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Values of communication theories
Applying speech acts theory
Applying speech acts theory
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Question 2: Most Valuable Communication Theory
Everyone has experienced that moment when you are talking to someone and you think “what do they mean by that?” Sometimes the message the sender is trying to get across is interpreted differently by the receiver. Perceptions are what drive a person’s interpretation of the meaning behind the message. With that said, there is a communication theory that explains the function of language and how it used to send a message. In short this valuable theory connects words to actions and can act as a tool that may be utilized in everyday communication.
Within the philosophy of language there is a theory that attempts to explain how speakers use language to send a message and how receivers interpret the intended message from what is said. This theory, commonly referred to as Speech Act Theory was developed by Oxford philosopher J.L. Austin. When Austin passed one of his former students John R. Searle continued developing this theory by further elaborating and refining it. Speech Act Theory can be broken down into several categories but first, what is a speech act?
A speech act is an utterance that acts as a functional unit in human communication. There are an infinite number of speech acts that a person can perform. Speech acts are not uniformed, but rather open to interpretation and negotiation. They can be defined by a culture, community, religion etc. However, Austin originally determined that what we say has three types of meanings: locutionary, illocutionary and perlocutionary. Locutionary meaning deals with the literal meaning of what is said. For example, the meaning behind someone saying “it is hot in here,” literally means the temperature in the room is hot. Illocutionary meanin...
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...nt cultures. Speech Act Theory is most closely coined with cross-cultural pragmatics. By utilizing both the constitutive and regulative rules I can better address someone of a different culture.
In conclusion Speech Act Theory has been the most valuable theory I have learned this semester because it breaks down language and addresses how to accomplish the intended meaning while also making me aware of how my intended meaning might be misconstrued. By exercising the elements put forth within this theory I can approach a given situation and systematically assign unit acts to specific speech act types. This in turn will help me frame my intended message in a way that will successfully reach by audience by following the rules of speech acts, as well as accurately interpret the intended message to the best of my ability by identifying function of the speech act.
Miscommunication is a struggle that lives within the world everyday. Being able to understand what another person is trying to convey is an essential part of the way humans interact with one another. When a message is not translated correctly from person to person conflict arises and heated battles rage within a relationship; whether it is a mother and daughter, or two quarreling lovers, or strangers upon the street. All humans are created differently, with diverse upbringings, perspectives, and mindsets. Particular forms of communications may mean different things to various people. When talking about the concept of miscommunications, one must also address the concept of communication itself.
In his lectures included in How to Do Things With Words J.L. Austin seeks to exclude from his analysis of performative speech all utterances that do not fall under his notion of "ordinary speech".(2) Ordinary speech that is performative, according to Austin, effects a circumstance by means of the speaking, e.g. a sailor names a ship or a judge says, "I sentence you to six months' probation." Often, the desired effect is not produced because of what Austin calls "extenuating circumstances". But Austin's main concern is for what he refers to as instances of "relative purity" in which there is less a chance of failure or "infelicity" (his term) to spoil the intentions of the speech. Also to be excluded from his considerations are instances of citations of performative speech, as in a play:
Many people believe verbal communication to be a very powerful way of expressing oneself. Words gain there power when the volume is raised and lowered alternatively to make a point. Additionally, the influence of speech can manifest itself in a number of ways. It can be used to humiliate, to intimidate, to flirt and to threaten, all of which are integral and pragmatic strategies to win a power struggle.
Griffin, Emory A. (2009). Chapter 3: Weighing the Words. A first look at communication theory(7th ed., pp. 27-29). Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia).
Symbolic speech is a type of speech used to express one’s ideas. The notion of symbolic speech is protected in the United States constitution which evidently says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press...” (U. S. Constitution.). The freedom of speech represents one of the most vital amendments in the United States Constitution and carries its involvement regularly. The several varieties of speech that is protected in the Constitution affects each individual and one’s privileges, but this first amendment right is often defined by the courts with individual’s failure to properly use it. These speeches that the United States
Throughout the semester, we have studied numerous communication theories. Their purpose is to help understand exactly what happens when we interact with others. We might not necessarily agree with all of the theories, but the idea is to develop tools to evaluate situations we may encounter. Often, when the theories are explained in the readings or lecture, it is beneficial to apply the concepts to a "real life" situation. Using this approach, I will use a situation that many of us have faced, or will face, and analyze it according to a particular communication theory.
