Language

The Nature of Language

Language: a collection of symbols governed
by rules and used to convey messages
between individuals.

Language is symbolic
 Arbitrary constructions that represent a
communicator’s thoughts.
Meanings are in people, not words.
User

Word Thing
(Symbol) (Referent)
Language is Rule Governed
Phonological Rules
 Word pronunciations
Syntactic Rules
 Rules of
syntax/grammar.
Semantic Rules
 Give words meaning.
Pragmatic Rules
 Govern how we use
language p.75
The Power of Language
Language Shapes Language Reflects
Attitudes Attitudes
 Naming  Power
 Credibility  Powerful vs. powerless
 Status  Affiliation
 Convergence vs.
 Sexism and Racism
divergence
 Attraction and Interest
 Responsibility
 Billy Bob Booger Esq.

Education:
1992-1995 Harvard Law School
1990-1994 Stanford University
B.S. Biophysics and Psychobiology

Experience:
1995-Present Microsoft Corporation
Director of Internal Affairs
1991-1994 Franklin Covey
Head Consultant and Trainer
 Troublesome Language
Misunderstandings
 Equivocal Language
 “we need to talk”
 Relative Words
 Person A:“The coffee is so
strong”
 Person B: “Actually, it’s
quite weak”
 Slang
 Used by groups of people
whose members belong to a
similar group.
 Jargon
 Specialized vocabulary used
by people with common
background and experience.
 Overly Abstract
Language
 Ambiguity
Disruptive Language
 Confusing facts and
opinions
 Facts are true or false
 Opinions are speaker’s
beliefs.
 Confusing facts and
inferences
 Conclusions made based
on little evidence.
 Emotive Language
 Describe the speakers
opinions based on how the
speaker presents the message.
Evasive Language
 Euphemisms
 Words substituted in
place of taboo words.
 Equivocation
 Intentionally ambiguous
speech.
 Gender and Language
Content Conversational Style
 Research shows that  Women ask more tag
men and women questions than men.
discuss similar topics  Men interrupt women more
in same-sex during conversation.
conversations.  Women accommodate more
Reasons for to topics men use.
Communicating
 P.96
 Culture and Language
Verbal Communication Styles
 Low-Context
 Use direct language to express thoughts, feelings,
and ideas as clearly and logically as possible.
 High-Context
 Use the context in which a message is delivered in
order to express and discover meaning.