English Midterm Assignment
Verbal Communication
Chapter 5
University of Colorado Denver
1
Importance of Verbal Comm.
Significant for meaning making – creative and expressive
Important for relationship development
Important for cultural identity and identity development
Functions of Verbal Comm.
Instrumental—to obtain what one needs or desires
Regulatory—to control the behavior of others
Informative—to report facts or share information
Heuristic—to acquire knowledge
Interactional—to establish and define social relationships
Personal language—to show individuality and personality
Imaginative—to execute artistry or creativity
Components of Language
1. Phonology:
The sounds that compose language
2. Syntax:
The rules that govern word order
“The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.”
Components of Language
3. Semantics:
The study of the meaning of words
Denotative
Connotative
“Every morning my neighbor takes his mutt to the park. It always barks loudly when leaving the building.”
“Bob is quite vocal at every staff meeting. He always speaks.”
4. Pragmatics
The rules or patterns of language use
Conversational rules: Govern the ways communicators organize conversations
Contextual rules: Govern what and how we speak depending on the context
Influences on Individual Verbal Communication
Age
Vocal Fry : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZbmISBPG2c
Uptalk :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIBg-w6TNLE
Gender
Power, status, and expectations of difference
Region
Ethnicity, Race, and Culture
Code switching: changing the way you speak in certain situations
Education and Occupation
High context vs. low context
6
Verbal Communication and Interpersonal Communication
Your experiences, perceptions, and patterns of verbal communication will affect your interpersonal interactions
How you choose to communicate (assertively/passively)
How you interpret and respond to others
Are you speaking clearly? Are you providing enough context? Are you using language constructively?
“You just don’t get it.”
“You always do this. You always cancel on me last minute.”
“You are so secretive.”
Improving Verbal Communication Skills - Interpersonally
Practice confirming language
Language that validates positive self-image of others
“I-statements”
I feel __________ when I/you ___________ because _____________.
Assertive, less defensiveness, works more toward ensuring the other person is listening to you
We statements: constructive climate (connection)
Avoid “always” and “never”
“I statements”
Describe the other person’s behavior.
Describe your feelings about the other person’s behavior.
Describe the consequences the other person’s behavior has for you.
You are exclusive” = I feel left out when I’m not invited
“You’re always mad at me” = I feel as though we aren’t on the same page
OR I feel _____ because we keep getting into fights and I’m not sure why
8
Language, Perception, and Power
Nominalism
Any idea can be expressed in any language
Language does not influence a speaker’s perceptions
Linguistic Relativity - Saphir-Whorf hypothesis
What we perceive is limited by the language in which we think and speak, and different languages lead to different patterns of thought depending on their values
Eskimos & snow: 50 words https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/there-really-are-50-eskimo-words-for-snow/2013/01/14/e0e3f4e0-59a0-11e2-beee-6e38f5215402_story.html
Lack of parallels in different language: http://www.thedatereport.com/dating/communication/25-romantic-words-that-dont-exist-in-english-but-should/
"The limits of my language are the limits of my universe.” ----- (Ludwig Wittgenstein) - philosopher
9
Language, Perception, and Power
Cocultural theory
Certain groups of people have privilege
Part of the privilege is setting norms for what types of communication are acceptable or not
Language maintains and reinforces the power of these groups
Dominant language patterns can impede progress for those who do not adhere
Language is often governed by strict language policies that determine when and where which language will be spoken
Lingua franca: common shared language
Linguistic capital: privilege of being fluent in lingua franca (power that comes with knowing Lingua Franca)
Those born speaking the lingua franca have privilege/linguistic capital(matter of dispute)
Those that speak the lingua franca can gain privilege/linguistic capital (matter of dispute)
Power & Words, Accents, and Identity Labels
Language is not an empty vessel
It carries values and ideologies (what it means to be a “ man,” “woman,” “citizen,” etc.)
Some attitudes are built into language.
What are some careers that have the word “man” in them?
Why do we have phrases like “male nurse”?
What accents are valued in our culture and which are marginalized?
Ethics and Verbal Communication
Hate Speech
Attacking others verbally based on a social category
Cyberbullying
Comments that reject or invalidate another
Stereotypes and prejudice
Improving Verbal Communication Skills – Intercultural Aspect
Be aware of the power of language and how it influences your perceptions
Be aware of how accents/dialects/regionalisms position people in positions of power/marginalization