Hybrid language of in-cockpit specialist discourse

The importance of communication in the cockpit is discussed, and the discourse analysis of a sample authentic in-cockpit communication during flight operation is presented. The analysis results indicate that specific language use variables are correlated with individual performance at the point of flight performance and individual communicative intentions. Also, language use was found to vary as a function of crew position, out-of-cockpit addressee and level of workload during the flight. Language use for the procedure purpose was tightly linked to cockpit panel readings, whereas language use for personal interaction was of ‘over a cup of tea talk’ pattern. These observations suggested a specific hybridness of the cockpit language discourse which might need to be further checked by an alternative research method of communication analysis., e.g., a content-coding method.