, a deliberately brutal image of men (tattoo artist, tattoo salon client and schematic patient). The verbal and visual series are connected in a complementary way ^[23], clarifying and supplementing information about melanoma, which is considered a dangerous disease.

A medical poster about breast cancer (see Fig. 1b) is typical in maximizing the number of drawings and minimizing the text, which includes nosological medical terms: hormones de synth e se ‘synthetic hormones’, radiations m é dicales ‘medical radiation’, impregnation hormonale ‘hormonal stimulation’, p redispositions g é n é tiques ‘family history’, etc. It is important to note that these terms are accompanied by drawings that improve the semantics of the term, for example, hormones de synthe se ‘synthetic hormones’ are designated as a blister with tablets, of which 24 (the number accepted in practice). Four types of breast cancer treatment are represented by miniatures with details: for example, radiation is represented by a recognizable device on which the patient lies; surgical treatment is represented by a drawing of an operating room with a surgeon and a patient. The color scheme of the medical poster should be noted: information about the causes and statistics of the disease is made in pink shades – the accepted symbolism of color for breast cancer. The types of treatment are green, having the semantics of life continuation.

Figure 1c shows a medical poster that approaches medical advertising, since the text not only offers information about hormones that affect human mental health, but also contains an indication of a therapist who works with this problem (logo and name in the center of the lower edge of the poster). An Internet search leads to Amélie Gartner - thérapeute et love coach diplômée ‘a certified coach dealing with issues of stabilization of the emotional background’. Amelie Gartner writes about herself: "J'ai suivi la formation de la Lucie Mariotti Coaching Academy. En parallèle, je me suis spécialisée en love coaching. J'étudie en continue les domaines des neurosciences, de la PNL et des relations de couple" 'My name is Amélie, I am a qualified therapist and love coach. I was educated at the Lucy Mariotti Academy and specialized in love coaching. I continue to study neuroscience, NLP, and couple relationships.’ The poster in the center contains a schematic image of a human brain with marked connections. The text of the medical poster is divided into four zones according to the action of four hormones: dopamine ‘dopamine’, which is necessary for human activity, endorphine ‘endorphin’, which is responsible for human pain relief; oxytocine ‘oxytocin’, which brings positive emotions, and rotonine ‘serotonin’, a mood hormone. Each of these hormones is attributed to certain actions that help its natural production, for example, caresser un animal ‘petting an animal’ leads to the release of the hormone into the blood. The presentation of information assumes basic knowledge about the effect of hormones on human mood and well-being, a simplified abstract form (in place of the sentence, infinitives of verbs, for example, manger ‘to eat’ or the infinitive of the verb + a controlled noun, for example, faire du sport ‘to do sports’, or a noun with a consistent adjective, for example, touché physique ‘physical touch’) allows us to draw appropriate conclusions – for a good mood it is important to communicate with people and enter into pleasant physical contacts, help each other, etc. The text in question contains a relatively small number of terms (only the name of hormones).

Fig. 1. The subject of the medical poster in French

Features of a medical poster in French on a verbal level

The grammatical system of the French language assumes opposition in addressing you and You. In the considered texts of posters addressed to adult recipients, the following address is used: Lavez-vous tr s r é guli é rement les mains avec du savon pendant 30 secondes ‘Wash your hands regularly with soap for 30 seconds’, Utilisez des mouchoirs à usage unique puis jetez-les ‘Use disposable wipes and then throw them away’ (see Fig. 2a). In medical posters for children, 2 singular persons are recorded as forms: Le s a is-tu ‘Do you know?’ (see fig. 2b), and 1 person singular: Comment faire quand je m'inqui?te ‘What to do when I'm worried' (see Fig. 2c). It should also be noted that medical posters for children differ in detail, pragmatic orientation and simple language of description. Thus, the medical poster on the theme “Les points de suture” ‘Sutures‘ contains explanations on such points as what a suture is (for example, On fait la suture en rapprochant les deux bords de la plaie et en faisant des points, comme de la couture 'A suture is applied by bringing two edges of a wound closer and stitching, as in sewing’), what tools are used to do it (for example, Le mécin utilise une pince pour la tenir et la guider ‘The doctor uses forceps to hold and guide her [needle]’), why it is necessary to apply stitches, which means to remove stitches, etc., while drawing It is given schematically, made in bright colors with a predominance of green, which has the semiotic meaning of ‘youth’, ‘health’, ‘nature’, ‘tranquility’ ^[24], i.e. the choice of visual design style is aimed at children in order to provide information and relieve the level of fear.

