Chapter 7-Verbal The Study of Language: Thinking Dialectically Cultural Variations in Language Discourse: Language and Power Moving Between Languages

Chapter 7-Verbal Chapter 7-Verbal

The Study of Language: Thinking The Study of Language: Thinking Dialectically Dialectically

Cultural Variations in LanguageCultural Variations in Language Discourse: Language and PowerDiscourse: Language and Power Moving Between LanguagesMoving Between Languages Language and IdentityLanguage and Identity Language Politics and Policies Language Politics and Policies Language and Globalization Language and Globalization

Language Versus Discourse Language Versus Discourse

1. 1. La langueLa langue (language) - the entire (language) - the entire language system, including various language system, including various forms such as forms such as pidginpidgin and and creolecreole. .

2. 2. LaLa paroleparole (discourse) - how language (discourse) - how language is actively used by particular is actively used by particular communities of people, in particular communities of people, in particular contexts, for particular purposes. contexts, for particular purposes.

The Study of Language: The Study of Language: Thinking DialecticallyThinking Dialectically


Components of LanguageComponents of Language SemanticsSemantics

SyntacticsSyntactics

PhonologyPhonology

MorphologyMorphology

PragmaticsPragmatics

PhoneticsPhonetics

International Phonetic AlphabetInternational Phonetic Alphabet

Definition of Verbal Definition of Verbal CodesCodes

Morphology: The meaning unitsMorphology: The meaning units

Syntactics: The relationship of Syntactics: The relationship of words to one another (arrangement)words to one another (arrangement)

Pragmatics: The effect of language Pragmatics: The effect of language on perceptions and behaviorson perceptions and behaviors

Definition of Verbal Definition of Verbal CodesCodes

Verbal Codes: a set of rules about the Verbal Codes: a set of rules about the use of wordsuse of words

Semantics: The study of the meaning of Semantics: The study of the meaning of wordswords

Phonology: The sound units of Phonology: The sound units of languagelanguage


Language and Meaning: Language and Meaning: What language issues are universal? What language issues are universal? The power of languageThe power of language

Systems of difference influence how we Systems of difference influence how we classify the world.classify the world.

Expressions may not communicate the same Expressions may not communicate the same meanings in different cultures.meanings in different cultures.


Language and Meaning:Language and Meaning:What language issues are universal? What language issues are universal? Osgood’s Osgood’s semantic differentialsemantic differential::

- - Evaluative dimensionEvaluative dimension

- - Potency dimensionPotency dimension

- - Activity dimensionActivity dimension


Language and Perception:Language and Perception:

The The nominalist positionnominalist position: Perception is not : Perception is not shaped by the particular language we speak.shaped by the particular language we speak.

The The relativist positionrelativist position (Sapir-Whorf hypothesis): (Sapir-Whorf hypothesis): The particular language we speak determines our The particular language we speak determines our thinking and perception of reality. thinking and perception of reality.

The The qualified relativist positionqualified relativist position: Language is a : Language is a tool rather than a mirror of perception. tool rather than a mirror of perception.

Communication Style (verbal and Communication Style (verbal and nonverbal): nonverbal):

Tonal coloring Tonal coloring or theor the metamessage metamessage contextualizes how listeners accept contextualizes how listeners accept and interpret verbal messages. and interpret verbal messages.

Some cultural groups prefer Some cultural groups prefer high-high-context communicationcontext communication over over low-low-context communicationcontext communication styles. styles.

Cultural Variations in Cultural Variations in LanguageLanguage

Other Dimensions of Communication Other Dimensions of Communication Style: Style:

Direct/Indirect Direct/Indirect

Elaborate/Exact/Succinct Elaborate/Exact/Succinct

People communicate differently in People communicate differently in different speech communities and different speech communities and contexts.contexts.

Cultural Variations in Cultural Variations in LanguageLanguage

Discourse: Language and Discourse: Language and PowerPower

Co-cultural communicationCo-cultural communication

Language in use depends on social relations Language in use depends on social relations as well as contexts.as well as contexts.

Orbe: Groups with the most power Orbe: Groups with the most power consciously or unconsciously develop consciously or unconsciously develop communication systems that support their communication systems that support their perceptions of the world, in which groups perceptions of the world, in which groups without power must also function. without power must also function.


