lecture 6- part: language Flashcards
communication
-information exchange through common system of signs/ symbols/ behavior
pragmatics
-addresses difference between literal and intended meaning of speech in real-world settings
objectives of languages
1) content (information, threat, command..)
2) relationship type
- > dominance (boss-employee)
- > communality (friends, family)
- > reciprocity (buyer-seller)
figurative language
-combining certain content together with relationship type
direct speech
- relies on mutual knowledge
- lets have sex -> yes/no
- risking prior relationship
indirect speech
- relies individual knowledge
- would you like to watch a movie together? -> yes/no
- no risk to prior relationship
high context cultures
- asia
- more indirect speech
- widely shared information/knowledge
- > no need for explicitness
low context cultures
- us
- more direct speech
- historical barely shared information/ knowledge
- sapir-whorf hypothesis
- linguistic relativism
- strong version-> language determines thought
- weak version -> language influences thought
supporting evidence for sapir-whorf hypothesis
- metaphors help to make abstract concepts more concrete
- article with different metaphors (crime as virus/beast)
- > reaction to articles were different depending on the metaphor used
- virus ->
- beast -> fighting back etc
supporting evidence- artciles
- die brücke ( female)
- > beautiful, fragile, elegant
- el puente
- > strong, male, dangerous
evidence - directional system
-relative directions vs cardinal reactions
-
evidence - counting
- strong whorfian hypothesis
- in brazil: some people who have no numbers
- > even after months of training, barely numerical understanding
- > no words for numbers -> no understanding of numbers
universalism
- thought is basis
- > language follows
- Steven pinker -> thoughts as pictures, sensations etc.
universalism
- thought is basis
- > language follows
- Steven pinker -> thoughts as pictures, sensations etc.