The texts of medical posters use relevant vocabulary, including neologisms: l'E-Sant é – ‘telemedicine’ (81% Des mécins Convaincus d es Bienfaits de l'E-Sant é pour la Qualit é des Soins ‘81% of doctors are convinced of the advantages of telemedicine for the quality of medical care’) (see Figure 2d).

A universal feature of a medical poster is the use of a thesis design of the text, according to which incomplete sentences, infinitives and nominal sentences are used. In general, we can also talk about typed versions of the organization of the text of a medical poster, the most popular is the five-part form (see Fig. 2f):

1) the name of the disease, for example, CANCER DU FOIE ‘LIVER CANCER’;

2) Statistical information: 8 hommes pour 2 femmes. Le taux de survie à 5 ans est de 13% tous stades confondus. Mais s'il est dépisté tôt les chances de guérison augmentent. 8000 nouveaux cas chaque année. 63 ans âge moyen du diagnostic ‘8 men for 2 women. The five-year survival rate is 13% for all stages combined. But if it [cancer] is detected at an early stage, the chances of recovery increase. 8000 new cases every year. 63 years is the average age of diagnosis’;

3) Causes, usually theses: Cirrhose du foie 80% des cas / Hépatites chroniques B ou C / Diabète sucré / Tabac / Exposure aux toxins (champignons, chlorure de vinyle, stéroïdes anabolisants...) ‘Cirrhosis of the liver 80% of cases / Chronic hepatitis B or C / diabetes mellitus / Tobacco / Exposure to toxins (mushrooms, vinyl chloride, anabolic steroids...)’;

4) Diagnostic, usually called sentences: Prise de sang / échographie / Tomodensitom é trie et IRM / Laparoscopie / Biopsie / Angiographie ‘Blood test / Ultrasound / CT and MRI / Laparoscopy / Biopsy / Angiography’;

5) treatment (Traitements), usually called sentences: Chirurgie (ablation partielle ou greffe) / Radioth é rapie / Chimioth é rapie / Destruction tumorale percutan é e ‘Surgery (partial removal or transplantation) / Radiotherapy / Chemotherapy / Percutaneous destruction of the tumor’.

Features of the medical poster in French on a visual level

Attention is drawn to the frequency of the use of symbolic elements, which can be accompanied by a voluminous (20-30 words) text or used only accompanied by a signature. So, on the poster (see Fig. 2e) the signature Une meilleure immunité belongs to the image of the doctor's bag. L'allaitance transmet au bébé les anticorps de la mère et améliore donc les défenses immunitaires de l'enfant tel un luggage pour la vie ‘Improving immunity. Breastfeeding transmits the antibodies of the mother to the child and, consequently, improves the immune protection of the child, as baggage for life’, i.e. the picture-symbol is named (Une meilleure immunité ‘Improvement of immunity') and is accompanied by the unfolding of the thesis. In example 2f, the symbol image is signed with an incomplete sentence accompanied by one-two-three-word phrases: Fi e vre ‘high temperature'; Perte de poids ‘Weight loss; Jaunissement peau + yeux ‘Yellowing of the skin + eyes’, so the visual elements carry a significant part of the content of the medical poster.

Fig. 2. Features of the medical poster in French on the visual and pictorial levels

Conclusions

The analysis of the polycode text of the medical poster in French showed the thematic diversity of the texts. The most frequent in the sample were posters about cancer prevention and treatment, Covid-19 prevention and treatment, as well as informing adults about various diseases and methods of their treatment; the frequency of posters about various types of cancer is confirmed by relevant statistics.

At the verbal level, the choice of a communicative strategy and its grammatical design in relation to child recipients and adult recipients are noted; the use of relevant vocabulary, including neologisms, as well as structuring in the organization of the verbal component of the polycode text.

At the pictorial level, the medical poster in French is characterized by the frequent use of schematic images, the use of color semiotics and the complementary relationship between visual and verbal components are noted.

^[1] Diabetes mellitus. The relevance of the problem. Access mode: https://www.mgbsmp.by/informatsiya/informatsiya-dlya-patsientov/543-sakharnyj-diabet (date of application: 09/21/2023).