Language f2015

Language
Language is Symbolic
Arbitrary connection between words and ideas/things
they represent.
TREE
LOVE
Language is Rule-Governed
Semantic Rules - assigned word meanings
Semantic Misunderstandings
Equivocal language has more than one commonly
accepted definition.
Relative words gain meaning by comparison.

Static Evaluation assumes people are consistent
and unchanging.
Abstract language is vague in nature.
Label and Reword

Give me a small piece of cake.
Theres a new book in the library; you should check
it out.
Josh is a troublemaker.
Natasha needs to get real.
Language is Rule-Governed
Syntactic rules - word arrangement
"It was cool to feel that cool air in the morning.
Pragmatic rules - appropriate uses and interpretation
"Let's get together sometime."
The Impact of Language

Naming and Identity
Names shape the way:
others think of us.
we view ourselves
we act

Affiliation
Converge - adpting ones speech style to match others
Diverge - emphasizes ones difference from others
When do we converge and diverge?

Power(less) Language (pg. 165)
powerful speech is culturally based
too powerful may intimidate
powerless (i.e. polite forms) can be effective
Language Responsibility
it, but, I, you, weer
It, But, You

"It" statements avoid responsibility
"It's a boring class" vs "I'm bored in the class"
"But" statements cancel the thought that precedes it
"You're a really great person, but..."
"You" language expresses judgment
Positive judgement - "You look great today!"
Critical judgement - "You look tore up!"
I, We
"I" language takes responsibility without making
judgement.
Describe the other person's behavior, your feelings, and the

consequences of the behavior.
Note: "I" statements work best in moderation.

We" language implies shared concern/responsibility.
"We have a problem."
Note: "We" can be presumptuous.
Transform You into I

Youre not telling me the truth!
You think only of yourself.
Quit fooling around!
pg. 172
Gender and Language

Is there a difference between the way men and
women speak?
Content
Reasons for Communicating
Conversational Style
Content
Similarities
Common topics: work, movies, television
reserved discussions of sex/sexuality,
personal appearance for members of samesex
Content cont.
Female Friends
Male Friends
personal/domestic subjects
current events
relationship problems
music
family
sports
health/reproductive matters/weight
business
food
other men
clothing
men and other women
Whos Gossiping What?

Close friends and family?
Sports figures and media personalities?
Reasons for Communicating

Both use language to build and
maintain relationships.
Accomplished differently:
Woman
to involve feelings,
relationships, and personal

problems.
Men
to make conversation fun
(more joking and teasing)
Conversational Style
Women are more talkative than men.
MYTH!
Mens speech more likely to be direct, succinct, task

oriented
Womens speech more likely indirect, elaborate, relational

oriented
Nongender Variables
Women and men communicate more similar than different.
E.g. no significant difference between use of profanity,
qualifiers, or tag questions
Other factors influence language use:

social philosophy
problem-solving orientation (cooperative or competitive)
occupation
gender role
Culture and Language

Low-context cultures
uses language to express thoughts,
feelings, and ideas as directly as possible
High-context cultures
Across cultures
uses language to maintain social
elaborate -
discover meaning from the context,
formality -
harmony
nonverbal behaviors, history of

relationship, etc
succinct
informality
Language and Worldview

Linguistic Relativism - worldview of a culture is
shaped and reflected by the language its members speak.
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis - Language defines our experience
Navajo - no possessives (his/her/our/your)

Penan - 1 word for hesheit, but 6 words for we
Language and Worldview

How close is the relationship between language and
perception?
Moderate View
Language is not required to think about or perceive the

world in a particular way.
Language is a tool to communicate, rather than a mirror

of perception.
Journal Suggestions
Choose one. (Typed. 2-3 pages. Due 10/19)
1.Analyze a misunderstanding in terms of semantic or
pragmatic rules.
2.How does the impact of language operate in your life?
(i.e language responsibility)
3.Analyze how gender or cultural differences (or both)
affected the quality of interaction.

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Language

Relative words gain meaning by comparison.

Abstract language is vague in nature.

Label and Reword

"Let's get together sometime."

The Impact of Language

The Impact of Language

The Impact of Language

The Impact of Language

It, But, You

Describe the other person's behavior, your feelings, and the

Note: "I" statements work best in moderation.

Transform You into I

Gender and Language

personal appearance for members of samesex

Whos Gossiping What?

Reasons for Communicating

relationships, and personal

to make conversation fun

(more joking and teasing)

Mens speech more likely to be direct, succinct, task

Womens speech more likely indirect, elaborate, relational

Other factors influence language use:

Culture and Language

feelings, and ideas as directly as possible

uses language to maintain social

discover meaning from the context,

nonverbal behaviors, history of

Language and Worldview

shaped and reflected by the language its members speak.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis - Language defines our experience

Navajo - no possessives (his/her/our/your)

Language and Worldview

Language is not required to think about or perceive the

Language is a tool to communicate, rather than a mirror

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