Verbal Communication Flashcards
Verbal Language
a symbol system composed of words
Functions of Words (6)
- Stand for/refer to things in the world
- Perform actions
- Evoke emotions
- Reduce uncertainty
- Express complex ideas
- Promotes human contact
Function 1: Stand for/refer to things in the world
-arbitrary symbols used by a culture to express things
-onomatopoeias are exceptions (ex: book, crash), different languages have different onomatopoeias
-there are problems with this function
Problems with the functions of words standing for/referring to things in the world (7)
(BAR LESS)
1. Bypassing
2. Abstraction
3. Relative Language
4. Language is limited vs. Unlimited Reality
5. Euphemism
6. Static Evaluation
7. Subcultural Differences in the use of language
Bypassing
Bypassing: the same word can mean different things or different words can mean the same thing
-equivocation
Ex: “Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers” news headline
Equivocation (part of bypassing)
words with more than one commonly accepted definition
Abstraction
Abstraction: generalizations of similarities between things and people
-giving minimal information would be abstract
-being overly abstract can lead to confusion, to avoid problems of abstraction you should be specific
-includes stereotypes
-there is a ladder of abstraction (answering with less to more information)
Ex: When asked “Where are you studying communication?”, an overly abstract answer would be “In a room”, whereas “in a lecture hall at UCLA” would be more specific
Euphemism
Euphemism: pleasant term substituted for a blunt one in order to soften information
-the challenge is to be as kind as possible without sacrificing the integrity or accuracy of the message
Ex: “senior citizens” vs “old people”, “he passed” instead of “he died”
Relative Language
Relative language: words that gain meaning by comparison
-without comparison, there could be confusion
- Ex: “I go to a small college compared to Ohio State.” To just say a “small college” would be subjective
Static Evaluation
static evaluation: using words that make reality seem more concrete and static than it actually is
-to avoid this problem, it is best to attach a time
- Saying “John is boring” creates a static image of John as a boring person when he actually isn’t. Instead, it would be better to say “John was boring at lunch yesterday.”
Language is limited vs. unlimited reality
-there are more distinctions in reality than words available
- the 1 million words in the English language must be used to express billions of things
Subcultural Differences in the Use of Language
-can be different subcultures within the same language, regional differences
-what’s popular in a subculture can spread, but it is a problem when it doesn’t because it reduces clarity between people from different regions
Ex: “I’m feeling puny” in Atlanta means “I’m not feeling well.”
Words can perform actions
-words can be an expression of emotions
-Ex: cursing can be a part of anger, singing can be a part of happiness
-Ex: Saying “I do” in a marriage ceremony performs the act of officially uniting people into marriage
Evoke Emotions
Ex: racial slurs can make you upset
Ex: emotional response to hearing “I love you”
Reduce Uncertainty
used to clarify