Lecture 2 - Verbal Communication

Question 1

Name the three types of codes that verbal messages reflect

Answer 1

1. Semantic code
2. Syntactic code
3. Pragmatic code

Question 2

Semantic code

Answer 2

Rules related with the meaning of words. Words have both denotative (primary and literal meaning) and connotative meanings (secondary meaning a word might convey)

Question 3

Which code has words that have both denotative and connotative meanings?

Answer 3

Semantic code

Question 4

Semantic triangle

Answer 4

a model showing the relationship between words and the reality that word represents

Question 5

Syntactic code

Answer 5

Rules that indicate how sentences should be structured. It examines the logic, literacy, and grammatical rules associate with language.

ex: “I,” “want,” “party”
1. Party want I to go to
2. I wan tot go to the party

Question 6

Pragmatic code

Answer 6

Concerns the function of language, and it reflects how people coordinate actions and activities during real-time communication.

Question 7

Which code is this? Even though same symbol, correct sentence structure, people might have different interpretations depending on different contexts and situations

Answer 7

Pragmatic code because it can have different meaning.

Example: “you have a green light” can mean you have a green ambient lighting or there’s a green light while driving.

Question 8

Verbal communication

Answer 8

The exchange of spoken or written language with others during interactions

Question 9

What are the characteristics of verbal communication?

Answer 9

1. Language is governed by rules.
2. Language is flexible.
3. Language is cultural.
4. Language evolves.

Question 10

Language is governed by rules (characteristic of verbal communication)

Answer 10

• Constitutive rules define word meaning: they tell us which words represent which objects.
• Regulative rules govern how we use language when we verbally communicate

Question 11

What type of code uses constitutive rules?

Answer 11

semantic code

Question 12

What type of code uses regulative rules?

Answer 12

syntactic and pragmatic code

Question 13

Language is flexible (characteristic of verbal communication)

Answer 13

words are the primary symbols that we use to represent people, objects, events, and ideas

ex; what does “oz” mean? It can be Australia or wizards of oz.

Question 14

Language is cultural (characteristic of verbal communication)

Answer 14

Within high-context cultures, people presume that listeners share common knowledge.

Within low-context cultures, people don’t presume that listeners share common beliefs, attitudes, and values.

Question 15

Name a high-context culture

Answer 15

Asian cultures

Question 16

Name a low context culture

Answer 16

Western cultures

Question 17

Communication accommodation theory

Answer 17

This theory holds that people are motivated to adapt their language when:

• They seek for social approval
• They wish to establish relationship
• They view others’ language as appropriate and seek for high efficiency.

Question 18

Language evolves (characteristic of verbal communication)

Answer 18

Many view language as fixed, but it is actually constantly changing.

• We add new words to our language (e.g. tweet, app, cyberbullying) and discard old ones (e.g., famelicose, groke)
• The meaning of words is also changing

Question 19

Defensive communication (or defensiveness)

Answer 19

impolite messages delivered in response to suggestions and criticisms

• dogmatic message - you refuse the comment/message that’s supposed to be good for you
• superiority message - I am older than you so you don’t have the right to say that to me
• indifference message - he comments why he doesn’t agree with the other person’s message
• control message - control the conversation or redirecting the message

Question 20

Cooperative verbal communication

Answer 20

• Take ownership with “I” language. “You” language places the focus of attention and blame on the other people.
• Include others with “we” language. “We” language emphasizes inclusion.