School of English, Media Studies & Art History.
Can you really not not communicate?
1. Structure: Language is a structured system of symbols with sets of linguistic rules, and a structure. 2. Productivity: capacity to transform a small number of sounds into words, then sentences and convey an infinite number of thoughts, feelings ideas etc. in a variety of different ways.
3. Displacement:
words allow us to talk about objects that are not necessarily present, or about abstract ideas.
4. Self-reflexivity:
use language to talk about language.
Groups of 3
Dyad to sit back to back Introduce self
Unusual
ANZAC Day
Observer
Likely problems
Couldn’t see other person, so couldn’t decide when to talk
Hard to get feedback Couldn’t hear well, too much noise
Didn’t know when serious or joking
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Appearance/Artefacts
Kinesics
Haptics
Proxemics
Chronemics
Paralanguage
And Silence
◦ A. Emblems. Precise meanings (e.g. hitch-hiking)
◦ B. Illustrators. Make explanation (e.g. pointing left or right)
◦ C. Regulators. Monitoring. (e.g. make eye contact to speak) ◦ D. Adaptors
◦ E. Affect displays. (e.g. facial expressions)
Study of the significance of Touch
◦
Important correlations between touch and space
(both use norms of acceptable/not acceptable)
◦
Varies across cultures
Study of the significance of space
Spatial relationships and Inter-personal distance Edward T. Hall’s 4 zones for American culture:
Intimate zone
Personal zone
Social zone
Public zone
E
Mehrabian. A. (1976). Public Places and Private Spaces
The study of the significance or time; how we use time, increments of time etc.
How much time we spend with someone
Punctuality
Influenced by culture
Vocal but NOT words
Pitch
Loudness
T-e-m-p-o
Inflection
E.g. Make the bed !!!
An ambiguous form of communication
Is classed as a non-verbal component of communication behaviour
May be communicatively relevant (or not ?) in any particular pragmatic framework
Can have an informative intention or a communicative intention or both
Peter: How much do you earn at this new place? Mary: [Silence]
Peter: Well, you don’t have to tell me.
Mary’s silence has both informative and communicative intention
Lee wants Alex to hang a