UNIT 2 Delivering Your Message PDF

DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE UNIT 2, BU1523 AGENDA 1. Language & the Communication Process 2. Describe how language shapes our experience of reality. 3. Give examples of how language can be a barrier to communication. 4. Give examples of message types and the parts of a message. 5...

DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE UNIT 2, BU1523 AGENDA 1. Language & the Communication Process 2. Describe how language shapes our experience of reality. 3. Give examples of how language can be a barrier to communication. 4. Give examples of message types and the parts of a message. 5. Language As an Obstacle to Communication 6. Demonstrate professional communication related to gender and race. 7. List six strategies for improving verbal communication. REVIEW UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION Kahoot! LANGUAGE & THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS Part 1 “Communication is the process of understanding and sharing meaning” WHAT IS LANGUAGE? Language is a system of symbols, words, and/or gestures used to communicate meaning. Words themselves hold no meaning. It takes at least two people to use them, to give them life and purpose. Words change meaning over time. The dictionary entry for the meaning of a word changes because we change. Multiple meanings can lead to miscommunication. WORDS CHANGE MEANING OVER TIME… Nice: This word used to mean “silly, foolish, simple.” Far from the compliment it is today! Silly: Silly went in the opposite direction: in its earliest uses, it referred to things worthy or blessed; from there it came to refer to the weak and vulnerable, and more recently to those who are foolish. Awful: Awful things used to be “worthy of awe” for a variety of reasons, which is how we get expressions like “the awful majesty of God.” TRIANGLE OF MEANING A model of communication that indicates the relationship among a thought, symbol, and referent and highlights the indirect relationship between the symbol and referent. A thought is the concept or idea a person references. A symbol is the word that represents the thought. A referent is the object or idea to which the symbol refers. Useful model for communication because when you are aware of the This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC indirect relationship between symbols and referents, you are aware of how common misunderstandings occur. View more examples here Figure 2.1. TRIANGLE OF MEANING Figure 2.1. The triangle of meaning. This figure illustrates a symbol and referent in relation to a thought (Adapted from Ogden & Richards, 1932). CHARACTERISTICS OF MESSAGES Part 2  The Primary Characteristics of Messages When considering how to effectively use verbal communication, keep in mind there are three distinct types of messages you will be communicating: primary, secondary, and auxiliary (Hasling, 1998, as cited in OBF and eCampus Ontario Program Managers, 2018). PRIMARY MESSAGES: refers to the intentional MESSAGES content, both verbal and nonverbal. SECONDARY MESSAGES: refers to the unintentional content, both verbal and nonverbal. AUXILIARY MESSAGE: refers to the intentional and unintentional ways a primary message is communicated. Includes: vocal inflection, gestures and posture, or rate of speech that influence the interpretation or perception of your message. CHARACTERISTICS OF MESSAGES: EXAMPLE THE FIVE PARTS OF A MESSAGE ATTENTION STATEMENT: captures the attention of your audience. INTRODUCTION: a clear statement about your topic; establish a relationship with your audience. BODY: present your message in detail, using any of a variety of organizational structures. CONCLUSION: provide the audience with a sense of closure by summarizing your main points and relating them to the overall topics. RESIDUAL MESSAGE: a message or thought that stays with your audience well after the communication is finished. This can be an important part of your message. PRINCIPLES OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION Part 3 LANGUAGE HAS RULES There are three types of rules that govern or control your use of words: 1. SYNTACTIC RULES: govern the order of words in a sentence. 2. SEMANTIC RULES: govern the meaning of words and how to interpret them (Martinich, 1996, as cited in OBF and eCampus Ontario Program Managers, 2018). 3. CONTEXTUAL RULES: govern meaning and word choice according to context and social custom. THE TRAFFIC LIGHT EXAMPLE SYNTAX = order: Red is on the top Yellow is in the middle Green is on the bottom SEMANTICS = meaning: Red means Stop Green means Go LOST IN TRANSLATION: INTERNATIONAL MARKETING FAILS Read more here LANGUAGE IS ABSTRACT The ladder of abstraction is a model used to illustrate how language can range from concrete to abstract. If you follow a concept up the ladder of abstraction, more and more of the “essence” of the original object is lost or left out, It requires you to use context and often other words to generate shared meaning. WORDS HAVE TWO TYPES OF MEANINGS  Examples: Life, beauty, love, Level Four: Abstractions time, success, power, evil, good Examples: People, women, Level Three: Broad Group of THE LADDER Names with little specification young people, industry, goals, things, television OF Examples: teenagers, middle- ABSTRACTION Level Two: More definite class, clothing industry, groups college campus, TV dramas, house plants Examples: Air Jordan nikes; my black and white dog, Level One: Specific, Solo; The Omnivore’s identifiable Nouns Dilemma; My friend’s new baby.  “Most writing contains a range of abstraction levels, but successful professional writers draw heavily on Level One abstractions. Sophistication of thought deals in the realm of abstraction, but sophistication of writing is achieved through supporting those abstractions with concrete details.” - Jan Strever OK, BUT WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS? Your writing should have a larger idea or purpose– from that top rung– but should spend a lot of time illustrating and explaining that idea in the details, in examples. Quality writing touches the tippy top of the ladder, then spends the majority of its time in the concrete details, explaining the greater idea. If you find that you’re spending too much time in the middle of the ladder, you’ll start sounding like a politician at a campaign speech. That might be good politicking. But it’s too general for the likes of us. Language As An Obstacle To Communication Part 4 LANGUAGE CAN BE AN OBSTACLE TO COMMUNICATION THE SIX BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION Figure 2.3. Barriers to communication. IMPROVING VERBAL COMMUNICATION Be aware of any words you are using that may be unfamiliar to your audience. When you identify an unfamiliar word, your first decision is Define Your Terms whether to use it or to substitute a more common, easily understood word. To increase understanding, choose precise words that provide the most Choose Precise Words accurate picture for your audience. Consider Your Audience Contextual clues are important to guide your audience as they read. Control Tone What kind of tone is best for your intended audience? In oral communication, feedback is a core component of the Check for Understanding communication model as we can often see it, hear it, and it takes less effort to assess it. It can be a challenge to balance the need for attention to detail with the Be Results Oriented need to arrive at the end product TERMINOLOGY Cliché: cultural references that often make no sense in other cultures. For example, “A cliché is something to avoid like the plague, for it is nothing but a tired old war horse, and if the shoe were on the other foot, you too would have an axe to grind.” Jargon – An occupation-specific language used by people in a given profession. Jargon does not necessarily imply formal education, but instead focuses on the language people in a profession use to communicate with each other. Slang – The use of existing or newly invented words to take the place of standard or traditional words with the intent of adding an unconventional, nonstandard, humorous, or rebellious effect. It differs from jargon in that it is used in informal contexts, among friends or members of a certain age group, rather than by professionals in a certain industry. Euphemism – Involves substituting an acceptable word for an offensive, controversial, or unacceptable one that conveys the same or similar meaning. Doublespeak – The deliberate use of words to disguise, obscure, or change meaning. Offensive Language – Some language is offensive and has no place in the workplace. It may even be a violation of company policy.