COMM 3620 Exam 2 Study Guide Chapter 5 Language the words people use to communicate and knowledge about how to use these words to create a meaningful message Language is Abstract Arbitrary there is no inherent reason for using a particular word to represent a particular object or idea classes could have been called masses or lasses Words have ambiguous meanings and people can interpret different meanings for the same word Related to Culture characteristics of a language can reveal cultural values and norms Language changes with new cultural development courting dating hooking up talking to etc language can influence how people perceive the world around them o Sapir Whorf Hypothesis the idea that the way people think depends on the structure of their language argues that if there is no word in your language to represent some object or idea then you would not be able to understand or comprehend that object or idea Has fallen out over the decades o Linguistic Relativity the assumption that different languages reflect and create cultural differences in conceptions of reality Consequential when we use language to represent our reality our words inevitably highlight some aspects of that reality and neglect others Totalizing tendency of language to resolve or neglect nuances in real life experience language totalizes reality because words create an incomplete and oversimplified image of real experiences Reification reacting to words as though they are an accurate and complete representation of reality Abstract Language words that have very general meanings because they cover a variety of events objects or actions When you use the word apple an apple does not need to be physically present Use words to refer to a wide range of objects and concepts which are not physically present Concrete Language words that refer to specific events objects or actions that are available to the senses Helpful to avoid miscommunication Helps a communication partner to better understand what the other person is thinking or feeling and to form an appropriate response People pay more attention to persuasive messages that use concrete language sugar causes tooth decay and obesity concrete language vs sugar is bad for you abstract language Speakers seen as less biased when using concrete language Lisa slapped Ann vs Lisa is aggressive Syntactic Rules identify how words and phrases can be structured within a message order of words in a phrase bottom of the hierarchy of language rules Denotative Meaning refers to the literal public or conventional definition for the word Connotative Meaning the implicit emotional or evaluative tone of a word Semantic Rules guidelines for using words in phrases based on meanings middle of the hierarchy of language rules Speech Acts actions that we perform using language EX express a compliment accuse a person of cheating ask a question make a request Pragmatic Rules guidelines for performing actions using language top of the hierarchy of language rules Help us identify the messages that are appropriate or inappropriate in a particular situation based on relationships Help us to eliminate some of the possible meanings of messages which improves our ability to figure out what people really mean The Cooperative Principle the assumption that people who are talking to each other are working together to advance the conversation There are basic rules called maxims that we assume people are following as they cooperate in a conversation Maxim of Quantity a conversational rule that specifies that communicators should provide enough information to advance the conversation and avoid providing either too much or too little information Maxim of Quality a conversational rule that communicators should make truthful contributions to conversation Maxim of Relevance a conversational rule that communicators should make contributions to conversation that are pertinent to the topic Maxim of Manner a conversational rule that communicators should strive to be clear organized and to the point in order of occurrences Idiom a term or phrase that has a special meaning known only to members of a social group arise from shared experiences are adopted by members of the social group and become part of the linguistic code used by group insiders Chapter 6 Nonverbal Behaviors human actions that have the potential to form meaningful messages Become nonverbal communication if they stimulate meaning in the mind of the receiver Nonverbal Communication the process of one person creating meaning in the mind of another person through nonverbal behaviors 65 of the meaning humans derive from interaction comes for nonverbal communication Channel the medium through which information in conveyed during interaction Analogic Codes symbols that bear a physical resemblance to the thing they represent unlike words that have no physical connection to the object they represent More easily recognized across cultures Variable Intensity nonverbal behaviors can show a lot or a little of the idea that they represent touch varies from light tickling to tight squeeze Simulation displaying emotions that you are not actually feeling smiling for a photograph even though you might not be happy Intensification displaying emotions that are stronger than the felt emotion when someone gives you a gift you might display stronger happiness than you are actually feeling Deintensification downplaying particularly strong emotions acting mildly pleased about an A you received so that your friend who received a D doesn t feel badly Masking displaying a different emotion from the one that is truly felt clapping and smiling when competitor wins award when you are actually disappointed and feeling jealous Immediacy the degree of physically or psychologically perceived closeness warmth and involvement between people People are more liked when they show more immediate nonverbal behaviors because they seem friendly supportive and kind Eye contact touch body movements Halo Effect the tendency for physically attractive people to be perceived as having other positive characteristics Back Channel Communication non language utterances mm hmm and uh huh that show understanding or involvement and help to move an interaction along Emblem gestures that have a direct verbal translation such as the peace sign waving hello or goodbye the OK symbol or extending your middle finger Monochronic Time Orientation a cultural trait that reflects a desire to do one thing at a time