“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” Ludwig Wittgenstein

Words are symbols:  Arbitrary-no intrinsic connection to what they symbolize  Meanings change over time  Different meanings with same word in other culture  Society/Social group use in particular way

 Symbols are ambiguous  Meaning is not always clear  No guarantee people will agree on meanings  Can lead to confusion

 Symbols are abstract:  Not concrete, not tangible  Not the things they represent  The more abstract, the more confusion

 Verbal codes consist of discrete, separable units  Words & sounds can be modified, combined in unique ways, transmitted singly or in combo; stored & retrieved  Language encourages us to create new realities  Talk about absent, nonexistent things; words do not need to have referents in the physical world  Allows creativity & deception

 Language gives us the ability to think in new & more complex ways  Allows for development of complex philosophical & mathematical systems  Enhances ability to think rationally & logically  Verbal codes are self-reflexive  Allows us to talk about the way we talk  Modify when it doesn’t work

1. Used to conquer the silent & unknown 2. Allows us to express & control emotion 3. Reveals or camouflages our thoughts & motives 4. Permits us to make & avoid contact

5. Enables us to assert individual/social identity 6. Used to give or seek information 7. Allows us to control & be controlled-language is power 8. Used to monitor the process of communication

 Semantic Meaning: Language at the level of the word  Two kinds of word meanings:  Denotative-public, conventional meaning, dictionary  Belongs to the language system itself  Connotative-private, sometimes emotionally charged  Attached to words through experience & association  Baseball example  Denotative meaning  Connotative meaning

 Importance of semantic competence  Need appropriate vocab  Group membership is associated w/ access to special words, ie., jargon  Sensitivity to connotations

 Syntactic: the study of the process by which words are combined & ordered into grammatical sequences  Order has meaning-it’s important to be able to order words appropriately.  “Important it’s words appropriately order to be to able”  Context usually makes its meaning clear  “No, not starboard, you fool! Port!” vs. “Please don’t drop that bottle of priceless vintage port.”  “The ship sails.” vs. “Ship the sails.”  “Sam wants to marry Claudine.” vs. Claudine wants to marry Sam.”

 Syntactic competence:  Strict rules govern sentence form  Thought to be a mark of social & economic status  Indication of intellectual ability  Product of social learning  Believe that people who use “incorrect grammar” are too “dumb” or “lazy” to use language the “right way”  Use of incorrect sentence forms shows solidarity

 Pragmatic: language at the level of the speech act-investigates language as it is used in actual interaction  Speech acts  Promising, questioning, threatening, praising, declaring, warning, requesting, etc.  How do we know what speech acts mean?  Coordinated management of meaning – CMM-we follow rules that tell us how to understand & produce speech acts

 Two kinds of rules in CMM theory:  Constitutive Rules-tell us how to recognize speech acts  Regulative Rules-identify, in a given context, the speech acts that are appropriate & inappropriate  “You look terrible today” In order to interpret the speaker’s intended act, consult constitutive rules-to pick right rule, look at context. If uttered by physician, decide it is a diagnosis If uttered by a friend joking around, the first move in teasing and joking around If uttered by a subordinate who dislikes you, it is likely a challenge to your authority

 In order to respond to any comment, consult a regulative rule: what speech acts are appropriated given your goals & your understanding of the context Your regulative rule will tell you not to insult the doctor or assert your authority-”You think I look bad”, “I’ll see you in my office in half hour” May be appropriate for joking & if your authority is questioned Rule for medical episode: given this context & desire to get advice, proper & polite-”What treatment do you suggest?”

 Importance of competence:  Avoid embarrassment  Identify contextual levels accurately  Many interpersonal problems result from differences in pragmatics

 Defines beginning & endings of interactions  Communication is punctuated by cause/affect  Demand/Withdrawal pattern

 Notice how language:  Shapes perception  Totalizes  Affects relationships  Negative language heightens awareness of what another doesn’t like  Focusing on good virtues creates greater tolerance of imperfections, etc.

 We use language to describe other in evaluative terms-reflects our vales & views (that package we all walk around with & rely on)  Loaded & degrading language  Pay attention to what terms bother others  Speak up non-confrontationally about terms bother you  Hate speech

 People share norms about how to use talk & what purposes it serves  Gender differences  Females: discuss personal, domestic subjects, relationship issues, family, health, reproductive matters & sex/sexuality, weight, food, clothing, men, other women, gossip about close friends & family (no more derogatory than men’s)  Males: discuss music, current events, sports, business & other men, sex & sexuality  Both sexes: perception that the other sex discusses “trivial” topics

 Reasons for communicating  Dominant cultures of North America-language is used to build & maintain relationships  Common goal-friendly, showing interest in other person  Females-involve feelings, relationships, personal problems-talk is the essence of relationships-most common theme is empathy-a kind of contact needed- women spend proportionately more time to maintain relationships in marriages  Males-make conversations fun, joking, good-natured teasing, something men like

 Conversational style