Communcations Chapter 5

Rajiv has been feeling ill for some time and finally went to see a doctor about his condition. When the doctor informed him that he had prostate cancer, Rajiv was overcome with emotion because his father had died from prostate cancer. Given Rajiv's emotional reaction to his diagnosis, what level of meaning influenced Rajiv's reaction to the doctor's message?

connotative meaning

Jack and Jill went out on their first date last weekend. During the evening, Jack said to Jill, "Will you marry me?" Jill did not understand what Jack what trying to convey because his question was inappropriate given the status of their relationship at this point. Which rules of language use were violated by Jack's request and explain why Jill did not understand the message?

pragmatic rules

Which of the following refers to the goals or actions that can be performed through language?

speech acts

Which type of language rules refer to guidelines for structuring words and phrases?

syntactic rules

You had a crazy dream last night! But when you tried to relate the details of your dream to your friend later that morning, much of what you experienced defies explanation. The parts of your dream that defy language fade from your memory, while the parts you can put into words become more solidified in your mind. Which of the following reflects this tendency for language to create an incomplete and oversimplified image of real experiences?

Totalizing

Which statement correctly defines Grice's maxim of manner?

Communicators should avoid being vague, wordy and disorganized.

Which of the following is true about the role of intimacy in language use?

Couples who are more intimate use more pluralistic pronouns ("we, us", etc.).

Which of the following statements correctly defines the concept linguistic relativity?

It is the assumption that different languages reflect and create culture differences in conceptions of reality.

In the English language, the word "apple" is used to represent a piece of fruit with a stem, seeds, and a thin red skin that can be eaten raw or baked into a pie. There is no inherent reason, however, for calling this fruit an "apple." It could just as easily have been called an orange, a banana, or a tomato. What does this suggest about the nature of language?

Language is arbitrary

Which of Grice's maxims suggests that communicators should make contributions to conversation that are pertinent to the topic?

Maxim of relevance

Which of the following suggests that language has a tendency to give an incomplete or oversimplified version of reality that lacks detail and nuance?

Totalizing

Language, in general, is abstract because it involves the use of symbols to refer to objects and concepts that are not physically present. What does it mean, then, to use concrete language?

Using words that refer to specific events, objects, or actions.

Margaret's third grade teacher told her that she was bad at math. The fact that her teacher used _____ to describe Margaret's understanding of math is a problem because it put's Margaret in a box: "Not good at math." In real life, experiences and understanding are more complex than that.

Polarizing language

What is the cooperative principle?

The assumption that people who are talking to each other are working together to advance the conversation.