Chapter 5 Flashcards
(22 cards)
Semantic rules
Reflect the ways in which users of a language assign meaning to a particular linguistic symbol, usually a word. Semantic misunderstandings arise when people assign different meanings to the same words
Equivocal language
Example of semantics. Consists of statements that have more than one commonly accepted definition
Relative words
Example of semantics. These words gain their meaning by comparison e.g. stupid or smart, tall or short, fast or slow
Static evaluation
Example of semantics. Statements that contain or imply the word ‘is’ and lead to the mistaken assumption that people are consistent and unchanging
Abstract language
Example of semantics. Language that is vague in nature
Behavioral language
Example of semantics. Refers to specific things that people say or do
Abstraction ladder
Example of semantics. A model that illustrates how the same phenomenon can be described at various levels of specificity and abstraction. Bottom rung is more concrete and behavioral and clearer than the top rung’s abstract develop a “better attitude”
Syntactic rules
Govern the grammar of a language
Pragmatic rules
Govern the way speech operates in everyday interaction. These rules help us to decide how to interpret messages in a given context
Convergence
The process of adapting one’s speech style to match that of others
Divergence
Speaking in a way that emphasizes your differences from others. Used by communicators that want to set themselves apart from others.
Powerless speech mannerisms
Language patterns that detract from a speaker’s power to influence others. “I…uh…I guess I won’t be able to turn the assignment in on time” vs. “I had a personal emergency, and it was impossible to finish it by today. I’ll have it on your desk by Monday”
Emotive language
Seems to describe to describe something but actually announces the speaker’s attitude toward it-
she was tactful vs. beating around the bush
thrifty vs. cheap
etc.
States approval or disapproval
“It” Statements
Replace the personal pronoun “I” with the less immediate word “if”. Communicators who use “it” statements avoid responsibility for ownership of a message, attributing it instead to some unidentified source: “It’s nice to see you” or “It’s a boring class”
“I” Language
Clearly identifies the speaker as the source of a message: “I’m glad to see you” or “I’m bored in the class”
“But” Statements
Statements that take the form “X-but-Y”; the word ‘but’ cancels the thought that precedes it, leading to confusion
“You” Language
Expresses a judgment of the other person. Can be positive or negative e.g. “You look great today” vs. “Don’t be so critical” or “Mind your own business”
“We” Language
Implies that the issue is the concern and responsibility of both the speaker and receiver of a message
Low-context cultures
Generally value using language to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas as directly as possible
High-context cultures
Vakue using language to maintain social harmony; discover meaning from context
Linguistic relativism
The notion that the worldview of a culture is shaped and reflected by the language its members speak
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
Declaration of linguistic relativism that observed Hopi and English method of expressing; Hopi makes no distinction betwn. nouns and verbs because they see everything as constant moving and changing
