Language
The World of Words
The Nature of Language
Language is Symbolic
• Symbols are Arbitrary
• Symbols are Ambiguous
• Symbols are Abstract
Language is Rule-Guided
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Phonological Rules – how language sounds
Syntactic Rules – how symbols are arranged
Semantic Rules – meanings attributed to symbols
Pragmatic Rules – inform about appropriate
interpretations of symbols
– Regulative rules
– Constitutive rules
Language is Subjective
• We each ascribe different meanings to the
same words/language.
• “Meanings are in people, not in words”
• It’s punctuation again!
Dear John I want a man who knows what love is all about you are
generous kind thoughtful people who are not like you admit to
being useless and inferior you have ruined me for other men I
yearn for you I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart I can
be forever happy will you let me be yours Gloria
Dear John,
Dear John,
I want a man who knows what
love is all about. You are
generous, kind, thoughtful.
People who are not like you
admit to being useless and
inferior.
I want a man who knows what
love is. All about you are
generous, kind, thoughtful
people, who are not like you.
Admit to being useless and
inferior.
You have ruined me for other
men. I yearn for you. I have no
feelings whatsoever when we're
apart. I can be forever happy will you let me be yours?
You have ruined me. For other
men, I yearn. For you, I have no
feelings whatsoever. When we're
apart, I can be forever happy.
Will you let me be?
Gloria
Yours,
Gloria
Discuss your group’s quotation, and come up with a concrete
example of the point being made in the quotation.
Group 1: “I know you believe you understand what you think I
said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not
what I meant.”
Group 2: “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather
scornful tone, “it means just as I choose it to mean – neither
more nor less.”
Group 3: “Learn a new language and get a new soul.”
Group 4: “What ’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any
other name would smell as sweet.”
The Impact of Language
We can think about language as being…
We can think about language as being…
We can think about language as being…
or
We can think about language as being…
or
Naming and Identity
• Language shapes our identity
• Language shapes our perceptions of others
• Naming something makes it real to us
• Naming the problem
• Validation
CAT
Credibility and Status
• Your use of language influences how credible others
perceive you to be, and how much status they afford you.
• You make judgments about others’ credibility and status based
on their language use.
so…
• By monitoring how you use language, you can help
others see you as having more power and credibility.
• But we also stereotype about others based on what we think is
“proper” or “improper” language, and others stereotype
us.
Affiliation, Attraction, and
Interest
The language we use helps us to fit in with others, or to
differentiate ourselves from others.
Convergence
Divergence
Power
• Powerful (?) speech
mannerisms
– Directness
– Conversational control
– Less responsive
• Less powerful (?)
speech mannerisms
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Hedges
Hesitations
Intensifiers
Polite forms
Tag questions
Disclaimers
Gender and Culture Variations
Racism and Sexism
• Language defines race and gender
– Can be inclusive or exclusive (e.g., firemen vs. firefighters; he vs. he or
she)
– Definitions based on different criteria (e.g., Smith wins election! Vs.
Black leader wins election! Vs. Smith becomes first lady governor!)
– Language names what exists (e.g., discrimination)
• Language organizes perceptions of race and gender
– (e.g., girl, chick, lady, bitch, woman)
– (e.g., Negro, Black, African-American, person of color)
• Language evaluates race and gender
– Language is frequently demeaning to women and people of color
• Language allows self-reflection
– Language allows us to think about ourselves and how we want to define
ourselves and others
• Language is a process
– Language can change to be more inclusive and less oppressive (e.g., Ms.,
harassment, racial profiling)
Communication Cultures
Communication Cultures…
• “Exist when people share norms about how to use
talk and what purpose it serves.”
• Are defined by shared understandings of how to
communicate
• Have distinct “rules”
• Can be based on:
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Ethnicity
Gender
SES
Less formal characteristics (age, occupation, etc.)
Some Specific Types of
Language and Suggestions for
Improving Verbal
Communication
Communicating Precisely or
Vaguely
• Equivocal Language
– Words/Phrases with multiple meanings
– Listeners questions and feedback are important
• Abstractions
– Can lead to stereotyping, confusion, relationship
miscommunications
– Using behavioral descriptions can be helpful
• Euphemisms
• Relative Language (e.g., fast, slow, easy, hard)
– Try giving specifics, or scaling
• Static Evaluations
– Stable characteristic vs. behavior
Conveying Responsibility
• “It” Language
• “You” Language
• “I” Language
– “I” Statement
• The other person’s behavior
• Your feelings
• The consequences the other person’s behavior has on you
• “We” Language
• “But” Statements
A Few Common Errors
• Fact-Opinion Confusion
– Can clarify when a statement is an opinion
• Fact-Inference Confusion
– Identify the facts that have led to your interpretation,
and ask for feedback (Perception-Checking)
• Emotive Language
– May be helpful to use more neutral language
Some Suggestions…
• Strive for Accuracy and Clarity
(especially when you don’t have much shared
understanding &/or when conflict is present)
• Own Your Own Thoughts and Feelings
• Engage in Dual Perspective (Empathy)
• Respect What Others Say About Their Feelings and
Ideas