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Language, communication,
exam 1
23
Anthropology
Undergraduate 2
01/22/2008

Additional Anthropology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Theories of Language
Definition

 

  1. Language as constitutive (Internal)
  2. Language as Communicative (External)
Term
Language as Constitutive (Internal)
Definition

Creates everyhting in our universe; language as a creator

  1. Subjective/identity: we become via language
  2. Social relationships: Determines how and with whom we create relationships with
  3. System of knowledge and belief: Constructs a system of understanding (Christian)
Term
Language as Communicative (External)
Definition

Method of expression, literary style, vocabulary and way of using it

  1. Reflectionist theory: Reflection of reality, defining social, economic, ethnic (etc) boundaries Tu/Vous
  2. Instrumental Theory: tool used to affect social ends, to produce social status Resonse of tu to Vous
Term

Non Verbal Communication (metamessage)

*every verbal communication has a metamessage*

Definition
  1. Body Modification: Clothing, ornamentation, somatic body modification (tattoos, piercing, etc)
  2. Use of microspace:
  • Proxemics: how we conciously manipulatte space (fixed, semi-fixed or dynamic spatial features)
  • Kinesics: How we use gestures
Term
Design Features of Language (Charles Hockett)
Definition

ODADSP

  • Openess: creativity, making endless message
  • Displacement: Talking about something not present
  • Arbitrariness: no set relation between words+meaning
  • Duality of patterning:

1)Phoneme: smallest unit of sound

2) Morpheme: smallest unit of meaning

  • Semanticity: Meaning
  • Prevarication: ability to use grammatically correct sentences with false or no meaning (lying)

 

Term
Ethnoscience
Definition

The Study of classification systems in given domains that organise people`s knowledge of their universe. Implies that all cultures are systematic and classify and categorise the world as they see it.

  • Tells us what exists and what is relevant
  • How or what is important and defined, what are relevant features
  • Tells us about relevant contrasts in relation to other things
Term
Metaphor
Definition

Form of language and thought that asserts meaningful link between two expressions from different semantic domains; linking two dissimilar things.

 

made up of:

Predicate: part that suggests familiar domain (clarifies subject)

Entailments: the attributes of the predicate which clarify the subject (relate it to the culturally defined domain)

Subject: Suggest the unfamiliar object to be clarified

Term
Things to remember about metaphors
Definition
  1. They create ambiguity and need to be understood in cultural context
  2. Usually, one of the linkages is more familiar than the other
  3. They have the power to create
Term
Types of Metaphors
Definition

KOST

  1. Kinship: extends kin titles to others ie, `godfather`
  2. Organic: Extends animate qualities to innanimate objects `chair leg, heart of city, ipod skin`
  3. Societal: Uses social orders to show how the universe works (projects a symbol onto the universe) `hierarchy of religion onto society and visa versa`
  4. Technological: Uses tech to compare `I am a bit rusty`
Term
Metonymy
Definition
Process of linking parts of semantic domains into wholes ie `she likes to read Poe, crown decision`
Term
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
Definition

Language and thought are intrinsically connected

 

STRONG HYPOTHESIS: Language determines culture

WEAK HYPOTHESIS: language influences culture

Term
Linguistic competence (Noam Chomsky)
Definition

The often tacit knowledge structure necessary for understanding and performing language... speaking.

Components of:

Phonological Competence: To decipher and use sound

Lexical Competence: Recognise and use vocabulary

Grammatical Competence: Recognise and use structure

Discourse Competence: Organise elements above onto meaningful structures.

