Help with Verbal Communication

Discussion Thread Replies: Verbal Communication

2 replies of at least 200 words each. Each reply must incorporate at least 1 biblical citation.

Reply 1 (CM)

Verbal communication is more detailed than one may think. Due to the many rules,

functions, patterns, and or styles of verbal communication it is easy to misconstrue, misinterpret,

or say something improper if a person does not understand how to properly communicate within

a multicultural setting. Dr. Ting-Toomey seeks to educate her readers to identify the multiple

rules pattern, which revealed five verbal communication rules. They are as follows phonological,

morphological, syntactic, and pragmatic rules. Phonological, or phonology give us the basis of

phonemes. Ting’s Toomey noted, “Phonemes are the smallest sound units of a word. For

example, some of the phonemes in English are.” 1 Morphological or morphology from Ting-Toomey’s perspective “refers to how combinations of different sounds

make up a meaningful word or part of a word (e.g., “lead” and “er-ship” form “lead-er-ship”; or

words such as “caffeine” and “flow-er”).”2

The Syntactic rule or syntactics from Ting-Toomey’s point of view “refers to how words.

are sequenced together in accordance with the grammatical practices of the linguistic community.

The order of the words helps to establish the meaning of an utterance. It is also reflective of the

cultural notions of causality and order.”3Ting -Toomey identifies “semantic rules or semantics of

a language concern the features of meaning we attach to words. Words themselves do not have.

self-evident meanings. It is people within a cultural language community who consensually.

establish shared meanings for specific words and phrases.”4 Ting-Toomey's last rule in her

multiple rule pattern is Pragmatic rules. Pragmatic rules or pragmatics from Ting-Toomey’s standpoint “refer to the contextual rules that govern language usage in a particular culture.

Pragmatics concerns the rules of “how to say what to whom and under what situational.

conditions” in a speech community.”5

It is tough to say which of these rules could positively or negatively impact,

communication and the gospel witness in an intercultural setting until you understand the nature

of that intercultural setting you are now seeking to share the gospel with. I have discovered that a

missionaries worldview if not properly checked by a spiritual Guise, and a very open mind can

cause great difficulty in communicating the gospel to intercultural people, who may not

understand the cultural ways by which that missionary was brought up. When I lived in Germany,

my pastor Duane had a brother who was a very religious

Christan. He and Duane both refer to God as Father or my heeanvly father God. While Duanes brother

who was a doctor, and a very educated man was a person who functioned by using inductive and

deductive reasoning. He will use deductive reasoning when looking at the files, or medical charts

of his patients, and once he had come to a proper conclusion of what the patient was dealing

with. Daunes brother very inductive in his speech, and grammar. Getting right to the

point so his patients could be made aware of exactly what they were dealing with.

While visiting Italy where my great grandparents are from originally , I had to learn not to use words or ideologies that to

me was a part of my everyday social reality. I had to be mindful that some words that I may have

chosen to use might be offensive, disrespectful, and in most cases understood. One of the

functions that I found very helpful was cognitive shaping functions. Cognitive shaping functions

help us to filter our thinking and shape exactly what we’re going to say and how we going to say

it. Looking at all of these aspects, that Ting-Toomey introduces to her readers, reveals a person’s

verbal style, how they communicate, and what they communicate. My first visit to Sicily taught

me something very valuable, it was that I could not preach to the Sicilian people, the way I

preached to my American audience. So with the help of my Google translate and my Sicilian cousin Balto, I was able to

incorporate Sicilian storytelling, using stories of the Bible. He was greatly acknowledged and

accepted by the people. Being a person that was so used to being direct and to the point, I had to

learn how to approach things from an indirect point of view to ensure that the message of God.

was being received by the Sicilian people.

1Dr. Stella Ting-Toomey.

Understanding Intercultural Communication.

Available from: Liberty

University Online Bookshelf, (2nd Edition). Oxford University Press Academic US, (2012.) Pg.115.

2 Ibid; Pg. 116.

3 Ibid; Pg. 116.

4 Ibid; Pg. 117.

5 Ibid; Pg. 117

Bibliography

Ting-Toomey, Dr. Stella. Understanding Intercultural Communication: the second edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.

Reply 2 (CL)

The concepts of inductive and deductive reasoning both their place in verbal communication and can affect gospel witness both positively and negatively. Ting-Toomey points out that an American is more likely to follow an inductive reasoning style of communication opposed to someone from Europe who is more likely to follow a deductive reasoning style.[1] Ting-Toomey describes that deductive reasoning tends to start with the big picture having the details being filled in step by step.[2] This seems to be a positive way to go about spreading the gospel. In fact I believe that to be the emphasis of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians. In the letter to the Corinthians there are all sorts of sinful problems, but Paul's argument comes towards the end of the letter. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”[3] Paul is saying that if you start with the big picture (i.e. the gospel) then the other problems addressed will fall into place. Whether you are communicating the gospel across a different culture or within your own culture it is important to start with the actual gospel. This is front and center and “of first importance” as Paul says in order that it may be the lens in which you see the rest of the world through. I think this is done through the message all while incorporating a relational worldview aspect through acting out the gospel.[4] In other words love, loyalty, faithfulness, and good can all be displayed within the gospel in action, coinciding with the message of the gospel which proclaims all these things in Christ. This is imperative when considering ministry interculturally. The news of the gospel is like a smile which crosses all borders and is perspicuous to all people groups. It combines the linear worldview with a relational worldview. It seems to start with a verbal and non-verbal communication utilizing deductive reasoning. If we don’t start with the big picture then all else falls apart, the details do not get filled in, and communication is misinterpreted.

[1] Stella Ting-Toomey and Leeva C. Chung, Understanding Intercultural Communication, 2nd edition. (New York ; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).

[2] Ibid., 119

[3] All Scripture references are English Standard Version unless otherwise noted (Crossway,2008)

[4] Ibid.