Comm 103: Chapter 4: How We Use Language

Which of the following are true about how people's names define and differentiate them?

A name is an important component of a person's sense of self. A name provides clues about a person's ethnicity. A name is a way that people represent themselves to others.

True or false: Language functions to connect us with others but not to separate us from others.

False

True or false: Profanity is language that harms a person's reputation.

False

According to research about gossip, which of the following is not true?

Gossip is an uncommon communicative behavior.

In what ways does spoken language enable us to connect to others?

It allows us to provide support. It allows us to provide comfort. It allows us to share social information.

Which of the following are ways that humor can improve our communication with others?

It can diffuse stress. It can make social interactions more pleasant and enjoyable. It can bring us closer to people.

Which of the following are functions of language?

It connects us to others. It expresses who we are. It motivates action.

Which of the following is true about language?

It has layers of meaning.

Which of the following is true about hate speech?

It involves calling people derogatory names and advocating violence against them. It is meant to degrade, intimidate, or dehumanize people. It can be based on race, disability status, religion, or sexual orientation.

Which of the following statements are true about communicating affection?

It is good for people. It is good for relationships.

Which of the following statements is true about language?

It is governed by rules.

Language is which of the following?

It is used to communicate meaning. It uses symbols called words. It is a system of symbols.

Which of the following describe how language expresses who we are?

It names us. It enhances our credibility. It identifies us.

Which of the following are true about language?

Language is bound by culture. The values of a society are reflected in its use of language. Use of language varies by culture.

Which of the following statements are true about language?

Language is symbolic. Words represent objects.

True or false: One of the primary social functions of language is that it allows us to express affection.

True

According to communication accommodation theory, which of the following is true regarding the relationship between dialect and credibility?

When we speak to an audience with a different dialect, they may view us as outsiders and therefore question our credibility. We gain credibility with our audience when we speak to them in a familiar dialect.

Which of the following are principles that can help you distinguish between opinions and factual claims?

You can verify a factual claim. You can agree or disagree with an opinion.

Which of the following are true about how to improve your language use?

You should avoid using language that is too simple for your audience. You should avoid using language that is too complex for your audience. You should try to speak at an appropriate level of complexity for your audience.

Which of the following definitions explains what a slogan is?

a short and memorable phrase that motivates people

Which of the following definitions applies to the term cliché?

a word or phrase that was once novel but has lost its effect due to overuse

A word that refers to a broad category or organizing concept of objects is described as

abstract

That a word like "duck" has no characteristics of a duck--the word "duck" cannot fly, does not have a bill or webbed feet, and does not quack--represents the concept that language is usually

arbitrary

What is the process of engaging in honest, authentic, and respectful conversation with others called?

civil dialogue

Which of the following are skills that civil communicators practice?

civil listening honesty openness to change care with language

Which of the following describes a word or phrase that was novel at one time but has lost its effect because of overuse?

cliché

A word that refers to a specific object in the world can be referred to as

concrete

The ideas or concepts that a word suggests constitute its ______ meaning.

connotative

Which meaning of the word love is reflected in the saying "love means never having to say you're sorry"?

connotative

Loaded language refers to

connotative meaning.

Language is bound by which of the following?

context culture

Persuasion is the process of _____ people to think or act in a certain way.

convincing

Language expresses who we are by naming and identifying us and by enhancing our

credibility

Language has the power to enhance or diminish our ______, the extent to which others perceive us to be competent and trustworthy.

credibility

Language is intimately tied to issues of ___________.

credibility

When we trust a doctor's health advice over that of a waiter, we are assigning ______ on the basis of the doctor's expertise.

credibility

Which of the following describes the extent to which others perceive us to be competent and trustworthy?

credibility

Which of the following ways of using language can be abusive or beneficial, depending on how they are used?

criticism profanity

A word's literal meaning, which is how a dictionary defines the word, is known as the word's ______ meaning.

denotative

If you call a soft drink "pop" you are using

dialect

Which of the following describes the language variations shared by people of a certain region or social class?

dialect

Using an unfamiliar dialect when speaking to a local audience can ______ our credibility.

diminish

When a speaker uses language that is inappropriately simple for the audience, the speaker is talking

down to people.

A vague, mild expression that substitutes for something that is harsher or more blunt is known as a(n)

euphemism

Slang is closely related to __________, in that it substitutes formal terminology with informal or unconventional language.

euphemism

When topics are difficult to talk about directly, speakers may use vague or mild language, also known as __________, as a substitute for harsher terms.

euphemism

Which of the following is informal talk that is typically judgmental about people who are not present in the conversation?

gossip

Which of the following describes profanity meant to degrade, intimidate, or dehumanize persons based on their sex, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, race, disability status, or political or moral views?

hate speech

By bringing us closer to other people, as well as making social interaction more pleasant and enjoyable, ______ can enhance our communication with others.

humor

Which of the following is defined as a structured system of symbols used for communicating meaning?

language

Because many words suggest ideas that are different from what they literally mean,

language has layers of meaning.

Which of the following refers to defamatory statements made in print or some other fixed medium, such as a photograph?

libel

The ______ meaning of a word is known as its denotative meaning.

literal

Using the term "death panel" for a group that reviews the medical procedures a person can have under his or her health care coverage is an example of ______ language

loaded

Which of the following is a use of language that separates us from others?

negative campaign advertisements

Forms of language, such as euphemism, slang, and profanity, are

neither entirely bad nor entirely good.

It is important for a speaker to separate ______ from factual claims.

opinions

Which of the following describes the process of convincing people that they should think or act in a certain way?

persuasion

Which of the following describes language that is considered vulgar, rude, or obscene in the context in which it is used?

profanity

Which of the following are the primary social functions of language?

providing comfort and support expressing affection sharing social information

What are the three corners of the semantic triangle?

reference symbol referent

Negative campaign advertisements are an example of the use of language to

separate people from each other ideologically.

What are some characteristics that might be suggested by a person's first name?

sex age group ethnicity

Which of the following describes a defamatory statement that is made aloud, within earshot of others?

slander

Which of the following describes the use of informal and often unconventional words that are understood only by others in a particular group?

slang

Which of the following describes a short and memorable phrase that will motivate people to become customers?

slogan

In the semantic triangle, the word being communicated is called the

symbol

Which of the following describes how a word represents an object or idea but does not constitute the object or idea?

symbolism

The norm of reciprocity is

the expectation that you will help someone who has helped you in the past

Which of the following describes the expectation that you will help someone who has helped you in the past?

the norm of reciprocity

Because words are only symbols of objects and ideas and can mean whatever we choose them to mean, language is

usually arbitrary.

The basic rules that govern language apply to which of the following?

what words mean how words are placed in a sentence or phrase how words are pronounced