Language

Chapter Four
Characteristics of
Language
Definitions
Language
• collection of symbols governed by rules and used to convey messages
Dialect
• a version of the same language that includes substantially different
words and meanings
Characteristics of Language
• Language is symbolic
• Meanings are in people, not words
• Denotative vs. Connotative

• How can it be that words, in and of

themselves, have no meaning?
Characteristics of Language
Language follows rules
• Phonological rules
• sounds
• Syntactic rules
• grammar
• Semantic rules
• meaning
• Pragmatic rules
• context
Nature of Language
 Language Differs Between Cultures
Differences in the way language is used across cultures makes communication a
challenging task.
1. Low-context and high-context cultures vary in the use of verbal communication
styles.
2. Low- and high-context cultures also vary in terms of whether they are see as
elaborate or succinct.
3. A third way languages differ from one culture to another involves formality and
informality.
 Language shapes values, attitudes, and
beliefs
Language influences and reflects
our views
• Linguistic Relativism
• Worldview of a culture is shaped
and reflected by the language ites
members speak

• Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
• language affects its speakers’
cognition or worldview
Language Can Cause Misunderstandings

• Equivocal language
• concealing the truth
• Relative words
• meaning by comparison
• Slang and jargon
• co-cultural code switching
• Overly abstract language
• generalizing about similarities
between things
 Power As A Perception
▪ Powerful speech
▪ Direct, forceful, declarations, assertions
▪ Powerless speech
▪ Give the impression of lack of credibility and confidence
▪ Tag Questions
▪ “I’d like to have pizza for lunch. Is that okay with you?”
▪ Hesitations
▪ “It’s, uh, 9 am. Let’s go ahead and uh, start the meeting.”
▪ Hedges
▪ “I might be willing to try it.”
▪ Qualifiers
▪ “I’m not sure but, I think you should try again.”
 Naming & Identity
▪ Names shape the way others think of us, the way we view ourselves, and the way
we act.
▪ The selection or creation of a name can be an important statement of
independence or connection
▪ Often they carry family or cultural values
 Language Can Be Disruptive

• Confusing facts and opinions

• Confusing facts and inferences
• statements that can be proved
versus assumptions
• Emotive language
• Not descriptive of behavior, but of
attitude
• Evasive language
• avoid answering
 Activity: Restating Opinions and Inferences
Indicate whether the statement made is an opinion or inference. Then, rewrite the inference or opinion
with a factual statement. If you don't know the "facts", indicate what data you would need:

1. The United States is an educated society.

2. Family relationships are improved when family members are on Facebook.
3. Everyone wants to have a meaningful job.
4. Businesses would be more productive if everyone were bilingual.
5. This school is better than that school.
6. Europe is a better place to live than the United States.
7. Communication courses are more valuable than physics courses.
8. People in the United States have lousy marriages.
9. Cuban food is less popular than Chinese food.
10. Teenagers are not waiting long enough to have sex.