Sending Verbal and Nonverbal Messages

1. Sending Verbal and Nonverbal Messages What are messages???

2. Messages Messages are ideas and feelings that people send and receive when they communicate. 50-90 % of the messages you send are nonverbal. Sometimes, however, the verbal and nonverbal messages contradict each other and cause confusion.

3. Verbal vs. Nonverbal language • Verbal language is a system of spoken and written words. • Nonverbal language is communication without words. Body language, appearance, and the sound of the voice are the cues, or signals, of nonverbal communication

4. Four functions of nonverbal language • To complement (agree with) verbal messages • To emphasize verbal messages • To replace verbal messages • To contradict verbal messages

5. Interaction of verbal and nonverbal

6. Exploring the Effects “I’ve got to leave now.” “Where did you get that sweater?” “What a joke!” “He’s a great friend, isn’t he?” “Stop it.” “I feel so awful about what happened.” “ I don’t believe it.” “Would I do a thing like that?”

7. Analyzing Language • Language is a system. A system is a group of elements that work together. A language system consists of three subsystems—sounds, words, and the way these sounds and words are arranged.

8. Analyzing Language • Language is symbolic. A symbol is something that stands for something else. Words are symbols for ideas, actions, objects, and feelings. For example, car is a word that stands for something you drive. The word car, of course, is not the object; it represents the object.

9. Analyzing Language • Language is conventional. Conventional means “accepted by a large number of people.” Speakers of English have accepted the word pen or pencil to stand for a particular object with which you write. If you call a pen a gork, other people will not know what you are talking about.

10. Analyzing Language • Language is learned. Children learn symbolic meanings first (yes or no). They learn specific words (mama, daddy, milk) before they learn general or abstract words( parents, food, love, hunger). Children generalize rules. Ex. “drinked”

11. Analyzing Language • Language changes. The English language is constantly changing. The meanings of words change, new meanings are given to words, and new words are added

12. Common ways that language changes

13. Understanding Shades of Meaning Denotation Vs. Connotation The denotation of a word is its dictionary meaning. The connotation of a word is its hidden meaning, the often powerful feelings and associations that the word arouses.

14. Connotations The word dog can have different connotations depending on your personal experience. *feelings of love, warmth or security *feelings of fear or hostility Advertisers sell their products with words that are likely to have positive connotations (ex. handsome, natural, healthy)

15. Adapting language to specific situations Standard American English is language that follows the rules and guidelines found in grammar and composition books. • It is widely used and accepted. • It allows people from many different regions and cultures to communicate clearly with one another.

16. Adapting language to specific situations Jargon is the specialized vocabulary that is understood by people in a particular group or field. Slang consists of recently coined words or old words used in new ways. Dialect is a regional or cultural variety of language differing from standard American English in pronunciation, grammar, or word choice.

17. Jargon Examples: television: sound bite, anchor football: punt, nose guard, goal Jargon should only be used when speaking to people in a particular group or field that uses that jargon.

18. Slang * newly coined words: nerd, hassle, bummer * old words used in new ways: awesome, hot, cool, dude Slang should only be used in informal speaking situations!!

19. Dialect *Pronunciation: greassy/greazy…..hog/hawg *Grammar: you/youse/ya’ll…He don’t care. *Word choice: pail/bucket….buggy/cart….flapjack/pancake Dialect should be used only with others who use that dialect.