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COSC6211: Learning Unit 4

COSC6211: Learning Unit 4. Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Interactions. Define language (for 5 marks) (Samovar et al. 2013:237) .

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COSC6211: Learning Unit 4

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  1. COSC6211: Learning Unit 4 Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Interactions

  2. Define language (for 5 marks)(Samovar et al. 2013:237) Language is a set of shared symbols/ signs (1) that a cooperative group of people (1) mutually agreed to use to help them create meaning (1). The relationship between the symbol and the agreed meaning is often arbitrary (2) (i.e. words only have meaning because society give it meaning). The sophisticated nature of language makes it a uniquely human endeavour (1). E.g. Chinese, English or Xhosa (1).

  3. Difference between:(Samovar et al. 2013:238-240)

  4. Three (3) FUNCTIONS of language (Samovar et al. 2013:235-237) • Social Interaction • Social Cohesion • Expression of identity (language to define yourself:21 Accents.mp4)

  5. Conversational taboos(Samovar 2013:240) • Topics(sex, the supernatural, excretion, death, social- and domestic life) • Words (Profanity, offensive labels, vulgarity) • Inconsiderate questions (about age, sexual orientation, religion and politics) • Jokes

  6. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis(Samovar 2013:241) Language evolved from the need people have for food, shelter, community, water, etc. Our cultures contextualise (gives meaning to) language. Does language merely represent our thoughts, or does it shape our perception as well? What the theory is about: This theory claim that language do not merely represent our thought, but also guide how we think about the world around us. E.g. if we do not have a word to describe something, we think about it less (or not at all); in the English language there aren’t too many descriptions for snow, but in the Inuit culture (living in Alaska, Greenland and coastal Canadian Arctic) there are various different descriptions – this means, that while the English do not contemplate and think about ‘snow’ much (except in winter), the Inuit people find snow to be an important consideration in their culture. Criticism: The theory overstate the importance of language.

  7. Language and computers(Samovar 2013:247-249) It is not feasible to use computers for translations – even though it is a growing field – because language variations in grammar, sentence structure and cultural differences encompassing humour, irony, sarcasm, etc. require the translator to detect subtle aspects of language and emotion. Also, computers cannot read non-verbal communication. English is the language most commonly used on the Internet, while Americans use Facebook the most and the Chinese and Japanese tweet more.

  8. Five (5) ways of improving interpersonal interaction (i.e. speaking to a non-native speaker)(Samovar 2013:250-252) • Be mindful • Speak slower • Avoid jargon, slang and acronyms (vocabulary) • Look for non-verbal responses • ‘Check’ to determine whether the other person understands the message

  9. How would you improve the following scenario? (refer to your theory)

  10. How cultural frame of reference/ pattern influence communication(Samovar 2013: 203) • Individualism vs. Collectivism • Egalitarianism vs. Hierarchical (Power distance) • Low- vs. High Uncertainty Avoidance • Monochronic- vs. Polychronic use of time • Low- vs. High Context cultures • Low- vs. High Face concerns * Always answer these questions by starting: “In __ culture, members ___”

  11. Five (5) FUNCTIONS of non-verbal communication(Samovar 2013:256-258) • Expressing internal states (e.g. joy, fear, anger, etc.) • Creating identity (e.g. use of make-up and jewellery, clothes, your hand shake, etc. says something about you) • Regulating interaction (e.g. pausing to indicate that someone else must talk) • Repeating the message (e.g. saying: “I love you” and then hugging the person) • Substituting words (e.g. instead of saying: “no!”, I shake my head from side-to-side)

  12. Relationship between VERBAL and NON-VERBAL messages(Samovar 2013:259) • We know that non-verbal messages can replace, reinforce and contradict verbal messages; • Verbal and Non-verbal messages can also be used in unison (i.e. co-operatively) – what does that mean?

  13. Proxemics Intimate zone A person’s portable territory Personal zone Social zone Public zone

  14. Personal space (proxemics)(Samovar 2013:281-282) Individualistic cultures Collectivist cultures • More space required; require privacy • In Germany, personal space is sacred • In some Asian cultures students do not sit close to their lecturers; the extended distance demonstrates deference and esteem • Less space required; close proximity to one another • Typical Arab conversations are at close range • In African cultures it is not unusual for people to stand close to one another or have less boundaries concerning their closeness

  15. FACEas an important source of information(Samovar 2013:272) Three (3) faces: • Assigned: your basic face (i.e. the one you are born with) • Emotive: the face we manipulate at will/ control to reflect our emotions • Reactive: the face which is influenced by our environment (i.e. involuntary) – e.g. hearing bad news One facial expression is ‘read’ the similarly around the world: a smile.

