LANGUAGE AND VERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Dual Functions of Language in Verbal Communication
Language symbols exchanged by a community serve two significant functions:
oTo share thoughts and convey perceptions of reality
Note the distinctions between perception and reality(if you do not note
the distinction, you will not be open to different perceptions)
oTo shape thoughts and create perceptions of reality (language can shape and
create new perceptions of reality) (can share it)
Note the correlation between vocabulary level and cognitive
complexity
Because language is developed from and reflects common community perceptions of
reality, it can serve as a vehicle to share and convey aspects of those perceptions:
oDoctors (some only perceived a doctor as a male, because that is all they ever
countered, a male doctor)
oAmericans, Alaskans, and Arabs
oLanguage can change over time
Because reality is subject to various interpretations and meanings, language can serve as
a vehicle to shape and create new perceptions of reality:
oSpace exploration (Star Trek, TNG) (no one and no man have a different
implied meaning)
oChrysler’s solution (one word saved the company for shutting down; the word
was “caravan”) (distinguished a van as a car, not a truck anymore) (invented new car
category called minivan)
oLanguage reflects reality
• Semantics – Denotative and Connotative Word Meanings
Words representing denotative meanings:
oSymbolize commonly shared perceptions of reality held by those in a language
community
oFound in dictionaries that capture common word usage
oCharacterized by consistency (same meaning every time) and universality (same
meaning with every person)
oWords laden with denotative meaning can be used to convey ideas, effectively
facilitating shared understandings
oFind denotative meanings in dictionaries
Words representing connotative meanings:
oSymbolize unique meanings that are laden with personal values and individual
experiences
oFound in the minds of individuals
oCharacterized by personal meanings that may be shared by an in-group, but not by
the language community at large
oWords laden with connotative meaning can be used to shape ideas, effectively
creating new perceptions
oUsed more for shaping and personal meaning
oBoth of these meaning affect others people’s ideas as well
• Syntax – Sense-Making through Systematic Arrangement of Words
“No smoking rules will be enforced.”
oWhat is a smoker allowed to do?
“The man eating turkey was fat.”
oHow big was the turkey?
oDeal with how words are set up/said
• Guidelines for Effective Verbal Communication
To effectively share and convey perceptions, use verbal language to clarify cognition:
oSpeak and write correctly by employing the communication conventions of the
language community – proper pronunciation, punctuation, grammar, and spelling
“Beware of the dark side, Luke” – IMing and texting
oSpeak and write sensibly by eliminating confusing syntax and employing explanatory
words laden with denotative meaning
oSpeak and write precisely by defining abstract terms and illustrating with concrete
examples
oAvoid unfamiliar and inappropriate language, such as sophisticated vocabulary,
technical jargon, discriminatory terms, or unfitting vulgarity
To effectively shape and create perceptions, use language to incite imagination:
oEmploy evocative words laden with connotative meaning to foster new perceptions of
reality
oProvide figurative language tropes such as stories, metaphors, and analogies that
invite mental participation and trigger novel perspectives (people are more interested
in this)
oOffer vivid verbal accounts that evoke imagined sensations, emotions, and
experiences
oReveal uncommon insights into commonplace circumstances that can elicit the
response, “I’ve never thought of it that way before.” (The Power of Words)
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