1. L23B: Sociolinguistics 2005-2006
Please Turn off all cellular phones & pagers
L23B Website:
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2. Topics for this Session
Communication as a social activity
Components of Communication
Ethnography of Communication
Readings: Downes,Hymes, Gumperz(PT)
Also relevant sections from Wardhaugh & Holmes
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3. ACQUISITION OF LANGUAGE
WHEN TO SPEAK
WHEN NOT TO SPEAK
WHERE TO SPEAK
TO WHOM
WHAT TO TALK ABOUT
IN WHAT MANNER
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4. COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
“underlying systems of knowledge and skill required for communication”
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5. Components of Communication
Linguistic Knowledge
Interaction Skills
Cultural Knowledge
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6. Linguistic Knowledge verbal elements non-verbal elements
patterning of elements
range of possible variants
meaning of variants
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7. Interaction Skills selection of forms interpretation of forms
discourse organization and processes
norms of interaction and interpretation
strategies for achieving goals  
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8. Cultural Knowledge social structure values and attitudes e.g.
Mary: He cheated on me!
John: My father died yesterday.
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9. Dell Hymes: Social Units essential to communication
Speech Situations
Speech Events
Speech Acts
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10. Speech Situation contexts of language use such as ceremonies,
fights, hunts, lovemaking
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11. Speech Events (main text – chapter 10: speech events)
defined by a unified set of components through out:
 same purpose of communication
same topic
same participants
same language variety (generally)
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12. Speech Acts (Wardhaugh, chapter 12);Searle & Austin
“group of utterances with a single interactional function”
e.g.
request, command, a greeting,
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13. Speech Situation: at the UWI bus stop
Speech event (asking the time)
Speaker A: What is the time? (speech act 1)
Speaker B: It’s 1 o’clock (speech act 2)
Speaker A: Thanks (speech act 3)
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14. Speech Situation: at the bus stop
Speech Event (asking the time)
Speaker A: Can you tell me the time? (speech act 1)
Speaker B: Yes! (speech act 2)
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15. Ethnography of Communication
Hymes (1974):      
components of communicative events
relations among components
the capacity and state of components
the activity of the whole
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16. Hymes ‘SPEAKING’ S – refers to Setting and scene
P – refers to Participants
E – refers to Ends (outcomes)
A – refers to Act sequence
K – refers to Key (tone, manner)
I – refers to Instrumentalities(channel)
N –refers to Norms of interaction and
interpretation
G – refers to Genre –
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