Purposive Communication: Language Basics

Purposive Communication

• Focuses on writing, speaking, and presenting to various audiences for various purposes

Language and Communication

• Language is a remarkable and dynamic ability unique to humans that involves development and complexity beyond animal communication.
• Linguists define language as a system of rules, including grammar, phonology (sound system), and lexicon (vocabulary).
• Shared language enhances mutual understanding within a speech community adhering to shared rules.
• Language is either spoken or written, using words in a structured manner.

Language Acquisition

• Individuals naturally acquire languages spoken in their community as they grow.
• Children subconsciously learn their native language in a process.
• A person's mother tongue or their first language is learned early in development.

Language Contact

• Occurs when speakers of different languages or language varieties interact and influence each other's speech.

Language Learning

• Involves deliberate study of additional languages through education or self-directed efforts.
• Learning a new language includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing, potentially with new alphabets/formats.
• A second language is any language learned after the first.

Language Change

• Languages evolve through constant interaction and communication.
• Language contact is a driver of language change.

Elements of Language: Phonology

• Phonology is the study of sounds, derived from Greek.
• A phoneme is the smallest distinct unit of sound.

The English Alphabet

• The English alphabet has 26 letters that represent approximately 48 different sounds in American English.
• Some letters produce multiple sounds.
• Combining letters can create unique sounds mostly in English, with variations like "th" and "ch".

Elements of Language: Morphology

• Morphology studies word formation, focusing on internal word structure.
• Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning within words; "note" and "book" are single morphemes.
• Morphemes combine to create words like "notebook", which has two morphemes and "notebooks" has "3".
• Adding the morpheme {er} to a verb can change its meaning.
• "-er" transforms a verb into a noun, but serves a different purpose when added to an adjective.
• Lexical morphemes carry meaning, like "girl," "man," and "house."
• Grammatical morphemes include "and", "the", "a", and "e" to connect lexical morphemes.

Grammatical Morphemes

• Free morphemes such as nouns and verbs can function independently.
• Prepositions, conjunctions, and articles are free morphemes, but serve as grammatical morphemes.
• Bound morphemes cannot stand alone and must attach to other morphemes like "weak" + "-ness" or "care" + "-less" + "-ness".

Elements of Language: Semantics

• Semantics is the study of meaning in language, covering words, phrases, and sentences.
• Listeners know "All kings are males" because "king" denotes a male ruler.
• The statement “All bachelors are women” is incorrect because a bachelor is defined as an unmarried man.
• “We saw the Philippine history professor” is an ambiguous statement.
• Effectively communicating relies on understanding the principles of semantics.

Elements of Language: Pragmatics

• Another language element i pragmatics which refers to the use of language

• Context influences language use.

• Speakers adjust their language based on the situation and the people involved.

• Pragmatics requires understanding language, culture, and people.

Elements of Language: Syntax

• Syntax focuses on sentence structure and grammar.
• English follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, e.g., "I eat dinner."
• "Dinner I eat" is the wrong word order.
• "The girl waters the plant" follows correct word order, unlike "A water plants the girl".

Performing Well with Language

• Acquiring these foundational components is crucial for succeeding in a new language and for social and academic progress.
• Complex sentences must be formed appropriately.

Varieties of Communication

• Written language is organized and explanatory, with deliberate word choice and follows structure.
• Spoken language is spontaneous, momentary, and maintained as a dialogue.

Written vs spoken English

• Written English = steady flow, structured organization, and formal/informal register
• Spoken English = pauses, less structure, and informal.

Static Register

• A static register is formal, unchanging, and learned by rote and is for public and legal use.

Formal Register

• Precise and impersonal, for academic lectures, meetings, and speeches.

Consultative Register

• Used to exchange info, solve problems, or give advice professionally with clarity, objectivity, and formal language.

Casual Register

• It is used in relaxed environments with friends and family.

Intimate Register

• It is personal and for close relationships in private.

Concentric Circles of English

• Conceptualized by Braj Kachru
• Inner Circle: English as a Native Language (ENL) in USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
• Outer Circle: English as a Second Language (ESL) in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Zambia
• Expanding Circle: English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in China, Caribbean, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South America, Taiwan, Zimbabwe

Communication

• Exchanging information, ideas, and feelings from one individual to another person
• It is more than just words, and is a process between 2 or more people

Communication types, mode

• Verbal (oral, and written modes)
• Non-verbal (body language, face, gestures)
• Visual (Charts, images, illustrations)

Different forms of non-verbal communication

• Kinesics (body language)
• Oculesics (eye movement)
• Haptics (touch)
• Proxemics (distance)
• Chronemics (timing)
• Olfactics (smell)
• Artefactual (appearance)
• Physical Appearance
• Metalinguistic
• Paralanguage (tone and voice)

Context of Communcation

• This is the situation for communication with physical setting, values of speakers/listeners, and importance of message
• Intrapersonal (Communication with ones self)
• Interpersonal (communication in small groups)
• Extended Communication (Tech tool)
• Organization Communication (Business)
• Intercultural Communication -- among people of diverse cultures
• Mass Communication – to large audience through different modes

Styles and Purposes of Communicaitons

• Formal - to inform, entertain, or persuade
• Informal - casual converstation

Communicaiton Chains

• Single Strand Chain - communication via a line
• Gossip Chain - one person spreading word
• Probability Chain - random process
• Cluster Chain - Information conveyed to selected individuals who further disseminate the message

Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Function

• Verbal communication defines truth through expression of ideas and self-description.
• Verbal communication helps categorize complex ideas and experiences.
• Verbal communication shapes behaviors influencing how people interact with their environment
• Non-verbal reinforcment is the amount of redundancy that increases the verbal message, like saying hi and waving.
• Non verbal communication includes, contraction, accentuation or subsitution

Communication Process, Principles, and Ethics

• Communication needs a system
• Notable reasons for being successful:
  • Developments Coordination
  • Smooth Functioning
  • Efficient Decisions
  • More peace with employees
  • Boosts morale

Key Elements of Communicaiton

• Senders send the message, Encoding helps convert to symbols, while Interference can prevent communicaiton.
• The channel distributes feedback, while decoding gives mental meaning
• The feedback is there reaction to the message
• The enviroment is where communcaition occours, while contexts gives understanding

Different communicaiton types

• These Models are used to develop speaking skills, propaganda - Linear Model – one way process with no external feedback - Verbal Model - The audience must know how to make it correct with feedback. - Aristotle Communicaiton model - Used to develop public speaking skills - Barnlund Communicaiton model – Multi layered with shared experince - Berlo’s SMCR Model (1960) - Based on the 4 words sender, message channel and receiver - Lasswell Communicaiton model - Who Says What In Which Channel To Whom With What Effect
• There are 8 stages of oral communicaiton
  • White's model has (thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, feedbacking, and monitoring
  • Circular communicaiton gives 2 way directions

Principals for Effictive Communication

• Know who you would like to give the speech/writing to so you can pick age,background,culture etc. - You must know your porpuse be that persuasive, informative or entertainign - Pick a correct enviroment for talking. - Get feed back

Ethics of Communication

• Your behavior can affect communication - Develop a open value system - Have correct info - Showcase enough details to not hide info