Download chapter3 - Homework Market

Chapter 3
Verbal
Communication
Chapter Outcomes
• Describe the power of language—
the system of symbols we use to
think about and communicate our
experiences and feelings
• Identify the ways language works to
help people communicate—the five
functional communication
competencies
Chapter Outcomes (cont.)
• Describe the ways that
communicators create meaning with
language
• Label problematic uses of language
and their remedies
• Describe how language reflects,
builds on, and determines context
Language
• The system of
symbols (words) that
we use to think
about and
communicate
experiences and
feelings
The Nature of Language
• Language is symbolic.
– Words are symbols or signs that represent
a person, idea, or thing.
• Thought informs language and vice
versa.
– Cognitive language: specific symbols used
to describe ideas, situations, and so on
The Nature of Language (cont.)
• Language is ruled by a grammar.
– Phonological rules: pronunciation
– Syntactic rules: word placement in a
sentence
• Language is bound by context.
– Communication accommodation theory:
how language and identity shape
communication in various contexts
The Functions of Language
• Communication
acquisition involves
– Learning words of a
language
– Using the words
appropriately and
effectively in the
context of the
situation
Functional Communication
Competencies
• Using language as a means of control
to influence oneself, others,
environment
• Using language to share information,
which involves
– Questioning
– Describing
– Reinforcing
– Withholding
Functional Communication
Competencies (cont.)
• Using language to express feelings
appropriately and effectively
• Using language to express creativity
– Imagining: ability to think, play, and be
creative in communication
• Using language as ritual
– Ritualizing: learning the rules for
managing conversations and relationships
Language and Meaning
• Semantics
– The relationship among symbols,
objects, people, and concepts
– The meaning of words, based in their
definitions or placement in a sentence
• Pragmatics
– The ability to use a culture’s symbol
systems appropriately
Language and Meaning (cont.)
• Words have multiple meanings
– Denotative: accepted definition
– Connotative: emotional or attitudinal
response
Language and Meaning (cont.)
• Abstraction
– High- and low-level abstractions
(abstraction ladder)
– Evasion: avoiding giving details
– Equivocation: using unclear words
– Euphemism: using inoffensive words
Language and Meaning (cont.)
• The abstraction ladder
Language and Meaning (cont.)
• Group identification and meaning
– Slang: using informal, nonstandard
words
– Jargon: using technical language
Problematic Uses of
Language
• Hateful and hurtful language
– Hatespeech: language that offends
threatens or insults a person or group
based upon race, religion, gender, or
other identifiable characteristics
– Hurtful language: inappropriate,
damaging, mean, sarcastic or offensive
statements that affect others in
negative ways
Problematic Uses of
Language (cont.)
• Labeling
– The labels we choose for our beliefs
affect how we communicate them to
others (and how others respond).
– Labels may lead us to ignore individual
differences and thus limit or constrict
our communication.
Problematic Uses of
Language (cont.)
• Biased language openly excludes or
implies something negative about certain
groups.
– Politically correct language uses neutral
terms in place of biased language and may
avoid real issues in favor of politeness.
Problematic Uses of
Language (cont.)
• Profanity: insulting, rude, vulgar, or
disrespectful words or expressions
– Some may see offensive words as reasonably
hostile, based on the situational context.
• Civility: social norm for appropriate
behavior
– Follow guidelines for civil language.
Guidelines for More Civil
Language
• Use no words rather than offensive ones.
• Use words appropriate to your specific
listener.
• Choose temperate, accurate words over
inflammatory ones when commenting on
ideas, issues, or persons.
• Use objective, respectful,
nondiscriminatory language.
• Use clean language at all times when at
work.
Language in Context
• Language reflects context.
(Have a variety of speech repertoires.)
• Language builds on context.
(Adjust language to situation.)
• Language determines context.
(Choose formal/informal language.)
Language in Context (cont.)
• The situational context
– Code switching: communicators
change from one repertoire (“code”) to
another as the situation warrants
– High language: formal, polite, or
“mainstream” language
Language in Context (cont.)
• The situational context (cont.)
– Low language: informal, casual
language for more comfortable
environments (slang)
– Sex and gender are part of situational
context.
Language in Context (cont.)
• The relational context
– Using language and levels of
abstraction to create/reflect a
relationship
Language in Context (cont.)
• The cultural context
– Culture, words, and thought
• Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (linguistic relativity
theory): the words a culture uses (or
doesn’t use) influence thinking.
• Linguistic determinism: language
influences how we see the world.
Language in Context (cont.)
• The cultural context (cont.)
– Gender and language affect
communication.
• Males: use interruptions
• Females: use intensifiers, qualifiers,
hedges, disclaimers, tag questions
• Both use resistance messages differently.
Language in Context (cont.)
• The cultural context (cont.)
– Geography and language affect
communication and understanding of
the world.
Language in Context (cont.)
• Mediated contexts
– Communication via technology
requires strong, clear language.
• Powerful or intense language may receive
more attention.
– English has become the language of
the Internet and mass media.
– Technology has created its own
language.