Language

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Interpersonal Verbal
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Language Communities(Speech Communities)

• Words are symbols that have understood
  meaning to the people in a language community.

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Language Communities(Speech Communities)

• Words are symbols that have understood
  meaning to the people in a language community.

What communities exist in this room?
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Words are Symbols

• Arbitrary
• Ambiguous
• Abstract

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Symbols are Arbitrary
Words do not necessarily have inherent meanings
rather, we can assign meaning to words based on
our own unique frame of reference.
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Symbols are Arbitrary

• Words do not necessarily have inherent meanings
• rather, we can assign meaning to words based on
  our own unique frame of reference.

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Symbols are Ambiguous
Meanings are not clear cut, there are variations
on what a word means.
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Language is used to

1. Name, describe, classify, and limit
2. Evaluate
3. Discuss things outside our immediate environment
4. Talk about language.

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Language varies over time, across cultures, and
with the situation.
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Assignment

• Look up the word niggardly. Know the meaning.
• Research the following incidents regarding the
  word
• David Howards use of the word in January, 1999
  and the events that followed.
• Amelia Rideaus problem with the word in
  February, 1999 at the University of
  Wisconsin-Madison.

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Denotative
Connotative
The emotions linked to a word
The dictionary definition
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Third World Backward Underdeveloped
Corpse Dead body Loved one
War Defensive response Massacre
Coffin Casket Slumber chamber
Heavy Overweight Obese
Handkerchief Cloth tissue Nose rag
Laying off Firing Downsizing
Cheat Evade Use loopholes
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Three Language Theories

• Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
• Symbolic Interactionism
• Coordinated Management of Meaning

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Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

• The structure of a cultures language determines
  how people think in that culture.
• Language defines the way a person behaves and
  thinks You are restricted by your vocabulary.
• Language is not simply a way of voicing ideas,
  but is the very thing which shapes our reality.

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Thought controls language orLanguage controls
thought?

• Concept People who speak different languages
  perceive reality and think differently.

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Thought controls language orLanguage controls
thought?

• Concept People who speak different languages
  perceive reality and think differently.

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Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis Suggests

• Language and experience are so tightly related
  that language controls thought.
• Thus
• You cannot think of things for which you have no
  language.
• Our language creates and limits our reality.
• Your language choices reflect what you think
  about and how you think.
• Do you agree?

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Language and Meaning pg 87

• Symbolic Interactionism is a theory that claims
  the meaning of words is a product of social
  interaction.
• Whatever meaning a person has for a thing is a
  result of interactions with others about the
  thing, ie. the value of gold, diamonds or
  flowers.
• People act toward things based on the meaning
  those things have for them, ie. flag burning.

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Language and Meaning, cont pg 87

• Coordinated management of meaning is a theory
  that demonstrates how people come to any
  agreement on the meaning of language and
  behavior.
• This says that one individual may subtly propose
  enacting a certain type of communication, but
  only when the other person accepts that proposal
  that the exchange and the rules been agreed upon
  that the meaning becomes coordinated -
• , i.e. flirting.

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Three Language Theories

1. Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
2. Symbolic Interactionism
3. Coordinated Management of Meaning

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Understanding cultural differences helps us
understand differences in connotation
Individual
Collective
Low uncertainty avoidance
High uncertainty avoidance
Low-context
High-context
Masculine
Feminine
Low power-distance
High power-distance.
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Individual
Collective
Individual goals are emphasized more than group
goals
Group goals are emphasized more than individual
goals
High uncertainty avoidance
Low uncertainty avoidance
Provide security and reduce risk - have little
tolerance for deviant behavior
Accept uncertainty and are tolerant of differing
behavior
Low-context
High-context
Messages are very direct
Messages are indirect expect others to know
how theyre feeling.
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Masculine
Feminine
Cultures that expect people to maintain rigid sex
roles
Cultures that allow both men and women to take
different roles
Low power-distance
High power-distance
Cultures in which people show respect
for authority emphasizing titles, rank, and
status.
Cultures in which inequalities are played down
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Identify the 5 Connotative Descriptors for the
United States?
Individual
Collective
Low uncertainty avoidance
High uncertainty avoidance
Low-context
High-context
Masculine
Feminine
Low power-distance
High power-distance.
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Individual
Low uncertainty Avoidance (Tolerant)