Term
Linguistic competence (Noam Chomsky) of language acquisition
Definition
  1. based on inate human developmental process (hard wired) *critical age hypothesis*
  2. Language acquisition follows a universal sequence
  3. Language acquisition is linked to abstract thought (we learn to express abstract thought as we grow) 
Term
Communicative Competence (Dell Hymes)
Definition

The sometimes tacit knowledge of social and cultural rules for the understanding and performance of language, ie speaking in a culturally meaningful way

Frames of language, norms of behaviour, and social interaction

Bonvillain outlines:

  • Competent expression of intention
  • assrtion of rights
  • response to others`rights
  • undrstanding and responding correctly to social distinctions

 

Term
Language Socialization model (Ochs and Sheffelin)
Definition
  1. Language is a central dimension of socialization

Children are socialized by language

Children socialize through language

2. Socialization involves agency of all the participants

3.  Socialixation happens thoughout life and in all contexts

 

*essentially links linguistic and communicative competence*

Examples from Bonvillain: food preference ``eat your veggies if you want dessert`` dinner talk=lesson in hierarchy of age and gender 

Term
Ethnography of Communication (Hymes)
Definition
  1. Speech community: people who share the same rules and frames for interpreting metamessages
  2. Speech situation: instance of talking or non talking ie, dinner, meeting, crackhouse
  3. Speech event: beginning and ending norms ie dinner conversation, religious service
  4. Communicative-speech acts: Smaller usage if words, the individual accomplishments of utterances (pass the salt)
  5. communicative style: Characteristic way of speaking (loud, hand talker, etc)
  6. ways of speaking: Speech in particular context (Church vs. Dinner table)
Term
Ethnography of SPEAKING
Definition

SPEAKING:

 

Situation: Time + place

Participants: Who, what is the relationship (speaker, listener, audience)

End: Reason+Goals

Act Sequence: Sequence of events, who begins, ends continues

Key: Mood or tone

Instrument: Channel of speech

Norms: Rules about speech, whispering, pauses, etc.

Genre: different types (prayer, small talk)

Term
Narrative (Bonvillain)
Definition
  1. Temporality: Chronological order
  2. Meaningful: to the speaker
  3. Reportability: to the listener
  4. Significance: point
  5. Credibility: Must be believable
Term
Ochs Narrative lessons
Definition
  1. Occurs across all cultures, we reflect on our actions in retrospect ``framing``the event
  2. Events are told with a temporal orderliness, having a causal relationship
  3. The events tend to be unexpected and problematic, giving significance to them
  4. Narrating personal experience consists of two practices: A) plot is consistent and coherent B) raises ambiguity (no answer)
  5. We tell stories to explain who we are, to figure out a relationship to the narrative
Term
Language and Socialization Model
Definition

Focus on documenting how people manage concerted activity by constantly informing and conforming each other to whatever it is that has to happen. Examining the ``so what``, things we take for granted

Term
Conversational structure
Definition

Patterned, yet improvised

  1. Openings: technical (social acomplishment), shows how relations are established

         i) Adjacent pairs: Sets of linked talk, "how are you?" requireds a response

      ii) Ratification of topic: What is the purpose of the conversation? It must be ratified to continue

          

2Cohesion:

 

i) Back Channel talk: ongoing ratification, co-productions of the speakers right to speak

ii) Turn taking: Tag questions, pauses, silence, invites the listener to speak

 

    iii) Repair mechanisms: Get's the conversation back on topic (higher status usually gets to do this)

 

   iv) Repetition: Signals that the listener is listening and ratifies the topic, establishes co-participation in a conversation

 

            v) Punning: It is often unconscious, serves to ratify and also ensure that the listener is listening (creates co-membership)

 

 3. Closings: Closings also have a beginning, middle and an end

Term
Directives
Definition

Statements which imply needs from the other person 

 

  • Sincere and reasonable
  • Stated in different ways depending on the context and the interlocutors
  • Lower status people will tend to use directives in less direct ways (hinting)
Term
Politeness
Definition
  • About dealing with FTA's (Face Threatening Acts)
  • Respect and Freedom to do what you want are the goals
  • Handled differently depending on context and the status of the interlocutors, Lower status tend to use politness more often

Positive Politeness: Approved, co-membership

Negative Politeness: Tries to avoid being a bother

Bald: no politeness

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