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VERBAL COMMUNICATION

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Meaning of...UbiquitousUbiquitous

EclecticEclecticFortuitousFortuitous

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George CarlinHow many of you write a letter and say:How many of you write a letter and say:

See you soonSee you soon

Pretty soonPretty soon

Fairly soonFairly soon

Just a momentJust a moment

Two momentsTwo moments

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WORDS ARE ANWORDS ARE ANELEMENT OFELEMENT OF

CONFUSION IN OURCONFUSION IN OUR

COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

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Language is a major means of

communication, but through our use and lack ofthrough our use and lack of understandingunderstanding

it is also an obstacle toit is also an obstacle to effectiveeffective

communicationcommunication

one reason is that our language has manyone reason is that our language has many

components from sounds, to words, tocomponents from sounds, to words, to

sentences to utterancessentences to utterances

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Symbols areArbitraryArbitrary

AmbiguousAmbiguous

AbstractAbstract

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Language is learned....We are born with the capacity for languageWe are born with the capacity for language

But, our environment shapes particularBut, our environment shapes particular

aspectsaspects

Issue of innateness (Chomsky) vs.Issue of innateness (Chomsky) vs.

behavioralism (Skinner)behavioralism (Skinner)

Cultures/subCultures/sub--cultural influencescultural influences

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These elementsPlace restrictions on languagePlace restrictions on language

and reduce the effectiveness of thisand reduce the effectiveness of this

languagelanguage

Examples, which serve the purposes ofExamples, which serve the purposes of

isolation and identification areisolation and identification are

slangslang

jargonjargon

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Structure and CultureSociety STRUCTURES the language usedSociety STRUCTURES the language used

by its membersby its members

ExampleExample----primitive and industrializedprimitive and industrialized

culturescultures

some societies do not allow for divorce, nosome societies do not allow for divorce, no

word for divorce in their cultureword for divorce in their culture

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Structure and CultureLanguage STRUCTURES the cultureLanguage STRUCTURES the culture

defines the level of formality of thedefines the level of formality of the

situationsituation

defines the social classesdefines the social classes

structures through division of labor, keepsstructures through division of labor, keeps

groups of people separate because of thegroups of people separate because of the

language, back to jargonlanguage, back to jargon

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This is a circular process--both language and society are

inextricably related. Theywork on each other, affecting

each other.

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SapirSapir--Whorf HypothesisWhorf HypothesisOur perception of reality is determinedOur perception of reality is determined

by our thought processes.by our thought processes.

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Our thought processes are limited byOur thought processes are limited byour language.our language.

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Our thought processes are limited byOur thought processes are limited byour language.our language.

Therefore language shapes our realityTherefore language shapes our reality..

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Sapir-Whorf HypothesisLanguage shapes our perception ofLanguage shapes our perception of

REALITYREALITY

words we use to describe our physicalwords we use to describe our physical

reality determine how we will perceive itreality determine how we will perceive it

for example colorsfor example colors

gender issuesgender issues

also a circular processalso a circular process

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WordsWords

ExperienceExperience RealityReality

ExperienceExperience

WordsWords

RealityReality

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Meanings are in people, not in

wordsbecause of experience, we have differentbecause of experience, we have different

meanings and interpretationsmeanings and interpretations

DenotativeDenotative

ConnotativeConnotative

Verbal.07

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