Language system of arbitrary signals such as sounds gestures and symbols that a community uses to communicate Cybernetic process brain computing and processing symbols to see words Language Explosion theory our understanding of language is based on other languages and ideas around us Linguistics the study of human sounds Some words have more than one meaning Denotative meaning direct meaning ex dog Connotative meaning hard to know exact meaning ex good Semantics relationship between language and meaning Function of language Emotive emotional connotative words Phatic function performing social tasks ex how are you Cognitive convey information Rhetorical influence thoughts and behaviors Identifying naming people and objects Language distortion when language is misconstrued Inferences when we interpret beyond available information and jump to conclusions Inarticulates sounds phrases that have no meaning ex um Ebonics black English Significant other theory how we learn language learn from people around us Superior north hypothesis English speaking people who believe that they are better than others Code switching shift from one dialer to another
View Full Document