Intercultural Communication chapter 7

generative linguistics

- started by Noam Chomsky - argues its necessary to go beyond a description of the location of items to produce grammar that reflects a native speaker's intuitive knowledge of language

what are Neulip's 5 common characteristics (AAAAA)

1) All languages have some way of naming objects, places or things 2) All languages have a way of naming action 3) All languages have a way of stating the negative, constructing interrogatives, and differentiating between singular and plural 4) All languages have a systematic set of sounds, combined with a set of rules for the sole purpose of creating meaning and communicating, with no natural or inherent relationship between the sounds and their accompanying alphabet 5) All languages have a set of formal grammatical rules for combining sounds and sequencing words to create meaning

what are characteristics of verbal codes?

1) Communication is symbolic but not all symbols are linguistic. 2) In linguistics symbols represent a subcategory of signs, and like signs, are not completely arbitrary (random) 3) Although languages differ there are some characteristics shared by all of them. Example: The relationship between a linguistic symbol (such as the word cow) and its referent ( a four-legged animal that gives milk) is completely arbitrary. There is nothing "cowy" about the word "cow" ; the same referent is called "vache" in French. There is no natural relationship between a word and its referent.

What are some various Communication Styles?

1) direct 2) Indirect 3) Elaborate 4) succinct 5) Personal 6) contextual 7) Instrumental 8) Affective

Although the languages we speak differ across cultural and geographical regions, scholars argue that all human languages share universal characteristics. Which of the following is NOT a universal characteristic of all languages?

A. All languages have some way of stating the negatives and constructing interrogatives. B. There is no natural relationship between any word and its referent. C. All languages have some way of differentiating between singular and plural. D. There is an inherent relationship between the sounds and their accompanying alphabet. Answer is D

Which of the following best characterizes the relationship between a linguistic symbol and its referent?

A. Ambiguous. B. Culturally universal. C. Arbitrary. D. All of the above. Answer is C

To translate 'democracy' or 'freedom' from one language into another may cause problems because different cultures may interpret them differently. Which type of translation problem does this example illustrate?

A. Conceptual equivalence. B. Experiential equivalence C. Idiomatic equivalence. D. Vocabulary equivalence. Answer is A

Which of the following communication styles are collectivistic cultures more likely to be associated with?

A. Indirect. B. Elaborate. C. Personal. D. Instrumental. Answer is A

Norm Chomsky claims that human languages share a universal grammar. Which of the following characterizes the universal grammar?

A. It is innate in the human species and culturally variant. B. It is innate in the human species and culturally invariant. C. Speakers can only generate sentences they have heard before. D. Speakers of any language can create a finite number of sentences. Answer is B

We can divide the language acquisition debate into nativists versus constructivists. Which of the following best describes constructivists?

A. Language acquisition requires interactions with the environment. B. Language is a natural behaviour and does not need to be learned. C. Language is a natural behaviour but has to be nurtured. D. Both A and C. Answer is A

When cultures with no shared language came into contact, such as through international trade or during colonialism, one way to communicate was through the development of pidgins and creoles. Which of the following best distinguishes pidgins from creoles?

A. Pidgins are used by women and creoles are used by men. B. Pidgins tend to last longer in history than creoles. C. Pidgins can be thought of as a second language whereas creoles can be acquired as a first language. D. Pidgins are used by tradesmen whereas creoles are used by politicians. Answer is C

Language has different components. Which of the following is concerned with how sounds are organized in a language?

A. Semantics. B. Morphology. C. Syntax. D. Phonology. Answer is D

Which of the following statements does NOT describe verbal codes?

A. Verbal codes are different for different cultures. B. Verbal codes comprise of a set of rules for governing language. C. A verbal code refers only to spoken language. D. We learn verbal codes through socialization. Answer is C

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis marked a very important development in the study of language. Which of the following statements is true regarding the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

A. We think in the words and the meanings of our language which in turn is an expression of our culture. B. All human languages share a universal grammar that is innate in the human species and culturally invariant. C. People of one culture cannot think of objects for which another culture has plentiful vocabulary. D. One of the most remarkable features of any language's rule structure is that it allows the speaker to generate sentences that have never before been spoken. Answer is A

What does Dan Slobin say about how children seem to learn their native languages?

