LANGUAGE COMPONENTS Language is arbitrary Language is arbitrary Language represents life Language represents life Language is ambiguous Language is ambiguous

LANGUAGE CHARACTERISTICS Structure Structure –phonemes:sound –morpheme:rules Displacement Displacement Productivity Productivity –lexicon:vocabulary of a language Self reflexiveness Self reflexiveness

LANGUAGE MEANING Denotation Denotation –shared meaning Connotation Connotation –private meanings

LANGUAGE USAGE Use accurately Use accurately –understand its meaning Use clearly Use clearly –use as few words as possible Use familiar words Use familiar words –relate words to audience

LANGUAGE USAGE (cont.) Use concrete words Use concrete words –be specific Eliminate clutter Eliminate clutter –verbal/written

BRINGING WORDS TO “LIFE” [IMAGERY] Simile [“like/as”] Simile [“like/as”] Metaphor [compare dissimilar items] Metaphor [compare dissimilar items] Rhythm Rhythm Parallelism (structure) Parallelism (structure) Repetition (phrases) Repetition (phrases)

BRINGING WORDS TO “LIFE” (cont.) Alliteration (repeating letter/words) Alliteration (repeating letter/words) Antithesis (contrast ideas) Antithesis (contrast ideas)

USING LANGUAGE APPROPRIATELY Occasion-context Occasion-context Audience-who you are talking to Audience-who you are talking to Topic Topic Speaker Speaker –“know what you can and can’t do”

NON-SEXIST LANGUAGE (stereotyping) Avoid “He” Avoid “He” Avoid “Man/guys” Avoid “Man/guys” Jobs/Roles Jobs/Roles Personal traits/ labels Personal traits/ labels Grouping cultures together Grouping cultures together