Transcript The World of Words

Words are Symbols
• Arbitrary—they are not intrinsically
connected to what they represent
• Ambiguous—their meanings are not clear cut
or fixed
• Abstract—they are not concrete or tangible
Language and Culture
Reflect Each Other
• Language and cultural life are intricately
interconnected.
• Communication reflects cultural values and
perspectives.
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As we learn language we also learn the values,
perspectives, and beliefs of our culture.
• The language we learn shapes how we
categorize the world.
• Communication changes culture.
Meanings of Language
are Subjective
• Meanings are never self-evident or
absolute.
• We construct meaning in the process of
interacting and through thought.
• Because symbols require interpretation,
communication is an ongoing process of
creating meanings.
Language Use is Rule-Guided
Communication rules are shared
understandings of what
communication means and what
behaviors are appropriate in various
situations.
Regulative Rules
1. Regulative Rules regulate interaction by
specifying when, how, where, and with
whom to talk about certain things.
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When is it appropriate to show affection or
disclose private information?
When is it appropriate to interrupt?
With whom do you talk about personal
issues?
With whom do you talk about money issues?
Constitutive Rules
2. Constitutive Rules define how certain
communicative acts are to be interpreted.
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Affection (hugs and kisses)
Rudeness (interrupting)
Respect (paying attention)
Professionalism (dressing well, working
overtime)
Responsible employee (meeting deadlines,
being on time for work)
Commitment to the family (eating meals
together)
Punctuation of Language
Shapes Meaning
• Punctuation defines beginnings and
endings of interaction episodes.

When we don’t agree on punctuation
problems may arise.
The Demand-Withdraw
Pattern of Punctuation
I withdraw
because you
pursue me.
I pursue
I pursue
because
harder
you
because
withdraw.
you
withdraw
I am withdrawing further.
more because you
are pursuing harder.
Symbols Define
• Labels shape perception.
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Language reflects our subjective opinion
and shapes and fixes our perception.
The labels we apply to people shape how
we evaluate and respond to them.
• Labels can totalize when we respond
to a person as if one label totally
represents who he or she is.
Symbols Define
• Labels affect relationships.
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The language we use to think about
relationships affects what happens in them.
People who use negative labels to describe
their relationships heighten what is wrong.
Partners who focus on good facets are
more conscious of virtues in partners.
• Definitions can create self-fulfilling
prophecies. Once we select a label we
tend to see the experience in line with
our label.
Symbols Evaluate
• Values in language reflect and shape
perceptions.
“casual” “messy” “slob”
“assertive” “aggressive” “bully”
• Loaded language strongly slants
perceptions.
Rush Limbaugh’s “feminazi” instead of
“feminist”
“geezer” or “old fogies” rather than “senior
citizen”
Symbols Evaluate
• Language can degrade others.
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Hate speech radically dehumanizes others.
• Language is powerful.

Each of us has an ethical responsibility to
guard against engaging in uncivil speech as
well as not tolerating it from others.
Symbols Organize Perceptions
• Organization of
symbols allows us to
think about abstract
concepts such as
justice, integrity,
and good family life.
• Abstracting can
distort our thinking
by stereotyping
whole classes of
people in a
generalization.
We have to generalize to organize our thoughts.
But we must reflect on stereotypes and be alert to
differences among people.
Symbols Allow
Hypothetical Thought
• We can think beyond immediate, concrete
situations.
• We live in three dimensions of time.
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In the present, we remember the past and plan
for the future.
• Personal growth requires that we
remember an earlier time, appreciate
progress, and keep an ideal for the future.
Symbols Allow Self-Reflection
• There are two aspects to self—the I and
the ME. (Mead)
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The I acts and the ME reflects and analyzes
the I’s actions.
I is the
performer,
doer, actor.
ME is the critic,
analyst, social
conscious.
Symbols Allow Self-Reflection
• Self-reflection allows us to monitor
communication.
• Self-reflection allows us to manage
our image.
Engage in Dual Perspective
• Recognize another person’s point of
view and take it into consideration
when speaking.
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Understand both our own and another’s
point of view and give voice to each
when we communicate.
Understanding and hearing others’
viewpoints paves the way for affirming
relationships.
Using I-language allows you to own
your own feelings while also
explaining to others how you
interpret their behaviors.
You-Language
I-Language
You hurt me.
I feel hurt when you
ignore what I say.
You make me feel
small.
I feel small when
you tell me that I’m
selfish.
You’re so
domineering.
When you shout, I
feel dominated.
Rephrase each statement so that it is
expressed using I-language
• You are so arrogant.
• You embarrassed me in front of my
friends.
• You’re so understanding about my
situation.
• You really are self-centered.
Abstract to Concrete
Animal
abstract
Cat
Scrabbles
concrete
Rephrase each statement so that it is less
abstract and more concrete.
• Edward always finds something critical
to say.
• Most people have lost any sense of
personal responsibility.
• Let’s keep our trip from getting too
expensive.
Qualified Language
• Increases the clarity of communication
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Qualify generalizations to avoid making a
general statement an absolute one.
“Politicians are crooked.”
“A number of politicians have been shown to
be dishonest.”
Indexing
• Static evaluation • Indexing reminds us
refers to
assessments that
suggest
something is
unchanging.
“Don is
irresponsible.”
that our evaluation
applies only to
specific times and
circumstances.
“On the Task
Committee, Don
was irresponsible.”
Experiencing Communication
in our Lives . . .
View the following video clip and then
answer the questions that follow based
on material presented in this chapter.
A script of the scenario can be found at
the end of Chapter 4.
Wadsworth Thomson: Wood Scenarios
1. Identify examples of you-language in this
conversation. How would you change it
to I-language.
2. Do you agree with Celia that the problem
is Bernadette’s, not hers?
3. Do Celia and Bernadette seem to engage
in dual perspective to understand each
other?
You may go to your student CD that accompanies the text to
compare your answers to Julia Wood’s.