VERBAL COMUNICATION

Verbal Communication

A.         Definition 

Languange is a collection of symbols, letters, or words with arbitrary meanings that are governed by rules and used to communicate.

B.         Characteristics of languange

1.     Languange Has Rules

Three sets of rules are:

•      Semantic Rules: the way humans use languange to evoke meaning in others.

•      Syntactic Rules: which words are arranged to form phrases and sentences.

•      Pragmatics Rules:The study of languange as it is used in a social context, incuding its effect on      the communicators

2.     Languange and Culture Are Intertwined

Culture :The socially transmitted behavior patterns, beliefs, attitudes, and  values of a particular period, class, community, or population. Examples: Greek culture, the Facebook Culture

3.     Languange Organizes and Classifies Reality

You cannot think of your own identity without words because you are symbolically created through languange.

4.     Languange Is Arbitrary

Words are arbitrary: they have no inherent meanings; they have only the meanings people give them. Example: in the English languange, “Survivor” reffer to a person who has lived through cancer.

5.     Languange Is Abstract

Words are abstraction, or simplifications of what they stand for.Words stand for ideas and things. People who study meaning say “the word is not the thing.” 

C.         Languange to Avoid When Speaking

Use languange should be to work to use languange that is inclusive, rather than exclusive, of others.

-       Grammatical Errors: Grammatical errors are thus particularly problematic in more formal situations or when another person is assessing your competence. Ex: “May I go with you?” and “We’re not sure to which restaurant we’re going” are correct but sound too formal when spoken in everyday conversation.

-       Slang :you certainly use slang among friends around campus, but such languange may be very inappropriate in front of a more formal audience. Ex: “OK, so don’t get bent out of shape” is slang for “OK, so don’t get angry.”

-       Clichés:A cliché is an expression that has lost originality and force through overuse. 

Common clichés include “No pain, no gain,” “Beauty is only skin deep,” and “If you love something, set it free.”

-       Euphemisms: A euphemism is a socially acceptable synonym used to avoid using languange that would be offensive in a formal setting. Examples from:

Government: “undocumented worker” means “illegal alien” (worker can be deported)

-       Profanity:Profanity, like slang, may provide a vehicle for establishing group norms, gaining attention, or developing relational closeness in some settings, but it can also make you immediately lose credibility in other situations.

-       Jargon :Jargon is the language particular to a specific profession, work group, or culture and not meant to be understood by outsiders. Ex: Doctors, for example, often use medical jargon when they talk to each other about disease, medications, and procedures. 

-       Regionalisms:Regionalisms are words and phrases specific to a particular region or part of the country. Ex:The word cokein Texas has the same meaning assodain New York and pop in Indiana.

-       Gender-Biased, Racist, Heterosexist, and Ageist Languange: 

                                 i.        Gender-biased languange

Languange that privileges a certain gender over another.

                                ii.        Racist languange

Languange that insults a group because of its race or ethnicity.

                              iii.        Heterosexist languange

Language that implies that everyone is heterosexual

                               iv.        Ageist languange

Languange that denigrates people for being young or old.

D.         Improving language skills

1.     Use Descriptiveness: the practice of describing observed behavior or phenomena instead of offering personal reactions or judgements.

You can be descriptive in different ways: 

a.     Checking your perceptions: you can check with another person to determine whether his or her perception is the same as yours.

b.     Paraphrase: Restating another person’s message by rephrasing the content or intent of the message.

c.     Use Operational Definitions: A definition that identifies something by revealing how it works, how it is made, or what it consists of. 

d.    Define Your Terms: if you suspect someone might misunderstand your terminology, you must define the term.

2.    Use Concrete Languange

A person who uses  concrete languange uses words and statements that are specific rather than abstract or vague.

3.    Differentiate Between Observations and Inferences

- Observations are descriptions of what is sensed.

- Inferences are conclusions drawn from observations.