What is the Connection between Verbal Communication Culture

What is the Connection between Verbal Communication & Culture?

TODAY’S MENU I. Human Language: Distinctive Features and Rule Patterns II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions III. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework IV. Intercultural Reality Check: Do. Ables

Do you know… • The Top-5 Most Widely-Spoken Languages Worldwide? • Chinese , spanish, English, Hindi, Arabic

I. Human Language: Distinctive Features and Rule Patterns Language: An arbitrary, symbolic system that labels and categorizes objects, events, groups, people, ideas, feelings, experiences, and many other phenomena. Can you guess how many languages exist worldwide?

I. Human Language: A. Distinctive Language Features Arbitrariness: • Sounds (phonemic) and symbols (graphics and symbols) • Ω A é € �∞ Abstractness: • concrete to abstract levels

I. Human Language: A. Distinctive. Language Features Meaning. Centeredness: • Denotative and conotative • (literally – emotionally) Creativity: • productivity, displacement, metacommunicative (use language mindfully)

I. Human Language: B. Mulitple Rule Patterns Phonological Rules: • Smallest unit of a word • the different accepted procedures for combining phonemes (the smallest sound units of a word). A, ch, tz Morphological Rules: • Multiple sounds : how combinations of different sounds make up a meaningful word or part of a word • (e. g. , “lead” and “er-ship” form “lead-er-ship”; or words such as “caff-eine” and “flow-er”).

I. Human Language: B. Mulitple Rule Patterns Syntactic Rules: • Grammar ; The order of the words helps to establish the meaning of an utterance. It is also reflective of the cultural notions of causality and order. Semantic Rules: • Meaning : the features of meaning we attach to words. • Ex : good, better, best ; Pragmatic Rules: • Contextual rules • Ex : im fine ? It’s really fine? ;

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions A. Cultural Worldview Function • Linear worldview (rational – objective) vs. Relational worldview (contextual) B. Everyday Social Reality Function • Value priiority : Important-less important, powerful – powerless, interesting- not interesting • Ex = maleness vs femaleness ; jantan – betina

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions C. Cognitive Shaping Function • Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: “the shaper of ideas” • Language : strong filter between what we think and how our thinking pattern is shaped by the grammatical structure of our language system. • Strong Form vs. Weak Form D. Group Membership Function • Language represents a rallying point for evoking group sentiment and shared identity. • The core symbols and linguistic catego- ries of a group often express ethnic and nationalistic sentiment.

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions E. Social Change Function • As innovative social beings, we are the creators of the social tool of human language. • New things - New words : google, googling, hastag, dot com, texting, etc • New shape : fareman – firefighter ; mankind – humandkind

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions: Cultural Worldview Function Linear Worldview Relational Worldview Rational thinking Connected thinking Objective reasoning Context-based reasoning Facts and evidence Context and relationship Polarized interpretation Continuum interpretation Analytical dissecting mode Holistic big-picture mode Tangible outcome Long-term relational outcome

In low-context communication, the emphasis is on how intention or meaning is expressed through explicit verbal messages. In high-context communication, the emphasis is on how intention or meaning can best be conveyed through the embedded contexts (e. g. , social roles or positions, relationship types, intergroup history) and the nonverbal channels (e. g. , pauses, silence, tone of voice) of the verbal message

III. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework Low Contect Comm Patterns High Contect Comm Patterns Individualistic values Collectivistic values Linear logic Spiral logic Direct verbal style Indirect verbal style Matter of fact tone Understated or animated tone Informal verbal style Formal verbal style Verbal assertiveness or talkativeness Verbal reticence or silence Verbal self-enhancement style Self-humbling style

III. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework LCC – HCC Application Analysis: • The Joy Luck Club: Film Clip • Roommates Video DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: • Compare and contrast the different verbal styles of the people in the videos. • What did the low-context communicator say/do? What did the high -context communicator say/do? • What recommendations do you have for these communicators to make this conversation go better?

II. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework Beliefs Expressed in Talk and Silence • Silence is interpreted and evaluated differently across cultures and between persons. • How do you interpret silence? Take a look at how the Japanese people use silence to mean different things…

IV. Intercultural Reality Check: Do-Ables When using your native language with a nonnative speaker, to be flexible verbal communicators, try to practice the following guidelines: – – – – Practice intercultural empathy Learn to paraphrase and perception check Use multiple modes of presentation Practice language variation usage Pay attention to nonverbal tone of voice Understand basic differences of LCC and HCC patterns Use nonverbal gestures to complement Master the language pragmatic rule function

Parting Thoughts… If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. ~ Nelson Mandela Learn a new language and get a new soul. ~ Czech Proverb