Transcript Chapter 2: Verbal Communication

Chapter 2:
Verbal
Communication
Lecture by: Chris Ross
How Do You Know What
Talk Means?
• Langue => is the formal grammatical structure of
language that you will read about in books on
grammar.
• Parole => is how people actually use language,
with informal and ungrammatical phrases that carry
meaning to us all the same.
Polysemy
• Polysemy => multiple meanings for the same word
• Ambiguity is always important to communication
because talk consists of many types of utterances.
• When you are uncertain about meanings it can end
up in miscommunication or misunderstanding.
Naming & Defining
• Naming => is important because it can be both
arbitrary and natural.
o Naming also distinguishing items from other items which we also have
words for.
Sapir/Whorf Hypothesis => proposes that you think what you can say
Types of Meaning
• Denotative meaning => refers to the identification
of something by pointing it out
• Connotative meaning => refers to the overtones,
implications or additional meanings associated with
a word or object.
Intentionality
• Intentionality => a basic assumption in
communication studies is that messages indicate
somebody’s intention or that they are produced
intentionally or in a way that gives insight into
someone’s mental process.
Instrumental Functions of
Talk
• What you say reveals a goal that you have in mind
for the relationship and talk is the means or
instrument by which you reveal it.
Indexical Functions
• Demonstrates or indicates the nature of the
relationship between speakers
Essential Functions
• Talk makes the relationship real and talks it into
being by simply assuming that it exists
Facework
• Fracework => a term that refers to the
management of people's face, meaning their
dignity or self-respect.
Face Wants
• Positive Face Wants =? Refer to the need to be
seen and accepted as a worthwhile and
reasonable person.
• Negative Face Wants => refer to the desire not to
be imposed upon or treated as inferior.
High Code/Low Code
• Low Code => an informal and often ungrammatical
way of talking
• High Code => formal, grammatical and often very
correct (official) way of talking.
Accommodation
• Accommodation => people will change their
accent, speech rate, and words they use to
indicate a relational connection with the person
they are talking to
o Convergence => a person moves towards the style of talk used by
another speaker
o Divergence => one talker moves away from another style of speech to
make a relational point. EX: dislike or superiority.
Narrative
• Narrative => any organized story, report or
prepared talk that has a plot, argument or theme.
Burke’s Pentad
• Burke’s Pentad
o Pentad => derived from Greek for five
o All stories have particular common elements
Burke’s Pentad
1. Scene (Setting)
2. Agent (Character)
3. Act (Single event or
sequence of events)
4. Agency (Plotline)
5. Purpose (Outcome)
1. Where it happened
2. Who was involved
3. What (facts unfolded
in time
4. How (the way in
which) acts happed
5. Why (what was the
result or goal)
Giving Accounts
•
Accounts => are forms of communication that offer justifications, excuses,
exonerations, and apologies. They usually go beyond the facts.
Chapter Assignments
• Discussions
o What are the differences between grammatical language and talk in
everyday use?
o How does everyday talk make use of relationships to frame meanings
o How do different types of talk work and how do they connect to
relationships?
Chapter Assignments
• Buddy/Group Work
o Ask your friends if they ever find it hard to know when you are kidding and
what makes it hard.
o Have your friends report an occasion when they caught someone in a
boldfaced lie and how they knew. How did they handle it (thinking of
facework)?
Chapter Assignments
 Written Work
How do news anchors introduce stories intended to be seen as “not
serious” as compared to those regarded as serious and important?
 What techniques do news anchors use on television in order to relate with
their audience?
 Note how sexist, racist, and heterosexual (marking) language is relational
and always places one group of people in an inferior position relative to
another group of people. Is it ever ethical to use this kind of language?
o Should the stories you tell always be true? Why or why not?
o Should you always be polite and save people’s face when they do
something embarrassing?