Orbe’s Co-cultural communication Orbe’s Co-cultural communication strategies:strategies:

Nonassertive Nonassertive separationseparation

Nonassertive Nonassertive accommodationaccommodation

Nonassertive Nonassertive assimilationassimilation

Assertive Assertive separationseparation

Assertive Assertive accommodationaccommodation

Assertive Assertive assimilationassimilation

Aggressive Aggressive separationseparation

Aggressive Aggressive accommodationaccommodation

Aggressive Aggressive assimilationassimilation


Semiotics - Semiotics - how different discursive units how different discursive units communicate meaningcommunicate meaning

SemiosisSemiosis is the process of producing meaning. is the process of producing meaning.

Meaning is constructed through the Meaning is constructed through the interpretation of interpretation of signssigns..

SignifiersSignifiers are culturally constructed, arbitrary are culturally constructed, arbitrary words or symbols we use to refer to something words or symbols we use to refer to something else, the else, the signifiedsignified. .


Discourse and Social StructureDiscourse and Social Structure: : Societies are structured so that Societies are structured so that individuals occupy specific social individuals occupy specific social positions. positions.

Power and labelsPower and labels: : The use of labels, as signifiers, The use of labels, as signifiers, acknowledges particular aspects of our acknowledges particular aspects of our social identity. social identity.

Moving Between Moving Between LanguagesLanguages

MultilingualismMultilingualism- A - A bilingualbilingual person speaks two person speaks two languages.languages.- People who speak more than two - People who speak more than two languages are languages are multilingualmultilingual. . - Interlanguage- Interlanguage is a kind of is a kind of communication that emerges when communication that emerges when

speakers of one language are speakers of one language are speaking in speaking in another language. another language.


Translation and InterpretationTranslation and Interpretation

- - TranslationTranslation refers to the process of refers to the process of producing a written text (the producing a written text (the target texttarget text) )

that refers to something said or written that refers to something said or written in another language (the in another language (the source textsource text). ).

- - InterpretationInterpretation refers to the process of refers to the process of verbally expressing what is said or verbally expressing what is said or written written in another language. in another language.


Translation and InterpretationTranslation and Interpretation (cont.) (cont.)

- Languages differ in their flexibility of - Languages differ in their flexibility of expression for different topics, expression for different topics,

which which makes accuracy in makes accuracy in translation, or translation, or equivalencyequivalency, even more , even more difficult. difficult.

Language and IdentityLanguage and Identity

Code switching Code switching refers to the phenomenon refers to the phenomenon of changing languages, dialects, or accents.of changing languages, dialects, or accents.

- to accommodate other speakers- to accommodate other speakers

- - to avoid accommodating othersto avoid accommodating others

- - to express another aspect of their cultural to express another aspect of their cultural identityidentity

Code switching can take on important political Code switching can take on important political meaning.meaning.

Language Politics and Language Politics and PoliciesPolicies

Language policies Language policies are laws or are laws or customs that determine which customs that determine which language is spoken where and when. language is spoken where and when.

They are embedded in the politics of They are embedded in the politics of class, culture, ethnicity, and class, culture, ethnicity, and economics--not language quality. economics--not language quality.

Language and Language and GlobalizationGlobalization

Rapid changes are occurring in the Rapid changes are occurring in the languages spoken and learned in the languages spoken and learned in the world.world.

The dream of a common international The dream of a common international language or language or lingua francalingua franca has long has long marked Western ways of thinking.marked Western ways of thinking.

Today, the dominance of English raises Today, the dominance of English raises important issues for intercultural important issues for intercultural communication.communication.

EE.. Meanings are Meanings are Context-Context-BasedBased

III. III. Message CharacteristicsMessage Characteristics

A.A. Messages are PackagedMessages are Packaged = to create a = to create a unified meaningunified meaning

Messages are Rule-Messages are Rule-GovernedGoverned

C.C. Vary in AbstractionVary in Abstraction D.D. Vary in DirectnessVary in Directness

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Chapter 7-Verbal The Study of Language: Thinking Dialectically Cultural Variations in Language Discourse: Language and Power Moving Between Languages