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 Involves language mental imagery reasoning problem solving and memory development Development of the thinking and organizing systems of your brain 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 o Suggests that language you use to some extent determines or at least o Your thoughts are affected by or influenced by your language influences the way in which you view and think about the world around you How Words Work Semantic Triangle at the third o Indicates direct relationship between symbols words and thoughts o Triangle with symbol at one peak thought at the second peak and referent 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 love o Diagram of how we abstract through language classifications types o Assists communicators in finding the right rung on the ladder with enough Denotative meaning definition Connotative meaning feelings or associations one has about a word freedom Ladder of abstraction categories etc detail for clarity yet not so much that the detail gets in the way of the communication misunderstandings advertising and vacant rhetoric o This will help you better analyze your communications understandings and o This will help you immunize yourself against political propaganda Language o This will allow you to make a number of personal adjustments as you become more aware of your own abstracting 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 o Inoffensive word or phrase that is substituted for other words that might be Euphemism perceived as unpleasant Doublespeak 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 Racist language Sexist language 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 Ablest language 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 to match experiences and to establish relationships and keep center stage position Rapport talk women use this language designed to lead to intimacy with others Report talk speaker goal is to maintain status demonstrate knowledge and skills 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 Powerful talk o Talk that comes directly to the point does not use hesitation or qualifications people who engage in this are more attractive persuasive Language and Culture Dialect o Habitual language of a community o Distinguished by unique grammatical structures words and figures of o Community members who use it may be identified by region or by such speech diverse factors like education social class or cultural background 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 Paralanguage pause Working on Communication Clarity 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 outside the field where it originated o Jargon is language that can be so specialized that is inappropriate to use 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 Vividness imagery or suggestion Metamessage 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 unintentional Nonverbal communication information communicated without words Much of it is 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 Nonverbal expressing feelings brain creates a composite of all the signals given things and it has culture and context bound meanings conveyed linearly off by a new experience Nonverbal on Internet Emotions smileys used to express facial expressions Language choices spelling and grammar paragraphing and sentence Some nonverbal impressions depend on technology and how well you use it font Simple things convey expression what you choose to omit how quickly