Chapter 4 Language 1

Language: a collection of symbols governed by rules and used o convey messages between individuals.  Language is Symbolic - Language is Body of Symbols  Meanings are in people, NOT in words  Language is Rule Governed 2

 Meanings are in people, not words.  Words have two levels of meaning: Denotation and Connotation  Meaning varies depending on syntactic context  Language will change over time  Language of dominant group absorbs language from immigrants 3

 Naming and Identity ◦ Influence on elections (Barrack who???) (G.W. Smith, 1998) ◦ Popular names (Steele and Smithwick, 1989) ◦ Names and ethnicity (California statistic) (Fryer and Levitt, 2004) ◦ Name and marriage (unity vs. independence)  Credibility – Dr. Fox hypothesis  Status  Sexism and Racism 4

 Equivocal language consists of statements that have more than one commonly accepted definition. (page 110) Family catches fire just in time Trees can break wind 5

 Relative words gain their meaning by comparison good chance? unlikely? common? 6

 Slang: language used by a group of people whose members belong to a similar coculture or other group. (groovy, tight…)  Jargon: the specialized vocabulary that functions as a kind of shorthand for people with common backgrounds and experiences. (touchdown…) 7

 As we move from abstract to specific, we also move from abstract to concrete. Gambling Games of Skill Card Games Poker Seven Card Stud  Use Concrete, Precise, and Dated information! 8

 Emotive language seems to describe something but actually announces the speaker’s attitude toward it. I’m not cheap, I am thrifty. 9

 Euphemism – to use words of good omen ◦ She is “plump” or “thick” or “big-boned” ◦ She is NOT “fat” 10

Women (Feminine Styles of Language)  Women Tend to Use More Intensifiers (He’s really cute.) and Hedges  Women communicate to build relationships  Women use words of empathy and support  Discuss feelings, relationships, personal problems  Women Ask Questions More Frequently ◦ To Gain More Information ◦ To Get Elaboration ◦ To Determine How Others Feel 11

Men (Masculine styles of Language)  Use words of status and problem solving  Emphasize making conversation fun  Communicate to get the job done  Offer advice  Use statements to exert control, preserve their independence, enhance their status.  Speech is judged more dynamic, aggressive, and strong. 12

 Low-context Cultures: ◦ People say what they mean and get right to the point. ◦ Clear, eloquent speech is considered praiseworthy. ◦ Self expression valued 13

 High-context Cultures: ◦ People present meanings indirectly, and expect others to use context cues to interpret meaning. ◦ Relational Harmony valued and maintained by indirect expression of opinions. ◦ Abstain from saying “no” directly ◦ Talk “around” the point by allowing others to fill in the missing pieces. 14