  16. APPEARANCE as a classification of non-verbal communication(Samovar 2013:262-267) How we appear to one another lead to initial attraction and is the precursor to actual interaction (or avoidance). Appearance refers to: • Judgement of beauty (which differs from culture to culture and is influenced by external factors (such as media and Western ideologies) • Skin colour • Attire (i.e. dress) Play:..\..\..\Videos\America's Obsession- A Documentary.mp4

  17. POSTURE as a classification of non-verbal communication(Samovar 2013:262-268) Posture can connote whether a person is paying attention, their status, the like/ dislike of the other person and even their sexual intention. In Asian cultures, bowing is an accepted form of non-verbal communication. In Germany children are taught to stand and sit up straight. African-Americans use their posture, stance and walk to convey pride.

  18. Different cultural VOLUME of speech(Samovar 2013:279) • Arabs speak very loudly • Germans have a commanding tone • The Thaiwanese and Philippino’s speak softly • The Japanese uses a gentle and soft voice

  19. Gestures(Samovar 2013: 269-272) A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of speech or together and in parallel with spoken words. Gestures include movement of the hands, face or other parts of the body (www.thefreedictionary.com). An example of a gesture is the “thumbs up”. In America it is a sign for ‘good’, while in Australia and West Africa it is a ‘rude’ sign. ..\..\..\Videos\gestures.mp4

  20. …gestures continue Four (4) TYPES of gestures: • Idiosyncratic gestures: gestures specific to a certain culture • Beckoning gestures: indicating to someone to “come here” is different in different cultures • Agreement gestures: gestures indicating that you agree with someone • Frequency and intensity of gestures: Some cultures use hand (and other) gestures more to convey messages.

  21. Different eye contact and gaze & its intercultural implications(Samovar 2013:274-276) Eyes express emotion, monitor feedback, indicate degrees of attentiveness and interest, regulate flow of conversation, etc. Eyes can send messages (e.g. flirt, cheerful). Eye contact is influenced by one’s culture.

  22. Communication through touch (haptics)(Samovar 2013:276) Six (6) types of touching: • Accidental touching • Professional touching • Social politeness • Friendship touches • Love-intimacy touches • Sexual touch

  23. Communication through reference to time (chronemics)(Samovar 2013:284-289)

  24. …chronemics continue • Example of M-time people: Germany, Austria, Sweden, Norway, England, Finland, Canada, Switzerland and USA • Example of P-time people: Arab, African, Indian, Latin American, South Asian and Southeast Asian In international business time can be an obstacle when individuals attribute meaning to one another’s time related behaviour – e.g. An American arriving 10minutes early for a 7am breakfast meeting and a Mexican arriving at 7:42am. The American will feel that time has been wasted, while the Mexican will assume, because there exist a good business relationship, there is no problem.

  25. The role of SILENCE(Samovar et al 2013:288-291) Periods of silence influence interpersonal communication: (i) it provide time for participants to think, check or suppress emotion and construct a response; (ii) it provide feedback. West: Silence is difficult to interpret; seen as negative when used as punishment (“time out”) Greece: Silence is avoided; talking with others is seen as a sign of a good life East: Inner peace and wisdom come from silence; silence is seen as a means to avoid conflict Scandinavians: Silence convey interest and consideration, urging others to talk

  26. Five (5) ways to improve intercultural communication(Samovar et al 2013:291-292) • Monitor your non-verbal actionsKnow how you present yourself and consider how others will interpret you non-verbal actions • Monitor feedbackEncourage feedback to improve your own communication; create a climate for people to give feedback • Be sensitive to the contextIn the acculturation (and enculturation) process, we learn required behaviour – e.g. smile when giving a presentation

  27. Be aware of non-verbal ambiguityNon-verbal communication can be intentional or unintentional and can mean two different things – e.g. staying silent when being asked a question means one thing in America, but might mean something else in Japan. • Know your cultureOur culture can teach us how to improve our non-verbal behaviour.

  28. Other • Non-verbal communication is instinctual as it is difficult to fake – e.g. when we are disappointed about a test result, our face will automatically register that emotion. • Universal nonverbal communication (e.g. a smile or blushing) has different meanings in different cultures – e.g. Smiling too often in Germany is a sign of ‘hiding something’, where in Japan it is a sign of shyness. • Some verbal- and non-verbal signs of attitude (whether you feel positively or negatively towards something) include gestures, choice of words, etc. • When we say that communication is rule-governed we simply mean that it is regulated by certain rules. There are language rules that guide our speech. In the same way there are rules that guide our interactions, and these rules have their origins in culture. For example, it may be appropriate to show emotion on your face in one culture, while the rule in another culture will say it is rude to show emotion in public. Another example is eye-contact. Most cultures have strict rules about eye behaviour. It is rather vaguely explained in the introduction to this learning unit in the MG. What students need to know is that there are cultural rules for acceptable and unacceptable conduct that regulate the communication behaviour of people belonging to that culture. These rules can also be a source of conflict since it differs from culture to culture.

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