ASP: verbal communication

Question 1

Locution

Answer 1

Words in a sequence eg: It’s cold in here.

Question 2

Illocution

Answer 2

Context, Is it a statement, a criticism, a request etc? eg: Request for heating to be turned on.

Question 3

Paralanguage

Answer 3

Not what you say but how you say it. Type of non-verbal communication. Use paralinguistic cues, which are used to recognise and communicate emotion. However cannot rely on this as sometimes paralinguistic cues are different to what is being communicated.

Question 4

Non linguistic elements of speech

Answer 4

• Volume (amplitude)
• Stress
• Pitch eg: rising intonation at end of sentence signifies a question
• Speed (tempo)
• Tone
• Pauses (hesitation)

Question 5

Why does how we speak affect how others view us?

Answer 5

Because certain speech styles are associated with certain social groups which are evaluated more or less positively.

Question 6

Ethnolinguistic Identity Theory

Answer 6

Giles, Reid & Harwood (2009). Application and extension of SIT to deal with language behaviour in ethnolinguistic groups. The extent to which someone views their ethnic identity as a source of pride will determine whether they emphasise or de-emphasise their accent.

Question 7

Speech accommodation theory

Answer 7

Modification of speech style to the context (eg: listener, situation), of a face-to-face inter-individual conversation. Occurs to help the listener understand and to promote an impression of ourselves to gain social approval.

Question 8

Convergence

Answer 8

Higher status speaker shifts downwards and lower status speaker shifts upwards to meet in the middle. Increases similarity and promotes liking.

Question 9

Divergence

Answer 9

Either both remain where they are (bilateral divergence) or lower status speaker shifts upwards whilst higher status speaker remains where they are.

Question 10

Speech convergence in college roommates

Answer 10

(Pardo, Gibbons, Suppes & Krauss, 2012) - Significant correlation found between rated closeness and percentage of phonetic convergence.

Question 11

‘I guess’ and ‘kind of’ are best labelled:

a) Expressions of uncertainty
b) Qualifiers
c) Hedges
d) Intensifiers

Answer 11

c) Hedges

Question 12

What is an intensifier in tentative speech styles?

Answer 12

An adverb that adds little content, eg: very, so, really

Question 13

Differences in what women and men tend to talk about:

Answer 13

5 dimensions where differ:
1) Word length - men use longer words
2) Articles - men use more words such as ‘a’ and ‘the’
3) Swear words - men use more
4) Social words - women use more (discuss others more and thoughts/emotions whilst men discuss ‘things’
5) Pronouns - women use more first person singular pronouns (‘I’, ‘me’) whereas men use more collective pronouns (‘we’)
(Newman et al., 2008)

Question 14

Cameron, (2005)

Answer 14

Found that Margaret Thatcher lowered her voice and slowed her delivery

Question 15

Jones (2016)

Answer 15

Found that Hilary Clinton made her speech more masculine during presidential campaigns

Question 16

Searle (1979) identified 5 sorts of meaning that language can be intentionally used to communicate:

Answer 16

1) Say how something is (signified)
2) To get someone to do something
3) To express feelings and attitudes
4) To make a commitment
5) To accomplish something directly

Question 17

2 broad aspects of a communicative situation that may influence speech style:

Answer 17

1) The scene (eg: its purpose, time of day, whether there are bystanders)
2) The participants (eg: personality, ethnicity, whether they like each other)
NB: People may perceive situations differently eg: one person may consider a formal situation informal or vice versa, therefore it is how the situation is subjectively perceived that influences speech style.

Question 18

Social markers

Answer 18

Features of speech style that convey information about mood, context, status and group membership

Question 19

Matched-guise technique

Answer 19

Research methodology to measure people’s attitudes towards a speaker solely based on speech style.

Question 20

2 distinctive clusters measured by matched-guise technique:

Answer 20

1) Status variables (intelligence, competence, power)

2) Solidarity variables (friendly, warm)

Question 21

What does received pronunciation mean?

Answer 21

Standard, high-status spoken variety of english

Question 22

Ethnolinguistic group

Answer 22

Social group defined principally in terms of its language.

Question 23

Ethnolinguistic vitality

Answer 23

Concepts describing objective features of an interethnic context that influence language and ultimately the cultural disappearance or survival of an ethnolinguistic group.

Question 24

Influences on ethnolinguistic vitality

Answer 24

• Status
• Demographic variables
• Institutional support variables