Unit 1: Language Terminology Quiz

Language and Communication Definitions

• Language is a system of patterns and symbols for communication, encompassing spoken, written, and signed systems.
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) supplements spoken language for some individuals.
• Unique to humans, language allows for infinite communication possibilities, with specialized speech organs for its use.

Distinction Between Communication and Language

• Communication encompasses a variety of forms such as movements, gestures, vocalizations, verbalizations, signs, pictures, objects, symbols, printed words, and AAC outputs.
• Language specifically represents the world and facilitates the transfer of information, acting as one form of communication.
• Human communication is an active exchange of information that distinguishes living beings from non-living elements in nature.

Communication Structure

• Signs represent something else, such as bird calls or words.
• Signifier is what stands for another thing (e.g., a word for an object).
• Signified refers to the real-world entity represented by the sign.
• Semantics is the study of signs.

Body Language and Intercultural Communication

• Communication sources: Meaning of words (7%), tone of voice (38%), facial expressions and non-verbal cues (55%).
• Intercultural communication is crucial as different cultural groups interact more frequently, necessitating cultural awareness.

Key Concepts in Communication

• Proxemics: Use of space in communication (e.g., private rooms vs. communal spaces).
• Gaze: Importance of eye contact.
• Kinesics: Body motions and gestures enhance communication.
• Haptics: Use of touch during conversations.
• High/low context: Differentiating between direct and indirect communication styles.

Skills of Social Communication

• Adapting language for various purposes and audiences (e.g., different approaches for children vs. adults).
• Providing additional information for topics unfamiliar to the listener.
• Adhering to conversational norms, including turn-taking and expressing oneself clearly.
• Non-verbal cues, like facial expressions and eye contact, are vital in communication.

Pillars of Social Communication

• Social interactions occur between individuals and require skills such as attachment, emotional understanding, and conflict resolution.
• Social understanding involves recognizing both one’s and others’ thoughts and intentions, facilitating flexible interactions.
• Pragmatics includes the rules governing conversational and social conduct, relevant in verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Language processing is critical for comprehending and generating language.

Grice’s Maxims of Communication

• Quantity: Contributions should be as informative as necessary.
• Quality: Contributions should be truthful and evidence-based.
• Relation: Contributions must be relevant.
• Manner: Contributions should be clear, orderly, and concise.

Social Communication Disorders

• Defined by deficits in social interactions, understanding, pragmatics, and language processing.
• Associated with conditions like intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, aphasia, and dementia.

Speech

• Speech refers to the articulation of sounds and words, forming a fundamental aspect of verbal communication.