Unit 3: Verbal Communication

Overview

Most people think of communication as a verbal activity, or the words that we speak and hear. Human verbal communication has a rich history and is also complex! As you read this unit, think about how you have constructed the meaning of specific words.

• How do you know what someone means when they say a word?
• Have you created unique meanings of words or phrases with people you know?
• Have you ever misinterpreted a word or sentence from someone because they were not specific, or because your previous experiences are different from theirs?

Even the way that you have developed nicknames for people or pets often evolves — someone’s “proper” name can change and evolve into something that eventually sounds nothing like their real name, but evokes a specific meaning for those who refer to them.

The history of words (also known as etymology) can be surprisingly interesting. We’ll deconstruct a few words in this unit, and if you’re interested in words and meanings, you’ll have the chance to look at the history of the words that you find unique. The way that words evolve is complex and fascinating!

Helping you to “decontaminate” verbal communication is a specific goal of this unit. For example, you’ve probably heard someone say, “I feel like you never take me seriously,” or “It looks like you’ve messed up again.” By the end of this unit, you’ll be able to transform these statements to be more civil and less polarizing.

Cultural awareness is an essential element in communication, and we’ll start talking about culture in this unit. Culture may refer to someone of a different race, gender, or sexual orientation than yours. Cultural communication can also refer to how you speak with one group (such as your friends) and how you speak in other groups (such as family or with educators). As you read this unit, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect upon how you communicate similarly or differently with the variety of people in your life.

Topics

Unit 3 contains the following 4 topics

• Topic 1: Language and Meaning
• Topic 2: Functions of Language
• Topic 2: Using Words Well
• Topic 4: Language, Society, and Culture

The topics comprise models and theories of language, together with practical examples that you can apply to your own life. Together, these sections will help you to complete the quiz for this unit and prepare for the next assignments in this course.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this Unit, you should be able to:

1. Understand how language influences meaning.
2. Describe linguistic expression and how it can separate and/or unite people.
3. Identify strategies for using language clearly and ethically.
4. Understand how language can adapt and evolve.
5. Explain cultural issues and their role in language use.

Activities and Graded Assessments

Activities

Graded Quizzes and Assignments

At the end of the unit, please open your Moodle course and complete the following assessment(s):

• Quiz 3 (3%)

Media Attributions

Xavi Cabrera. (2019, September 17). Woman near man [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-near-man-rpjnh4CMmeg