COMM Chapter 6 quiz
A malapropism occurs when two people use the same word to mean two different things.
False
The denotative level of meaning conveys the feelings and subjective associations a person has for a symbol.
False
We are more likely to apologize to people we barely know than we are to those with whom we share an intimate relationship.
False
The meaning of a symbol, such as a word, can change from culture to culture.
True
The way we talk to another forms the basis of a relationship with that person.
True
To Joseph, a "submarine" is a sandwich. To Alfonse, a "submarine" is a submersible ship. The different meanings Joseph and Alfonse apply to the word "submarine" reflect the fact that words are arbitrary.
True
When Cecilia is listening to her partner, she occasionally interjects, "Oh, I see" or "uh-huh" during the interaction, Cecilia is using backchannel talk.
True
Tommy went to Taiwan for a vacation. Since he couldn't read the restaurant menu, he asked the waiter to bring him a traditional Taiwanese meal. It was delicious. When he was done, he asked the waiter what the meat was, because he hadn't tasted anything like it before. The waiter told him it was dog meat. Tommy became sick to his stomach and rushed to the bathroom. Tommy's reaction reflects the power of words to
affect thoughts and actions.
Carly heard her communication professor use a word that she had not heard before and determined it would be a good idea to find out what the word meant. She consulted two dictionaries to be sure she had the literal meaning of the word. Carly was looking for which of the following meanings?
denotative
According to the model developed by Ogden and Richards, what are the things represented by symbols called?
referents
When Justin hears the word "buggy," he thinks of a swamp-like area he lived in when he was younger. In the triangle of meaning, the memory he has for the word buggy is called the referent.
False
Paul, who is slightly mentally challenged, laughs right along with the people who call him "the tard" at work. According to the research of John Seiter and his colleagues,
Paul is more likely to be perceived as less trustworthy than if he was referred to in more positive terms.
In response to his son's request, Dad says, "I don't care what you want. You'll do what I tell you, when I tell you, and that's that!" Which strategies for creating a supportive climate does his outburst most likely violate?
Solve problems rather than control others
A restricted code is a set of words that has a particular meaning to a person, group, or culture.
True
Language conveys meaning on two levels: content and feeling.
True
Glenda ordered her steak cooked medium-well at her favorite restaurant. When the server returned with her steak, Glenda cut into it, saw that it was red in the center, and said to the server, "OK, what part of 'medium-well' didn't you understand? I want you to take this back and cook it so it's edible. This is ridiculous!" Glenda's behavior was
aggressive.
After her parents tell her she can't go to the concert, Helga says, "You never let me do anything!" Helga is probably suffering from the language barrier of
allness
A person's name generally has no logical connection with the actual person, just as the word "cow" does not look like a cow or sound like a cow. These examples illustrate the principle that the connection between a word and what it represents is
arbitrary.
When you pursue your own interests without denying the rights of others, you are being
assertive
Janice and her family are enjoying their dinner meal together when the telephone rings. When Janice answers, the caller says, "Janet, this is Mr. Baxter with ABC Vacations. How are you doing today?" Janice corrects his mistake on her name and tells him that she's in the middle of dinner, to which Mr. Baxter replies, "Oh, I'm sorry, Janice. I just wanted to tell you about our great cruise offer that I can book for you here tonight..." Janice interrupts him, tells him she's not interested, and hangs up on the telemarketer. Which of Jack Gibbs' strategies for creating a supportive climate did Mr. Baxter most likely violate?
be genuine rather than manipulative
When someone uses the word dog and you understand the word to mean "a mangy, dirty, and disgusting animal, like the one that bit you when you were five years old," which level of meaning would you probably be applying?
connotative
Communication that spontaneously and interactively exchanges messages with another person is called
conversation.
Some people call the late Yasser Arafat a "terrorist," both fearing and reviling him. Some people call him a "freedom fighter," both loving and praising him. The use of these words to describe or evaluate Arafat reflect the power of words to
create perceptions.
Ethan realizes that when he communicates with Ji, who is an international student from South Korea, he may need to be sure that that his messages are more explicit, but they should not be condescending. This is an example of which of the following?
elaborated code
Dad says to Junior, "Hand me the screwdriver." Junior responds with, "Which kind, a flat-head or Phillips?" Which language barrier is Junior trying to overcome?
failure to be specific
Most everyone recognizes that Professor Williams is a great teacher and researcher and many will be sorry to see him retire at the end of this academic year. Brad, on the other hand, has told people "it's about time that old relic, that geezer, retires. He's WAY too old to still be in the classroom." This is an example of
hate speech.
Tom was describing the noises that hens make at his part-time job at the egg farm. He used the word "cackle" to describe the sound. This work is an example of
onomatopoeia.
During the late sixties and early seventies, you would see bumper stickers that said, "America: Love It or Leave It!" This sentiment expresses the language barrier of
polarization
When general semanticists use the expression, "The map is not the territory," to which language barrier are they referring?
static evaluation
What is the theory that seeks to explain how societies are bound or linked together through their use of symbols?
symbolic interaction