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Language's Impact on Communication Styles

Chapter 4 discusses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which posits that language shapes perceptions and worldviews, influencing how speakers of different languages perceive concepts like food, gender, and time. It also explores various verbal communication styles, including high vs low context and direct vs indirect communication, as well as self-enhancement vs self-effacement. Additionally, the chapter touches on non-verbal communication and its cultural significance.

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25- 11L- Phạm Phương Thảo
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6 views10 pages

Language's Impact on Communication Styles

Chapter 4 discusses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which posits that language shapes perceptions and worldviews, influencing how speakers of different languages perceive concepts like food, gender, and time. It also explores various verbal communication styles, including high vs low context and direct vs indirect communication, as well as self-enhancement vs self-effacement. Additionally, the chapter touches on non-verbal communication and its cultural significance.

Uploaded by

25- 11L- Phạm Phương Thảo
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

LANGUAGE AND CC

COMMUNICATION
CHAPTER 4

OUTLINE
• Saphir-Whorf Hypothesis
• Verbal communication styles
• Other terms to discuss

Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
• “Language profoundly shapes the perceptions and world
view of its speakers” ➔ Language has a power and can
control how you see the world.
• Speakers of different language have different world views
➔ Language is the guide to your reality, structuring your
thoughts
• For example
EN: “I” & “you”
VN: Can you list down?
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EXAMPLES
• Constructions of food in language: A language may
ascribe many words to explain the same concept, item, or
food type. This shows that they perceive it as extremely
important in their society, in comparison to a culture
whose language only has one word for that same
concept, item, or food.
e.g. US words for beef & Japanese words for rice
Vietnamese words for river transportation

EXAMPLES
• Constructions of gender in language: Many languages
are “gendered”, creating word associations that pertain to
the roles of men or women in society.
• Perceptions of time in language: Depending upon how
the tenses are structured in a language, it may dictate
how the people that speak that language perceive the
concept of time.
• Slang in language: The slang used by younger people
evolves from generation to generation in all languages.
Generational slang carries with it perceptions and ideas
about the world that members of that generation share.
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VERBAL COMMUNICATION STYLE

• The meta-message that contextualize show


listeners are expected to receive and interpret
verbal messages
• Includes both verbal & non-verbal language

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STYLES

High vs Low Direct vs Elaborate vs “Ping-pong”


context Indirect Understated vs “Bowling”

HIGH vs LOW CONTEXT

• High: the majority of meaning and information is


in the non-verbal code
• Low: the majority of meaning and information is in
the verbal code

DIRECT AND INDIRECT

• Direct: verbal messages reveal …


• Indirect: verbal message is often designed to
camouflage …
… the speaker’s true intentions, needs, wants, and
desires

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Self-enhancement vs
Self-effacement
Self-enhancement: open and direct about their
abilities and accomplishments.
Ex: individualistic cultures
Self-effacement: restraints, hesitations, modest talk,
and self-deprecation when discussing their own
abilities and accomplishments
Ex: collectivistic cultures

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Elaborate vs Understated

• Elaborate: involves the use of rich,


expressive, exaggerated language.

• Understated: values succinct, simple


assertions, and silence.

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“PING PONG”
vs
“BOWLING”
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“PING PONG” vs “BOWLING”
• “Ping pong”: speak in short bursts,
interaction expected, interruptions
accepted
• “Bowling”: speak in long bursts, turn-
taking expected, interruptions not
accepted

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OUTLINE
• Non-verbal communication
• Different forms of non-verbal communication

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NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Without words spoken & written out
• Multiple channels
• Can be:
- Cultural
- Idiosyncratic

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Thank you

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