Interpersonal respect is a recognized social value across every culture,
although its features may differ not only among languages, but also among
cultural communities that share a same language. The present work aims to
study this social value in communicative situations during medical consultations in the cultural community of Galicia (Spain). The purpose is to explore the characteristics, social functions and communicative expression of this social value. The final goal is to obtain an accurate characterization that fits the sociocultural context and can be used in the analysis of facework in communicative interactions. With this purpose in mind, data from patient questionnaires about their social habits in interactions with medical personnel,
interviews with doctors and audio-recorded medical consultations have been
analyzed. The results show that, as in other speech and practice communities,
interpersonal respect is related to kindness, but it also presents specific features,such as the patients’ assessment of the doctor’s scientific authority and the doctor’s social consideration for the patient by listening and talking truthfully, as well as demonstrating concern and a desire to help the patient.