Verbal v. Nonverbal Language

Messages…are ideas and feelings people send or receive

when they communicate

Messages can be sent using to forms of communication:

VERBAL….a system of written and spoken words

NONVERBAL….communication without words

NonVerbal Communication has 4 purposes…

1. To complement verbal language2. To emphasize verbal language3. To replace verbal language4. To contradict verbal language

Can you think of an example of each of these??

1. Language is a SYSTEM

A system is a group of elements that work together

A language has 3 subsystems… Sounds Words Arrangement of sounds and words

Verbal Communication has 5 important features…

2. Language is symbolic

For example…

The word car stands for something you can drive…but the word isn’t driveable!!

3. Language is conventional

Conventional means “accepted by a large number of people”

Can you think of words that have become part

of our language because they have simply been

accepted by a large group of people??

Remember the concept of generalization

Can you think of words we no longer use?

4. Language is Learned

Children in a culturelearn a language in

manysteps. Can you think ofsome?

5. Language Changes

As a culture changes, so too does its language

Verbal Language is made up of words with 2 different meanings…

Good communicators choose words that lead to certain connotations

Denotation

Is a word’s dictionarymeaning

The sun=a body of light floating in space

Connotation

Is a word’s hiddenmeaning

The sun=happiness

What about the worddog?

Adapting Language to Specific Situations

Things to keep in mind…………………..

JargonSpecialized vocab understood by people in a particular group or field

SlangRecently coined words or old words used in a new way

DialectRegional or cultural variety of language differing from SAE in pronunciation, grammar or word choice

Standard American English (SAE)

Take the paragraph on the next slide and rewrite it four times….

The first as it is right here on the screen The second by inserting jargon The third by inserting slang The fourth by attempting to write in a

differing dialect

Assignment

Hello! How are you today? It’s very good tomeet you. You are dressed very nicely thismorning. Your hair also looks very pretty. Youmust be going to a get-together once youleave your place of employment. It’s veryfortunate you have a nice-looking and reliablevehicle to get you there. By the way, would youmind if I rode with you? My family and myfriends have told me they will not give me aride, and I am very upset. But I do not want tomiss the get-together. Thank you for helpingme. You are very kind. Have a good day.

People often do a perception check whennonverbal language has been used, but themessage is unclear.

Can you think of a time when a person’s bodylanguage was confusing, and you had toclarify? Do share!!!

Non Verbal Language

1. Facial expressions (an awareness of the concept of masking is important)

2. Eye contact3. Gestures (nodding, pointing, shrugging) 4. Posture5. Movement

Body language is made up of the following…

A type of nonverbal language that involves using voice variation and non-word sounds to accompany a verbal message

Paralanguage involves1. The general sound of a person’s voice2. The person’s use of pauses3. The person’s use of non-word sounds

(well, uh, uhm, you know, like)

Paralanguage

While watching both Buster Keaton and CharlieChaplin, list some of the nonverbal languageyou observe in your notebook.

For tonight…find two or three advertisements in magazines that have people (or a person) as a primary focus. Cut them out, paste them on a page, and then write what non-verbal body language you observe in the ad that allows us to interpret the ad as the creators of it hoped.

Assignments