COMM 315 1st Edition Lecture 9Outline of Last Lecture I. Emotional Intelligence and BenefitsII. How to Improve Critical Listening SkillsIII. Improving Accurate Responding SkillsIV. Improving Empathic Responding SkillsV. Improving Your Confirmation SkillsOutline of Current Lecture I. How Words WorkII. The Power of WordsIII. How to Manage MisunderstandingsIV. How to Use Words of SupportV. How to ApologizeVI. How to Be AssertiveCurrent LectureChapter 6: Verbal Communication Skills- How Words Work (Continued)o Words are symbols Symbol- word, sound, or visual image that represents something else, such as a thought, concept, or object Referent- thing that a symbol represents Thought- mental process of creating an image, sound, concept, or experience triggered by a referent or a symbolo Words have 2 types of meaning Denotative meaning- the literal dictionary definition of a word Connotative meaning- personal and subjective meaning of a wordThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.so Words are concrete and abstract A word is concrete if they can experience its referent with one of their senses If you cannot touch it, smell it, taste it, or hear it, then the word is abstracto Words are arbitrary Onomatopoeia- a word that imitates a sound associated with what is named; also, the use of such a wordo Words are Culture-Bound Words can mean different things in different cultures- “Yankee” in the south could mean northerner, in another country could mean someone from the USA- Carbonated Beverage could be “pop”, “coke” or “soda” in differentplaces Semantics- The study of words, how they change over time, and what they mean to people Symbolic interaction theory- states that people make sense of the world based on their interpretation of words or symbols used by others- The Power of Wordso Words create perceptions Words give you a tool to create how you perceive the world by naming and labeling what you experience. You use language to express how you see the worldo Words influence thoughts Words symbolize meaning, but what they mean is going to be different depending on the persono Words influence actions “Those are fighting words” Powerful speech- people are more likely to listen to you Powerless speech- characterized by more frequent use of pauses, which may be filled with “umm,” “ahhh,” and “ehh.” We also express our lack of power by using verbal filler words such as “you know” and “I mean”. Hedging our conclusion by saying “I guess” and “sort of”. Tacking on a question at the end of a statement, such as “I’m right, aren’t I?” or “This is what I think, OK?”o Words affect and reflect culture Linguistic Determinism- theory that describes how use of language determines or influences thoughts and perceptions Linguistic relativity- theory that each language includes some unique features that aren’t found in other languages Sapir-Whorf hypothesis- individual perceptions or perception by a cultureor group of people about key beliefs and issues such as death, God, and the meaning of life, which influence interaction with others Worldview- individual perceptions or perceptions by a culture or group ofpeople about key beliefs and issues, such as death, God, and the meaningof life, which influence interaction with otherso Words make and break relationships  Some people suggest that we literally talk a relationship into being Profanity- words considered obscene, blasphemous, irreverent, rude, or insensitive Euphemism- a mild or indirect word that is substituted for one that describes something vulgar, profane, unpleasant or embarrassing- How to Manage Misunderstandingso Be aware of missed meaning If you are not aware of a misunderstanding, you won’t be able to clarify your message. Bypassing- confusion caused by the fact that the same word can mean different things to different people There are 500 words we use on a daily basis that have 14,000 different dictionary definitions, so it is understandable that words and meanings can get mixed upo Be clear Malapropism- confusion of one word or phrase for another that sounds similar to ito Be specific Restricted Code- set of words that have particular meaning to a person, group or culture Jargon- another name for restricted code; specialized terms or abbreviations whose meanings are known only to members of a specific group Allness- tendency to use language to make unqualified, often untrue generalizations. Indexing- avoiding generalizations by using statements that separate one situation, person or example from anothero Be aware of changes in meaning Static Evaluation- pronouncement that doesn’t take the possibility of change into considerationo Be aware of polarizing either-or extremes Polarization- description and evaluation of what you observe in terms of extremes such as good or bad, old or new, beautiful or uglyo Be unbiased Hate Speech- words or phrases intended to offend or show disrespect for someone’s race, ethnicity, cultural background, gender, or some other aspect of their personality Avoid Sexist language- the use of words that reflect stereotypical attitudes or that describes roles in exclusively male or female terms Avoid ethnically or racially based language as well Avoid demeaning language- language barriers are created not only when speakers use sexist or racially biased language, but aalso when they disparage a person’s age, mental or physical ability, or social standing- How to Use Words of Supporto Describe you feelings, rather than evaluate behavior Eliminate the accusatory “you” in conversations/arguments  Extended “I” Language- brief preface to a feedback statement, intended to communicate that you don’t want your listener to take your message in an overly critical way By extending this kind of behavior, you are taking ownership of the feelings and possibly prevent tension in conversations. Listening to “I”, “You”, “me”, and “we” can give you clues on how a personreally feels about something.o Solve problems rather than controlo Be genuine rather than manipulative To be genuine means to you honestly seek to be yourself rather than someone you aren’t. Taking an honest interest in others