Low-context (Direct say what we mean)
United States
Masculine (rigid sex defined)
Low power-distance (downplay social distances)
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Gender Differences in Language

• Differences between mens speech and womens
  speech are gender based. Da. . .
• Women tend to use more intensifiers and hedges
  than men.
• Women ask questions more frequently than men.

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Choose language and symbols that are adapted to
the needs, interests, knowledge, and attitudes of
listeners in order to avoid language that
alienates them.
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Language Skills

• Be specific
• Use concrete words
• Date generalizations
• Index generalizations avoid Marking

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To increase language clarity, develop your
vocabulary. This will allow you to use more
precise, concrete language when you communicate
with others.
1. Language Tip
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Strategic Ambiguity

• When a speaker chooses to use vague language when
  interacting with another person. Example,
  teenagers frequently choose to be more clear,
  specific, and definite when revealing information
  to peers than to parents. This serves to
  preserve family harmony and advances the teens
  natural drive toward independence. (Sillars,
  1998)

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2. Abstract to Concrete

• Art
• Painting
• Oil Painting
• Impressionist Oil Painting
• Renoirs La Promenade

abstract
concrete
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2. Rephrase each statement so that it is less
abstract and more concrete

• Edward always finds something critical to say.
• Mr. Wilcox is a fair grader.
• Lets keep our trip from getting too expensive.
• Politicians are dishonest.

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Group Exercise Hes a Snake
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InstructionsA. Identify the names of 5 people
you know. You may like or dislike them.B.
Identify one concrete word that describes each
individual.C. Back up each concrete word with
an example.
Initials Concrete Word Example
Person 1
Person 2
Person 3
Person 4
Person 5
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3. Date Information
Specify a time that indicates when a given fact
was true or known to be true.
Palm Springs is really popular with the college
crowd.
When we were in Palm Springs two years ago, it
was really popular with the college crowd.
-Verderber/Verderber
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4. Indexing(Qualified) Generalizations
Mentally or verbally accounting for individual
differences
Because men are stronger than women, Max is
stronger than Barbara.
In general, men are stronger than women, so Max
is probably stronger than Barbara.
-Verderber/Verderber
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4. Generic Man
Alternative
Police officer
Policeman
Man-made
Synthetic
All of mankind
All the people in the world
-Wood
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4. How would you change the following terms to
avoid sexism?

• Fireman
• Waitress
• Repairman
• Stewardess
• Mailman

• Chairman
• Cleaning lady
• Congressman
• Anchorman
• Freshman

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4. Marking
The unnecessary addition of sex, race, age, or
other designations to a general word.
Unnecessary
He is planning to be a male kindergarten
teacher.
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4. Marking
The unnecessary addition of sex, race, age, or
other designations to a general word.
He is planning to be a male kindergarten
teacher.
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PracticeCommunication Accommodation

• Communication accommodation theory explains that
  people change their language patterns to
  accommodate their partner. This is a practice is
  called convergence. Its opposite is divergence.

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DemonstrateLinguistic Sensitivity

• Choosing language that respects others and avoids
  usages that others perceive as offensive.

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Speaking Appropriately

• Adapt to the situation.
• Monitor your language to avoid
• Language that offends or alienates
• Jargon slang
• Profanity
• Generic he and man when referring to both men
  and women
• Use I-language to own your thoughts and feelings.
  

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Todays Language

• What are five new words that have become
  popular in the last five years?
• What are five old (obsolete) words that are no
  longer commonly used.
• List five words with extremely negative emotional
  connotations in our society right now.
• List five common slang terms.