CommunicationCommunicationlectures on:lectures on:

Language: Using Patterned SoundLanguage: Using Patterned Sound Non-Verbal Communication: Using the Non-Verbal Communication: Using the BodyBody The Meaning of Objects: Using StyleThe Meaning of Objects: Using Style Manipulating Space: Using our Manipulating Space: Using our SurroundingsSurroundings

Language and SocietyLanguage and Society

LanguageLanguage Distinguished from a Distinguished from a

call system by the use call system by the use of arbitrary symbols of arbitrary symbols

Arbitrary symbols are Arbitrary symbols are culturally agreed-upon culturally agreed-upon meanings for sounds meanings for sounds that are not like the that are not like the thing they describe thing they describe

Non-human chimps Non-human chimps cannot speak but can cannot speak but can communicate (as does communicate (as does Koko, with American Koko, with American Sign Language) Sign Language)

Language OriginsLanguage Origins

Have long been Have long been debated debated

Due to language’s Due to language’s characteristics (it is characteristics (it is performative and performative and ephemeral, like dance) ephemeral, like dance) and the difficulty of and the difficulty of connecting language connecting language with durable physical with durable physical characteristics (except characteristics (except for the hyoid bone) a for the hyoid bone) a definitive answer is definitive answer is unlikelyunlikely

What is clear is that What is clear is that the activities of our the activities of our human ancestors, at human ancestors, at least since least since H. H. erectuserectus times, would times, would have required some have required some sort of sophisticated sort of sophisticated communication communication system to indicate system to indicate abstract concepts abstract concepts such as time, such as time, distance, longing, distance, longing, intent, etcintent, etc

Language HistoryLanguage History

(of the more recent sort) is considerably (of the more recent sort) is considerably easier. easier.

Termed Termed historical linguisticshistorical linguistics, the relationships , the relationships between languages can be discerned through between languages can be discerned through comparison. comparison.

GlottochronologyGlottochronology studies the rate of linguistic studies the rate of linguistic change to derive approximate dates for when change to derive approximate dates for when languages split from one another (e.g., Latin languages split from one another (e.g., Latin into French, Spanish, Italian)into French, Spanish, Italian)

Latin English German Latin English German French French

patermaterfratersorormanuscasaaqua

fathermotherbrothersisterhandhousewater

VaterMutterBruderSchwesterHandHausWasser

pèremèrefrèresoeurmainmaisoneau

Language ChangeLanguage Change

occurs all the time occurs all the time

slang, slang,

regional dialects, regional dialects,

borrowing from other languagesborrowing from other languages an example of English language an example of English language

change is Chaucer’s fourteenth change is Chaucer’s fourteenth century English century English Canterbury TalesCanterbury Tales

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales1347-14001347-1400

Whan that Aprill, with his Whan that Aprill, with his shouresshoures sootesooteThe The droghtedroghte of March hath perced to the roote of March hath perced to the rooteAnd bathed every And bathed every veyneveyne in in swichswich licour, licour,Of which vertu engendred is the flour;Of which vertu engendred is the flour;Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breethWhan Zephirus eek with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethInspired hath in every holt and heethThe tendre croppes, and the yonge sonneThe tendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,And smale foweles maken melodye,And smale foweles maken melodye,That slepen al the nyght with open eyeThat slepen al the nyght with open eyeSo priketh hem Nature in hir coragesSo priketh hem Nature in hir coragesThanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimagesThanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages

Slang:Slang:can you date these?can you date these?

““I’m down with that.”I’m down with that.” ““Cool.”Cool.” ““Twenty-three skidoo.”Twenty-three skidoo.” ““Awesome.”Awesome.” ““Bad.”Bad.” ““Whatever.”Whatever.” ““Dig?”Dig?” ““Groovy.”Groovy.” ““Sweet.”Sweet.” ““Hidey-ho!”Hidey-ho!”

The Most Highly Conserved The Most Highly Conserved Words in All Languages are:Words in All Languages are:

I/me, you, two, who, language, name, I/me, you, two, who, language, name, eye, heart, tooth, no/not, eye, heart, tooth, no/not, fingernail/toenail, louse/nit, water, fingernail/toenail, louse/nit, water, tear(drop), death, hand, night, blood, tear(drop), death, hand, night, blood, horn (animal), full, sun, ear, salt.horn (animal), full, sun, ear, salt.

