Chapter 5 Concepts

Question 1

What does the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis suggest?

Answer 1

Language structures thought and behavior

Question 2

What role do ‘God terms’ and ‘devil terms’ play in rhetoric?

Answer 2

They act as ultimate terms that validate arguments

Question 3

What term describes the ability to accommodate one’s speaking style to another?

Answer 3

Convergence

Question 4

Which function of language is primarily aimed at getting what you need?

Answer 4

Instrumental function

Question 5

Which term describes a linguistic strategy to emphasize differences in communication styles?

Answer 5

Divergence

Question 6

What is the main difference between language and communication?

Answer 6

Language: structured system of symbols controled by rules.
Communication: Broader act of exchanging messages.

Question 7

What are the three main components that describe the nature of language?

Answer 7

Language is
* symbolic
* rule governed
* meanings are in people, not words.

Question 8

Instrumental function

Answer 8

gets you what you need or what you want

Question 10

Regulatory function

Answer 10

helps you control the behavior of others

Question 11

Informative function

Answer 11

teach or share knowledge

Question 12

Heuristic function

Answer 12

gain knowledge and understanding

Question 13

Interactional function

Answer 13

helps you start and maintain relationships

Question 14

How does language reflect societal values?

Answer 14

through the use of ultimate terms that validate arguments and influence societal direction

Question 14

Personal language function

Answer 14

express yourself, personality (tends to be used more in private than public; humor or sarcasm)

Question 15

Imaginative function

Answer 15

express your creativity or artistic ability (poetry, story telling)

Question 16

behavioral description

Answer 16

is an account that refers only to observable phenomena
* Who is involved?
* In what circumstances does the behavior occur?
* What behaviors are involved?

Question 17

Why do terms like “estate tax,” “inheritance tax,” and “death tax” vary in public perception?

Answer 17

The differences stem from the connotations and emotional responses associated with each term.

Question 18

Disruptive language

Answer 18

Language that causes confusion or miscommunication
(ex: facts, opinions, inferences, and emotive language)

Question 19

How can behavioral descriptions resolve abstraction in communication?

Answer 19

Behavioral descriptions focus on observable actions and specific circumstances, providing clarity and reducing ambiguity in communication.