Useful books for learning how to read, write and speak: A vade mecum of health and well-being

Abstract

Researchers in humanities and social sciences, with an interest in the history of language usage in social contexts, can find valid sources for interdisciplinary studies within the tradition of conversation guides. Designed for foreign language teaching and learning, these resources offer empirical insights into the knowledge of history, society, ideology, and culture which are often not covered in grammar books tailored for native speakers. For instance, by making use of components of conversational data, they can contribute to contextual knowledge in the field of health, covering aspects such as the prevention and the treatment of diseases, complementing data collected in dictionaries. This study aims to focus on the discursive microstructure of the topic health in 19th-century Conversation Guides, which encompass both dialogues, such as “Inquiring about health”, “With the doctor, surgeon, dentist” and lexical repertoires, including “Accidents, diseases, and related matters” and “Remedies”. What potential lies within dialogues that encode metalinguistic behaviors, as well as terminologies concerning human body health, illnesses, and treatments, in shaping the history and historiography of linguistics? Additionally, we examine the understanding and cultural contexts that shaped these conversational customs surrounding health and well-being. While nowadays they drive the initiatives of nations, in the 19th century they acted as conduits for Enlightenment ideas and principles of Utilitarianism.