An Example of ConservationAn Example of Conservationand Lossand Loss

oucheouche (Fr) from (Fr) from olcaolca (Celtic) from (Celtic) from oc*oc* (Indo- (Indo-European) European)

““terre de bonne qualite” --terre de bonne qualite” --a good parcel of land near a good parcel of land near a dwelling for overflow a dwelling for overflow gardening and keeping gardening and keeping small or sick animals small or sick animals

read about read about ouchesouches on the on the class website in the article class website in the article ““From Garden to GlobeFrom Garden to Globe” ” under Handouts]under Handouts]

Transmitting Identity across Transmitting Identity across GenerationsGenerations

transmitted in large part by languagetransmitted in large part by language people let their language stand for much else in people let their language stand for much else in

their culturetheir culture language, dialect, accent, and speech arelanguage, dialect, accent, and speech are always always

political and have power political and have power think about the importance of:think about the importance of:

speaker’s language choice among speaker’s language choice among potentially usable potentially usable languageslanguages

the power of an accent to telegraph to the the power of an accent to telegraph to the listener listener the speaker’s class, gender, the speaker’s class, gender, ethnicity, etcethnicity, etc

Sapir-Whorf HypothesisSapir-Whorf Hypothesis

is that language predisposes people to see the is that language predisposes people to see the world in a certain way and guides their thinking and world in a certain way and guides their thinking and behaviorbehavior

For example, ‘sustainable’ in English characterizes For example, ‘sustainable’ in English characterizes a renewable resource like well-managed a renewable resource like well-managed agricultural land or wind power agricultural land or wind power

First used by scholarly, then business communityFirst used by scholarly, then business community But But sustentablesustentable from Fr. from Fr. sustenter sustenter (‘support’) is not (‘support’) is not

understood. understood. Instead Instead durable, durable, (‘hardy’, lasting) or(‘hardy’, lasting) or l’entretien du l’entretien du

paysage paysage (land management) is used(land management) is used Used by agricultural communityUsed by agricultural community

Faux AmisFaux Amis

A foreign word that A foreign word that looks deceptively looks deceptively like a word in one’s like a word in one’s own languageown language

preservatif, preservatif, je suis je suis pleinepleine examples examples

Note gesture in Note gesture in photosphotos

Code SwitchingCode Switchingan example at the dialectical an example at the dialectical

levellevel the smooth movement a person makes from the smooth movement a person makes from

one dialect to another in different one dialect to another in different circumstancescircumstances

includes grammar and syntax, word choice, includes grammar and syntax, word choice, tone, volume, gendered speech differences, tone, volume, gendered speech differences, etc etc

roofroof (“rooof” “ruf”), (“rooof” “ruf”), tomatotomato, , orangeorange NC dialectical differences: NC dialectical differences: KerrKerrville (“Cur-ville (“Cur-

ville”) but ville”) but Carr Carr Mill and Mill and KerrKerr Drugs and Drugs and KerrKerr Lake; Carolinian pronounced CaroLake; Carolinian pronounced Caroleenleenianian

Male/Female Male/Female CommunicationCommunication

Studies show that, in Studies show that, in general, general,

women women ask ask questions, keep the questions, keep the conversation going conversation going with verbal and non-with verbal and non-verbal responses, and verbal responses, and protest using silenceprotest using silence

men men interrupt more, interrupt more, challenge more, more challenge more, more direct declarations of direct declarations of fact and opinionfact and opinion

PhonemePhoneme

A minimally distinct A minimally distinct soundsound in the context in the context of a particular spoken languageof a particular spoken language

For example, in American English /p/ For example, in American English /p/ and /b/ are distinct phonemes because pat and /b/ are distinct phonemes because pat and bat are distinct; however, the two and bat are distinct; however, the two different sounds of /t/ in tick and stick are different sounds of /t/ in tick and stick are not distinct in English, even though they not distinct in English, even though they are distinct in other languages such as are distinct in other languages such as Thai. Thai.

MorphemeMorpheme

The smallest contrastive The smallest contrastive unit of unit of grammargrammar. .

A minimally distinctive unit of meaning in A minimally distinctive unit of meaning in the context of a particular language. the context of a particular language.

For example, cats consists of two For example, cats consists of two morphemes: cat and -s, the plural suffix. morphemes: cat and -s, the plural suffix. The -s is called a bound form while cat is a The -s is called a bound form while cat is a free (or stand alone) form. dogs also has free (or stand alone) form. dogs also has the -s but it is pronounced /z/. the -s but it is pronounced /z/.

Phonetics and PhonologyPhonetics and Phonology

Phonetics is the Phonetics is the study of the study of the production, production, transmission, and transmission, and reception of reception of speech soundsspeech sounds

Phonology is the Phonology is the study of rules study of rules (grammar)(grammar)

SignalsSignals

Signal = a gesture with Signal = a gesture with (culturally) self-evident (culturally) self-evident meaning. Silent non-meaning. Silent non-verbal communication verbal communication by signals or signsby signals or signs

Examples: "He signaled Examples: "He signaled his disapproval with a his disapproval with a dismissive hand dismissive hand gesture"; "The diner gesture"; "The diner signaled the waiter to signaled the waiter to bring the bill" bring the bill"

SymbolsSymbols Symbol = stands Symbol = stands

for something else. for something else. Nixon’s V and Nixon’s V and Bush’s ‘hook em’ Bush’s ‘hook em’ are interesting are interesting non-verbal (but not non-verbal (but not cross-cultural!) cross-cultural!) examples, but all examples, but all language is language is symbolic symbolic