Children in all nations seem to learn their native languages in much the same way. Despite diversity of tongues, there are linguistic universals that seem to rest upon the developmental universals of the human mind

what does Hoff say about nativist and constructivist view on language?

Hoff says both sides are right and the line between nativist and constructivist is not clear-cut. Language may be a natural behaviour, but still has to be carefully nurtured. For this reason, in all cultures, language learning is an essential part of formal education.

Who started the concept of generative linguistics?

Naom Chomsky

creoles

a fully-functional language of its own which includes elements of its parent languages. It has a complete grammar of its own and the full expressive power that affords. A Creole language develops among the children of pidgin speakers. I.e., no scholars are needed to create its grammar; young brains seem to have the built-in capacity to invent grammatical constructs. A Creole is a native language to its speakers (although they may also speak a mother language in addition).

what is Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey's definition of personal style?`

a person that amplifies the individual identity of the speaker. (often used in individualistic cultures that emphasize individual goals over those of the group. ) tends to be informal and reflected by the pronoun "I

what are verbal codes?

a set of rules about the use of words in creating a message

what is Naom Chomsky's universal grammar?

all human languages share a universal grammar that is natural in the human species and culturally unchanging. Human minds are equipped with a set of pre-programmed models that are triggered when exposed to the surrounding language

nominalists

argue our perception of external reality is shaped by material reality

what do nominalist believe regarding language?

argue our perception of outward reality is shaped not by language but but by material reality.

how does language define our identity?

as we use it to mark our social, ethnic, and national boundaries

what is contextual communication style?

based around status and roles. formally and power distance are emphasized. (often seen in collectivist cultures where a person's role identity and status are highlighted)

what do relativist believe regarding language?

believe our language determines our thought patterns, ideas, and perceptions of reality. (Example: numerous words for "snow" in the Inuit and other arctic indigenous languages, whereas in English there are fewer words for this concept

relativist

believe that our language determines our ideas, thought patterns, and perceptions of reality.

conceptual evidence

conversation with people with radically different cultural patterns requires making sense of a variety of concepts that each culture defines as real and good

discourse

embraces all systems of signification.

pidgins

formed when two communities that do not share a common language come into contact and need to communicate. The pidgin incorporates words from both source languages and has a simplified grammatical structure, just enough to allow some communication. For example, a pidgin might support just enough communication to allow Polynesians to trade with Captain Cook, or to allow a European-American frontiersman to get directions from a Native American. A pidgin is never a person's native language. A pidgin evolves among adult native speakers of different languages.

what is the instrumental communication style?

goal-oriented and sender-focused. speaker uses communication to achieve an outcome Example: boss tells an employee what to do and why. often seen in business context

what do constructivist argue regarding language?

grounded in the work of Piaget argue that language acquisition involves unveiling the patterns of language, and as result requires interaction with a structured environment.

idiomatic equivalence

idiom equivalence expression that has a meaning contrary to the usual meaning of the words EX: "its raining cats and dogs"

vocabulary equivalence

interpreter seeks a word in target language that has the same meaning in the source language

what do nativist argue regarding language?

language acquisition involves triggering these models so that only the details of a particular language must be learned

what is the Saphir-Whorf Hypothesis?

language and thought are inextricably (impossible to separate) tied together so that a person's language determines the categories of thought open to the person

what is a key contributor to intercultural communication?

linguist

glocalization

local and global at the same time

what does Deborah Tannen say about gender and communication

men and women express themselves differently because they have different cultures. - in her two-culture theory she says men usually use verbal communication to report about the world. A report is a specific way to communicate in order to maintain interdependence and status in a hierarchical social order. Women use verbal communication for rapport in order to establish a human connection Academic research shows that men tend to speak more often in public and tend to speak longer in meetings

collectivist cultures

power distance, formality, roles, status

what is the affective communication style?

