prepared for uhs 2052, uhs 2062 and shp 1313 students at utm malaysia by: siti rokiah siwok...
TRANSCRIPT
Connecting through Verbal
Communication
Prepared for UHS 2052, UHS 2062 and SHP 1313 students at UTM Malaysia by: Siti Rokiah Siwok
Language
“Language is a structured system of signs, sounds, gestures, and marks that is used and understood to express ideas and feelings among people within a community, nation, geographic area, or cultural tradition.” ( Sieler and Beall, 2011, page 85)
Verbal communicationLanguage is critical to communication.Words can make a difference and it is not enough to know the dictionary meanings.Competent communicators are able to determine which form of language is appropriate for a particular situation.
Verbal Communicationa
Language is one means by which communicate and speech is one way we use language.The use of language does not guarantee that we communicate effectively.Language is useful if it help us to convey meanings.
SoundsUnder normal circumstances we are given the capacity to produce sounds.However we do not produce sounds in the same way.
WordsWords are symbols that represents objects or concepts.People give meanings to words.
Some meanings of words are known in everyday usage
while some are not
GrammarGrammar are rules that govern how words are put together to form phrases and sentences.The ability to use sounds and grammar correctly is crucial to competent communication.
Meaning
• Words without meanings would be purposeless.
• The study of meaning, or the association of words with ideas, feelings and contexts is called
semantics.
Words and meaningsWords are symbols that
represent people, objects, concepts and events.
The words are NOT the people, objects, concepts and events
Words acquire meaning only through the context in which
they are used
Denotative meaningsDenotation is the common meaning associated with a
word, according to the standard dictionary meaning.
Denotative meaning is usually readily understood
However, we usually use words connotatively.
Connotative meanings
Connotation is the subjective meaning of a word, which
comes with feelings or associations it evokes.
Connotative meanings
The connotative meaning is based on the context in which
the word is used, how the meaning is expressed nonverbally, and the
understanding of the receiver.
Connotative meanings
The competent communicator can differentiate between
denotative and connotative meanings and understand which
is being used in a given situation.
Concrete wordsAre symbols for specific things,
such as car, book or keys.Can be made more specific by
such as my 1.5 automatic Kancil, Sieler and Beall 8th
edition Communication book; my room key etc
Concrete wordsCommunication based on
concrete words are less likely to have misunderstanding as the
objects can be referred to.
Abstract wordsAbstract words are symbols to represent abstract things such
as ideas, qualities, concepts and relationships.
These are things which cannot be experienced using the
senses.
Abstract WordsThe meanings of abstract words depend on the experiences and
intentions of the person using them
Can lead to misunderstanding; ineffective communication.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2008 24
The Ladder of Abstraction
Cynthia
Best Friend
Friend
Roommate
Employee
Person
Concrete
AbstractHuman
Life
Meanings depends on commonalities
The more communicators have in common in terms of
background, experience etc the more likely for them to hold
similar meanings
Words …..Used by specific groups
Change according to timeRegional
SubcultureDeliberately used to achieve
some specific goals
bypassing
A misunderstanding that occurs between a sender and a receiver because of the
symbolic nature of language
bypassingBypassing usually results from the false belief that a word has
only one meaning and that words have meanings in
themselves
bypassingThe interpretation of words
becomes more complex when people from different cultures
communicateNative speakers and non-
speakers have to be taken into account
Some bypassings are deliberate
IndiscriminationIndiscrimination is the neglect of
individual differences and the overemphasis of similiarities
IndiscriminationNouns that categorize people such as “teenager” , “student” and “politician”, encourage us to focus on similarities.
The categorization fails to identify the differences among
individuals; often leads to stereotyping
IndiscriminationSome stereotyping can be
positive, such as “All teachers are dedicated professionals”, or “All students are hardworking”.
To reduce indiscrimination:Indexin
gOne way to reduce
indiscrimination in our communication is to do
“indexing”.Indexing is a technique to
reduce indiscrimination by identifying the specific persons,
ideas, events or objects to which a statement refers to.
To reduce indiscrimination: Dating
“Dating” is a form of indexing that sorts people, ideas, events and objects according to time.
By telling when something occurred, we acknowledge that
things change over time and thus adds specificity.
PolarizationPolarization is the tendency to view things in terms of extremes such as rich or poor, large or small, high or low etc. This is “either-or” black-or-
white” way of thinking.Polarization can be destructive and
can escalate conflict.
PolarizationSpeakers can avoid the dangers
of polarization by recognizing the potential for
misunderstanding and by making statements that do not
represent “extremes”.Further information and clarification also useful.
OthersUse gender-inclusive language, that is language that does not discriminate against males or
femalesAware that culture affects the
way we use language
Using language effectively
Five variables influence the effectiveness of language use:
– Accuracy– Vividness
– Immediacy– Appropriateness
– The use of metaphor