CHAPTER FIVE: VERBAL COMMUNICATION
I. What Is Verbal Communication? Functions and Components of Language
A. Verbal communication is the written or oral words or sounds that we exchange.
B. Functions of Language
1. Language is ______________ when it helps you obtain what you need or desire.
2. Language is _______________ when it helps you control the behavior of others.
3. Language functions to inform when it is used to report facts.
4. Language is _________________when it is used to acquire knowledge.
5. Language is _________________ when it establishes and defines social relationships.
6. Personal language expresses individuality and personality.
7. Language is used ________________to express your creativity.
C. Components of Language
1. Every language has its own rules of grammar. Language use is composed of four components:
a. ______________ refers to the sounds that compose language.
b. Syntax refers to the rules that govern word order.
c. Semantics is the study of the meaning of words.
i. ________________ meanings are the literal meanings of words.
ii. ________________ meanings are the interpretive meanings of words.
d. Pragmatics are the rules or patterns of language use.
i. _____________________ theory suggests that people create actions through their
use
of words.
ii. Understanding speech acts requires _____________ and contextual
knowledge.
iii. Speech acts may be direct or indirect.
e. Conversational rules such as ____________________ govern the ways communicators
organize and carry out conversations.
f. Contextual rules define the pragmatics appropriate for the
communication situation.
III. The Individual and Verbal Communication: Influences
A. When identities influence several aspects of language, we say that speakers have a distinct dialect,
a variation of a language distinguished by its lexical choice (vocabulary), grammar, and
pronunciation.
B. Gender
1. Media and scholars pay heavy attention to how men and women may use unique
verbal
communication as a result of different socialization.
2. Men and women are more similar than different in their verbal communication.
C. Age
1. Verbal communication, particularly word choice, is subject to variation by age.
2. The
____________________ indicates that generations may have unique verbal
communication
patterns.
D. Regionality
1. Language use also changes by geographical location.
2. The global nature of the world today has not eliminated local dialects.
E. Ethnicity and Race
1. Ethnicity can influence verbal style through syntax, accent, and word choice.
2. Different ethnic groups may speak the same language but with unique style,
causing
perceived difference that can result in political and monetary
challenges.
3. ___________________________ (changing the way one speaks in different situations) is an
important linguistic practice that helps speakers of different language and dialects to change the
way they speak in order to communicate more effectively in mainstream culture, while
demonstrating cultural group membership in other situations.
F. Education and Occupation
1. Language similarities develop across education levels and occupations. One reason
for this
similarity is the use of ______________ or specialized terms for your profession.
IV. The Individual, Verbal Communication, and Society: Language, Perception, and Power
A. Scholars have long debated the influence that language has upon our perception of the
world.
B. Language and Perception
1. _________________claim that any idea can be expressed in any language, and that
language
does not influence a speaker’s perceptions.
2. _________________argue that language shapes ideas as well as gives voice to ideas.
3. The
_______________________ hypothesis is a relativist view that claims language actually
determines the way that people see the world.
C. Language and Power
Language and power are intertwined, because people in power determine what
language gets
spoken and those who speak in appropriate ways are able to increase
their power.
a. Hierarchies in each society privilege certain groups of people.
b. Privileged groups get to set the norms for the acceptable
communication for all.
Power and Accent
a. One’s accent can affect initial impressions.
b. Some accents are associated with negative stereotypes.
Power and Identity Labels
c. Labels for others used in communication offer important messages about power relations.
d. People (especially those members of powerful groups) label others, but
don’t see the need to
label their own “normalized” traits.
e. To understand the impact of particular labels, it is important to seek
the opinions of the
people to which the labels refer.
V. Ethics and Verbal Communication
A. Confirming and Disconfirming Communication
1. In order to ethically provide feedback to others, we should seek to do the least harm
possible to
others.
2. __________________ communication involves comments that reject or invalidate a
positive
self-image of another person.
3. __________________communication validates positive images of others.
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