SPC1017 Final Study Guide Chapters 3 4 5 6 10 16 Chapter 3 Verbal Communication Communicating Effectively How you acquired your ability to use words depended on 3 factors native architecture cognitive FOXP2 gene makes clear that as a human you have inborn language transmission language development environmental influences acquisition devices native architecture Native architecture transforms the surface structure of language appears in the model as message feedback into internal deep structure appears as sender receiver Cognitive development the development of the thinking organizing systems of your brain involves language mental imagery reasoning problem solving and memory development starts before birth You analyze language content before discovering understanding grammatical structures Strategic Flexibility Saphir Whorf hypothesis suggests that 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 your thoughts are affected by or influenced by your language It is a 2 way process The kind of language you use is also influenced by the way you see the world How Words Work Semantic Triangle a way to understand how words work proposed by Charles Ogden Ivor Richards To indicate the direct relationship between symbols words and thoughts The Semantic Triangle Explained 1 The matter referent evokes your thought intended meaning 2 You encode your thought by choosing a word or words to represent it 3 That word or words are conveyed extended to your listener 4 Your listener decodes the word and arrives at his or her interpretation of the matter referent Denotative meaning the dictionary definition Connotative meaning the feelings or associations each individual has about a word May cause problems in communication because a single word may evoke strong and varied feelings in listeners Ladder of abstraction A diagram of how we abstract through language classifications types categories and so on Help you better analyze your communications understandings and misunderstandings Help you immunize yourself against political propaganda advertising and vacant rhetoric Make personal adjustments as your become more aware of your own abstracting Grammar of a language Putting the words together to make the phrases and sentences that express relationships between the words People Determine Meanings The link between any word the image we create in our minds our thoughts every person s thoughts about any words are likely to be different from everyone else s Even when words are the same the final images we create will be different from the images others create people factor Language in Developing Online Credibility Eliminate all typos sloppy or hurriedly constructed material because it damages credibility Find a signature font The language environment People purposes rules All language takes place within a particular environment language in one environment may be appropriate in one but not the other The language environment is made up of four elements people their purpose the rules of communication by which they achieve their purpose the actual talk used in the situation Ritual language takes place in environments where a conventionalized response is expected of you greetings Hi how are you Good how are you Different where there are different cultural values Appropriate language Inappropriate racial or ethnic comments about group you do not belong to insulting comments about appearance or behavior blasphemous religious words or obscene body function words aggressive words intended to control others Euphemism an inoffensive word or phrase that is substituted for other words that might be perceived as unpleasant passing away bathroom Doublespeak refers to words deliberately constructed for political purposes words specifically intended to impose a desirable mental attitude on those using them Double speak euphemism are identical except for Double speak does not always have to with unpleasant words it always relates to a political agenda Examples downsizing firing many employees Racist Sexist and Ableist language Racist Language the tendency to describe the majority group its actions and its members in positive terms whereas minority groups their actions and members are portrayed overwhelmingly in negative terms Sexist language considered to be any language that is supposed to include all people but unintentionally or not excludes a gender Common assumptions All men are doctors all nurses are women all coaches are men Ableist language referring to persons with disabilities Specialization words that are only used in certain environments most professions and occupations have a language that only the practitioners understand Style Roles Group Memberships Style the result of the way you select and arrange words and sentences Every individual has their own verbal style Gender and Language Rapport talk women Designed to lead to intimacy with others to match experiences and to establish relationships Report talk men Maintain status to demonstrate knowledge and skills and to keep the center stage position Men are more likely to interrupt and give directions Women use more personal pronouns and intensive adverbs questions and justifiers Can be explained by power differences Powerful Talk Powerful Talk comes directly to the point does not use hesitation or qualifications People who use powerful talk found to be more credible attractive and persuasive Characterized by the nonexistence of certain communication behaviors hedges qualifiers I guess kind of uh Tag questions start out as statements but end in questions disclaimers words and expressions that excuse or ask listeners to bear with them Culture Language Number of people speaker more than one language in US has increased Different words have different meanings in other cultures Approx 7 000 languages 1 vanishes every 14 days Knowing different languages allows for perspective gains Dialect habitual language of a community distinguished by unique grammatical structures wods and figures of speech Growing stronger especially in urban areas Speaking and Writing Paralanguage vocal cues or the way you say your words accompanied by spoken language Includes pitch and rate volume and how often you pause Writers do not have paralanguage words must be chosen carefully Working on your communication What do you want to say How do you want to say it To Whom Are You Talking What Messages are you