Interpersonal Communication Chapter 5

Layers of language

Language ranges from the sounds individuals make (phonetics), to the assemblies of sounds we consider words (morphology), to the patterns of words (syntax), to literal meanings (semantics) and lastly, to broader meanings that depend on the situation oand

Pragmatics

Considers the conversational circumstances surrounding a speaker
s delivery of a message.

Discourse

refers to the combination of language wtith other social practices (behaviours, values, ways of thinking, clothes, food, customs, perspectives) within a specific groups.

Symbols

Are arbitrary, ambiguous and abstract. They allow definition, evaluation, organization, hypothetical thought and self-reflection. For example, love is a symbol that represents certain intense feelings.

Arbitrary

Language is __________, which means that words are not intrinsically connected to what they represent. For instance, the word book has no necessary or natural connection to what you are reading. All symbols are __________ because we could easily use other

Ambiguous

Language is ___________ in the sense that the meanings of words aren't clear-cut or fixed. The term affordable clothes means different things to people who earn the minimum wage and to people who are affluent. The words are the same, but their meaning var

Abstract

Language is __________, which means that it is not concrete or tangible. Words stand for ideas, people, events, objects, feelings and so forth, but they are not the things they represent. Our symbols become increasingly abstract because of overgeneralizat

Overgeneralization

Couples make broad, negative statements,, such as "you always interrupt me". In most cases, such statements are overgenealizatisons and hence, not accurate. Yet by symbolizing experience this way, partners frame how they think about it. This can be helped

Four Principles of Communication

1. Language and culture reflect each other
2. Meanings of language are subjective
3. Language use is rule-guided
4. Communication devices shape meaning.

Communication Rules

Shared understandings of what communication means and what kinds of communication are appropriate in particular situations. For example, we understand that people take turns speaking. There are two types of rules that govern communication: regulative rule

Regulative Rules

Regulate interaction by specifying when, how, where and with whom to talk about certain things. They also define when, where and with whom it's appropriate to show affection and disclose private information. Example: talk with elders, interact at dinner t

Constitutive Rules

Define what communication means by specifying how to count, or interpret, specific kinds of communication. We learn what counts as respect (paying attention), friendliness (smiles), affection (kisses, hugs) and professionalism (dressing well, demonstratin

Communication Devices

Such as speed, pacing, pausing, overlap and interruption. When we don't agree on these devices, problems may arise. For example, if two people who are conversing have slight differences in the amount of time each one finds as a comfortable pause between c

Five Ways Symbols Affect Our Lives

1. Symbols define
2. Symbols evaluate
3. Symbols organize perceptions
4. Symbols allow hypothetical thought
5. Symbols allow self-reflection

Symbols Define

We use symbols to define experiences, people, relationships, feelings and thoughts. These labels shape perceptions. For example, if we label someone as a teacher, a cook, an asian, a buddhist, etc. we tend to perceive and interact with people according to

Symbols Evaluate

Symbols are not neutral or objective. Values in language reflect and shape perception , language can be negatively loaded (loaded language comprises words that strongly slant perceptions, such as "feminazis"), and language can degrade others (such as hate

Symbols Organize Perceptions

How we organize experiences affects what they mean to us. For example, your prototype of a good friend affects who you judge particular friends. Language allows abstract thought (which allows us to think about justice, integrity, and healthy family life),

Symbols allow Hypothetical Thought

Thinking about experiences and ideas that are not part of your concrete, present situation. We can think beyond immediate, concrete situations (setting goals), we can live in three dimensions of time (past, present, future), and we can foster personal gro

Symbols allow Self-Reflection

We use language to reflect on ourselves. Self-reflection allows us to monitor communication (such as if we notice that we have been talking non-stop, therefore inquiring about your friend's day), and self-reflection allows us to manage our image (talking

Speech Communities

Exists when people share norms about how to use talk and what purpose it serves.

Gender Speech Communities

Gender socialization has been studied and found that children's play is usually sex segregated and that there are notable differences between the games the sexes tend to play. These differences seem to teach boys and girls some distinct rues for using com

Guidelines for Improving Verbal Communication

Engage in dual perspective (recognizing the other perspective and taking that into account as you communicate), own your feelings and thoughts (recognizing that WE, not others, are responsible for our feelings, so use I-language rather than you-language -

Static Evaluation

An assessment that suggests that something is unchanging. Such an evaluation is particularly troublesome when applied to people: "annie is selfish". When we say "is", we suggest that something is inherent and fixed. when in reality, we aren't static, we a

Indexing

A technique developed by early communication scholars to remind us that our evaluations apply only to specific times and circumstances. To index, we would say "Annie acted selfishly".