Chapter 3 Verbal Communication How one acquires the ability to use words depends on three factors o Native architecture FOXP2 gene enabled the emergence of behaviorally modern humans FOXP2 gene makes clear that as a human you have inborn language transmission and language acquisition devices native architecture Transforms the surface structure of language message feedback into an internal deep structure sender receiver that you readily understand o Cognitive development Development of the thinking and organizing systems of your brain Involves language mental imagery reasoning problem solving and memory development Began before birth o Environmental influences Much of brain wiring resulted from environmental influences that took place as your parents and siblings had conversations with you etc Language acquisition support system Strategic Flexibility Sapir Whorf hypothesis How Words Work Semantic Triangle o Suggests that language you use to some extent determines or at least influences the way in which you view and think about the world around you o Your thoughts are affected by or influenced by your language o Indicates direct relationship between symbols words and thoughts o Triangle with symbol at one peak thought at the second peak and referent at the third Thought words we use as we think about the symbol Referent image we create as a result of the symbol o When you say a word you are vocally representing a physical object or abstract concept Denotative meaning definition Connotative meaning feelings or associations one has about a word freedom love Ladder of abstraction o Diagram of how we abstract through language classifications types categories etc o Assists communicators in finding the right rung on the ladder with enough detail for clarity yet not so much that the detail gets in the way of the communication o This will help you better analyze your communications understandings and misunderstandings o This will help you immunize yourself against political propaganda advertising and vacant o This will allow you to make a number of personal adjustments as you become more aware of rhetoric your own abstracting Language The language environment is made up for four elements o People o Purpose o Rules of communication by which they achieve their purpose o Actual talk used in the situation Ritual language responses are expected of you you learn them when you are very young from parents or others Inappropriate language o Racial ethnic epithets o Insults on others appearance o Blasphemous words o Aggressive words intended to control others Euphemism unpleasant Doublespeak Racist language Sexist language Ablest language o Inoffensive word or phrase that is substituted for other words that might be perceived as o Words deliberately constructed for political purposes words intended to impose a desirable mental attitude on those using them o Relate to euphemism except for two things 1 doublespeak doesn t always have to do with unpleasant words and 2 doublespeak always relates to a political agenda o Tendency to describe the majority group its actions and its members in positive terms whereas minorities are portrayed in a negative way o Any language that is supposed to include all people but unintentionally excludes a gender o Persons with disabilities Styles Roles Group Memberships Style is the result of the way you select and arrange words and sentences Women respond better to stories anecdotes and metaphors whereas men are more statistical and fact oriented they appreciate a colder more scientific and mathematical approach and women personal human and literary Rapport talk women use this language designed to lead to intimacy with others to match experiences Report talk speaker goal is to maintain status demonstrate knowledge and skills and keep center stage and to establish relationships position Men more likely to look at problems in terms of fixing them Men more likely to interrupt and give more directives when in conversation Women use more pronouns intensive adverbs questions and justifiers Gender Computer Mediated Communication Males are more likely to post longer messages begin and close discussions in mixed sex groups assert opinions as facts use crude language use more aggressive and insulting speech Females are a bunch of smiles and laughter and have aligned and supportive conversational style post short messages qualify and justify their assertions apologize etc o Talk that comes directly to the point does not use hesitation or qualifications people who engage in this are more attractive persuasive Powerful talk Language and Culture Dialect o Habitual language of a community o Distinguished by unique grammatical structures words and figures of speech o Community members who use it may be identified by region or by such diverse factors like education social class or cultural background Paralanguage o Spoken language accompanied by this o Vocal cues or the way you say your words o Meaning can be influenced by pitch and rate volume and how often you pause Working on Communication Clarity originated Vividness Metamessage o That aspect or characteristics of style by means of which a thought is so presented that it is immediately understood depending on the precision and simplicity of the language o Jargon is language that can be so specialized that is inappropriate to use outside the field where it o Slang has its place when you are talking informally with your friends o Aspect of style by which a thought is so presented that it evokes lifelike imagery or suggestion o Aka subtext o The meaning apart from what actual words express o We need to talk I want to complain Chapter 4 Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication information communicated without words Much of it is unintentional Not part of the communication model process Conversation Management o Using nonverbal cues to structure conversations Differences between Verbal and Nonverbal Verbal follows specific rules of structure and grammar words represent specific things and it has culture and context bound meanings conveyed linearly Nonverbal expressing feelings brain creates a composite of all the signals given off by a new experience Nonverbal on Internet Ideas you choose to discuss and way you choose to present them Emotions smileys used to express facial expressions Language choices spelling and grammar paragraphing and sentence construction even abbreviations Some nonverbal impressions depend on technology and