receiver-focused and process oriented (more concerned with the process of the communication than the outcome) (Ex: in collectivist cultures people are more conscious of the other person's reactions and attempt to sense meaning by situational cues)

what is Scollon and Jones view on discourse?

say we have been formally or informally socialized into various discourse systems. Discourse systems contain "ideas and beliefs about the world, conventional ways of teaching other people, ways of communicating using various kinds of texts, media, and languages, and methods of learning how to use these other tools. They also believe we can only interpret the meanings of public texts like road signs, notices, and brand logos by considering the world that surrounds them

What is Fairclough's view on discourse? ( hint: imaginary, possible worlds)

says discourses not only represent the world as it is (or as its seen to be), they are also projective, imaginary, representing possible worlds which are different from the actual world, and tied in to projects to change the world in a particular direction

what is Chouliaraki's view on discourse? (hint: human rights)

says the human rights discourse is one of the most important discourses today. At both the national, and the global level, this discourses in itself in a space of contestation, with issues about how we are to ensure human rights, how universal human rights might be achieved and how culture must never become a shield for the denial of fundamental human rights.

high context cultures

silence is valued, non-verbal cues, silence rather than talking

what is a succinct communication style?

simple assertions and even silence valued Ex: its not unusual to pass a companiable evening in Helsinki with barely no words exchanged at all

what does robin Lakoff say about gender and communication

that women and men speak differently because boy and girls are socialized separately

what is the weak version of Saphir-Whorf hypothesis?

the claim that native language gives an influence over a person's perception of reality

ethnolinguistic vitality

the degree of prestige, acceptability, and importance attached to a group's language

pragmatics

the impact of language on human perception and behavior. Focuses on how language is used in a social context.

what is the strong version of Saphir-Whorf Hypothesis

the language a person speaks determine's one's perception of reality

define translation

the process of converting a source text either spoken or written, into a different language

define interpretation

the process of verbally expressing what is said in another language. It can be simultaneous with the interpreter speaking at the same time as the original speaker, or consecutive with the interpreter speaking only during the breaks provided by the original speaker

what is an elaborate communication style?

use of rich, expressive, metaphors, and decorated language in everyday conversation. (exaggerated) Ex: rather than just saying someone is thin, a comment "she is so thin that she can walk between raindrops without getting wet" Arabs, Middle Eater and African-American cultures use metaphorical expressions in everyday conversation

slang

using regional dialect to show you are from that particular region

Does language categorize our experiences with or without our full awareness?

without our full awareness. only when a person learns a second language and moves back and forth between the first and second language does the person become aware of the influence that language has on perception.

experiential evidence

words must have some meaning within the experiential framework of the person to whom the message is directed like if they've never seen a tv and you refer to it it is meaningless to them

what is discourse?

written or spoken communication. it is not only to speech and writing but embraces all systems of signification (conveying of meaning)

What are the 5 components of language identified by Leustig and Koester? (PMSSS)

PMSSS 1) Phonology: how words sound and are pronounced 2) Morphology: combination of words to create a meaning (morphemes) 3) Syntax: grammatical and structural rules of language. 4) Semantics: the study of the meanings of words and the relationships between words and the things to which they refer 5) structural linguistics: the study of language based on the assumption that language is a coherent system of formal units, and that the task of linguistic study is to inquire into the nature of this systematic arrangement without reference to historical antecedents Saussure compared language to a game of chess, saying a chess piece in isolation has no value and that a move by any one piece has repercussions for all the other pieces. Similarly, the meaning of a language system can be discerned by examining the items that occur alongside it and those which can be substituted for it structural linguistics were criticized for being too narrow in conception

what is a reason for refugees changing their names when they move to another country?

To create a new identity to fit into their new environment.