Chapter 2: Verbal Communication Lecture by: Chris Ross

How Do You Know What Talk Means? Langue => is the formal grammatical structure of language that you will read about in books on grammar. Parole => is how people actually use language, with informal and ungrammatical phrases that carry meaning to us all the same.

Polysemy Polysemy => multiple meanings for the same word Ambiguity is always important to communication because talk consists of many types of utterances. When you are uncertain about meanings it can end up in miscommunication or misunderstanding.

Naming & Defining Naming => is important because it can be both arbitrary and natural. Naming also distinguishing items from other items which we also have words for. Sapir/Whorf Hypothesis => proposes that you think what you can say

Types of Meaning Denotative meaning => refers to the identification of something by pointing it out Connotative meaning => refers to the overtones, implications or additional meanings associated with a word or object.

Intentionality Intentionality => a basic assumption in communication studies is that messages indicate somebody’s intention or that they are produced intentionally or in a way that gives insight into someone’s mental process.

Instrumental Functions of Talk What you say reveals a goal that you have in mind for the relationship and talk is the means or instrument by which you reveal it.

Indexical Functions Demonstrates or indicates the nature of the relationship between speakers

Essential Functions Talk makes the relationship real and talks it into being by simply assuming that it exists

Facework Fracework => a term that refers to the management of people's face, meaning their dignity or self-respect.

Face Wants Positive Face Wants =? Refer to the need to be seen and accepted as a worthwhile and reasonable person. Negative Face Wants => refer to the desire not to be imposed upon or treated as inferior.

High Code/Low Code Low Code => an informal and often ungrammatical way of talking High Code => formal, grammatical and often very correct (official) way of talking.

Accommodation Accommodation => people will change their accent, speech rate, and words they use to indicate a relational connection with the person they are talking to Convergence => a person moves towards the style of talk used by another speaker Divergence => one talker moves away from another style of speech to make a relational point. EX: dislike or superiority.

Narrative Narrative => any organized story, report or prepared talk that has a plot, argument or theme.

Burke’s Pentad Burke’s Pentad Pentad => derived from Greek for five All stories have particular common elements

Burke’s Pentad Scene (Setting) Agent (Character) Act (Single event or sequence of events) Agency (Plotline) Purpose (Outcome) Where it happened Who was involved What (facts unfolded in time How (the way in which) acts happed Why (what was the result or goal)

Giving Accounts Accounts => are forms of communication that offer justifications, excuses, exonerations, and apologies. They usually go beyond the facts.

Chapter Assignments Discussions What are the differences between grammatical language and talk in everyday use? How does everyday talk make use of relationships to frame meanings How do different types of talk work and how do they connect to relationships?

Chapter Assignments Buddy/Group Work Ask your friends if they ever find it hard to know when you are kidding and what makes it hard. Have your friends report an occasion when they caught someone in a boldfaced lie and how they knew. How did they handle it (thinking of facework)?

Chapter Assignments Written Work How do news anchors introduce stories intended to be seen as “not serious” as compared to those regarded as serious and important? What techniques do news anchors use on television in order to relate with their audience? Note how sexist, racist, and heterosexual (marking) language is relational and always places one group of people in an inferior position relative to another group of people. Is it ever ethical to use this kind of language? Should the stories you tell always be true? Why or why not? Should you always be polite and save people’s face when they do something embarrassing?