Ch. 3 Verbal CommunicationSapir-Whorf Hypothesis: The language you use to some extent determines or at least influences the way in which you view and think about the world around you.The limit of your words is the limit of your world.It takes a long time for language acquisition.Denotative Meaning: The dictionary definition.Connotative Meaning: The feelings or associations each individual has about a word.Ex: freedom, loveLadder of Abstraction: A diagram of how we abstract through language, classifications, types, categories, etc. At the bottom are concrete examples and illustrations. With higher words there is more room for disagreement; more of a chance for bypassing.People determine the meaning of the words they receive.Good communicators own their communication; what is taking place.4 Elements of Verbal Communication: (places words in a context)1. People involved in the exchange2. Rules that govern the communication situation3. Purpose of the people who are there4. Actual talkAppropriate Language:Euphemism – An inoffensive word or phrase that is substituted for other words that might be perceived as unpleasant. It makes something socially palatable. Ex: passed on = deathDoublespeak – When an institution uses a euphemism but it does not always have to do with unpleasant words; words deliberately constructed for political purposes; allows us to talk about things that you don’t really want tosay.3 Kinds of Language:1. Racist – minority groups are portrayed in negative terms; demeaning and not appropriate.2. Sexist – unintentionally (or not) excludes a gender. Ex: androcentric bias = male bias3. Ableist – refers to disabled people in a derogatory way.Report-talk: Used by men; goal is to maintain status, demonstrate knowledge and skills, and to keep the center-stage position.Rapport-talk: Used by women; designed to lead to intimacy with others, to match experiences, and to establish relationships.Men and women use different words because they have different goals.Powerful talk: Gets directly to the point; does not use hesitation or qualification; Ex: uh, like; I guess; avoids tag questions and disclaimers too.Culture and language: British is the highest-ranking English language.Dialect: The habitual language of a community.What you want to say: Use words carefully when you’re trying to say something.How you want to say it: Be careful about language choices; be clear and vivid.To whom you are talking: Make words appropriate to your audience.Metamessages: Subtext; what is really being saidEthics: A choice of words is a choice of worlds.Ch. 4 Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal communication: Information communicated without using words; 67-93% of what we communicate is nonverbal; oftentimes, it cannot be controlled.Setting, place, time, channels, environment, and feelings can all be nonverbal.Verbal communication is processed linearly; nonverbal communication is processedholistically.It is harder to control nonverbal than verbal communication.Nonverbal communication is learned.Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication:Culturally Determined – passed on from parents to kids; learned through imitationMixed messages/Confliction – the verbal and nonverbal contradict each otherLargely Unconscious Shows your feelings and attitudesVaries by gender – women initiate more eye contact in conversations; women prefer side-by-side conversations; men prefer face-to-face conversations; men are more likely to initiate touch with others; women giveand receive more touches in menDisplays power – height, physical size, eye contact, bodily positions, movements, gestures, and voice display power; touch repels, disgusts, insults, and threatens.Types of Nonverbal Communication:Paralanguage – everything but the words themselves; the way in which you say the wordsRate – the most pleasing voices vary the ratePitch – the highness or lowness of the voice; a little higher than normal is goodVolume – how loudly or softly a person speaksQuality – made up of tempo, resonance, rhythm, and articulationBody Movement – “kinesics”; refers to all forms of body movementEmblems – movements that directly translate into wordsIllustrators – accent, emphasize, or reinforce wordsRegulators – control the back-and-forth flow of speaking and listening; Ex: noddingDisplays of feelings – show how intensely a person is listening through facial expressions and body movementsAdaptors – nonverbal ways of adjusting to a communication situationFacial Expressions – the 42 facial muscles can produce more than 10,000 expressions; the four expressions (happiness, sadness, fear, and anger) are easily identified across culturesEye Messages – all information conveyed by the eyes aloneAttractiveness – having the power or quality of drawing or winning attention; the importance of physical beauty to males is even across all cultures; men prefer young nubile women for reproduction; women prefer men with sufficient resources to care for them and have stronger preferencesfor intelligent, considerate, and outgoing mates; across all cultures, women prefer wealth, status, and power.Elective characteristics – physical characteristics you can control; ex: clothing, makeup, tattoos, piercingNonelective characteristics – things you cannot change; ex: height ($789 more a year/inch), body proportion, skin color, bone structure, physical disabilitiesClothing – gives a strong immediate impression of its wearer; categories are uniforms, occupational dress, leisure clothing, and costumes; echo how the audience feels and is dressedBody Adornment – includes any addition to the physical body designed to beautify or decorate; hairstyles, facial hair, makeup, tattoos; constantly changesSpace and Distance – “proxemics”; examines the way people use the space around them as well as the distance they maintain from others; men are more territorial (space belonging to him/her) than womenIntimate space – touching to less than 18 inches apartPersonal space – 18 inches to 4 feetSocial space – 4 feet to 12 feetPublic space – a distance of more than 12 feetTouch – to be in or come into physical contact with another person; power, status, and sexual innuendos are affected by touch; Haptics is the study of touch; handshakes are important and culturalSmell – important and cultural; Olfactics is the study of smellTime – how you tell times tells your consideration; Chronemics is the study of