Adelswärd received her doctorate in 1988. In 1999, she became full professor.[4] Her research concentrates on how people understand and misunderstand each other in conversation. She has analyzed trials, job interviews, negotiations, parent-teacher conferences, interviews with young men seeking armed service, doctor-patient interviews, and stories of various kinds. She has also taken an interest in everyday conversation, so-called private rhetoric.
In addition to scientific publications, including some in English, Adelswärd has written several popular science books, e.g., "Talk, laughter, gossip, and Quarrels", "Women's Language and Women's Talk", and "Word on the Slide". She has held seminars and lectures and has been interviewed on radio and newspapers about her research. In several Nordic countries, Viveka Adelswärd has received less attention in academic linguistic contexts.
In 2002, a festschrift was published on the occasion of her 60th birthday.[4]
In 2005, Viveka Adelswärd received the Swedish Academy's language conservation prize[2] of SEK 50,000 mainly for her studies on conversation. On August 3, 1992, she debuted as a summer host Sommar in Sweden's Radio P1 program. She is a member of the Måltidsakademien in Stockholm, Brukskultur in Åtvidaberg and the Hagdahlsakademien.
She is involved in local cultural life in her hometown of Åtvidaberg. She has been chairman of the association Brukskultur where she has written articles about Adelsnäs, part of the Barony Adelswärd – where she formerly lived[5] – among other things.
Viveka Adelswärd is the widow of the court huntsman (Hovjägmästare), Baron Johan Adelswärd [sv], whom she met when she was 19 and married two years later,[2] and is thus allowed to title herself a baroness – the only one in Sweden. She has three sons.[2] She was, together with her husband, listed as one of the 100 richest persons in Sweden in 1996.[6]