In its most basic form, communicating involves a sender who takes his or her thoughts and encodes them into verbal and non-verbal messages that are sent to a receiver. The receiver than decodes the messages and attempts to understand what the sender meant to communication. The communication is completed when the receiver transmits verbal and nonverbal feed back to indicate his or her reception and understanding of the message. This process takes place within a context; also know as rhetorical situation, which includes all that affects the communication process such as the sender-receiver’s culture, the sender-receiver‘s relationship, the circumstances surrounding the sender-receiver’s interaction, and the physical environment of the interaction.
language can allow us to communicate an exact idea or to persuade others to one
The speaker should not expect the audience to know every technical word and should expect to have to explain what these words mean to members of the audience who are not familiar with the topic. The speaker did not do an amazing job at adapting their speech to fit the audience, although the speech was effectively delivered for the most part, and it was a very well constructed informative speech, the language used in it was not ideal for this specific audience. The author did little to nothing to tailor the speech for the needs of the
Communication is the simple “process of acting on information,” but communication is a lot more complex than that. Communication comes in varies categories and can be misunderstood if the message is not clear. Verbal and non-verbal communication is a great example where an issue can occur—if the source transmits a message that is not very well developed, then the receiver might interpret the message in a different context than originally intended. In my experience, verbal and non-verbal communication can be misinterpreted quite often. Texting is the most common abstract form of verbal communication—when someone responds with a single word like, “ok, or cool” to a very long text message, that
Before beginning the main discussion in this essay, the difference between language and communication must be outlined. The Penguin English Dictionary (2003) defines language as ‘the ability to make and use audible, articulate, and meaningful sound by the a...
Communication is an interdependent process of sending, receiving, and understanding messages. The definition implies that the components of the communication process cannot be examined separately. Rather, the relationship exists between the sender and the receiver, as well as the environment of the communication event, must be viewed as a whole. According to this perspective, if any of the components and circumstances change (that is, the number of individuals involved in the interaction, seating arrangements, or the time of the day) the communication event is altered. Communication is an ongoing process; we never stop sending and receiving messages. As we will discover, communication is a dynamic process, a process that changes from one communication setting to the next. Although it is difficult to predict, the ways of interpreting communication, certain components are always present in the communication process.
It involves active listening and reflects the accountability of speaker and listeners. Information is conveyed as words, tone of voice, and body language. According to dimbleby et al(1992) Communication is a learnt activity and is provided by the media which forms a bridge between the sender and the receiver. In the process A speaker transmits a message and must ensure that the message is delivered clearly. A listener takes utterance of the message and must be an active listener and give feedback. Communication is a process that includes linear influencing and transactional views from different dimensional barriers (İşman et al., 2003). One-way communication where the sender cannot get any feedback is the linear view. On the other hand, the influencing others view is the existence of a two-way communication which includes feedback as well as nonverbal communication, but it does not include at the same time sending-receiving feedback th...
Speaking is a natural ability given to most reluctant individuals. Since the beginning of time, it has been assumed that we have a right to speak and use words, thus we naturally begin our development of language during the early stages of live. After years of grasping and perfecting our vocabulary and language, it seems unnecessary to study the purpose of our development. Why, then, should we study “oral communication?” There are many purposes, benefits, and institutions that branch from oral communication. Of course, communication is the basis of interaction with other individuals through the use of expressions and words; however, through studying oral communication, one can take the words and expressions being used and apply them to his or her own life. After all, the most effective and useful knowledge is applied knowledge.
Speech is vitally important for a variety of reasons. I believe that our words can increase or decrease our level of happiness or even have a positive or negative effect towards our future. Speech helps us as a society to resolve issues in a respectful manner; it helps us get important points across and convey messages, it also helps us structure our ways of communicating. The importance of speech is giving us the ability to make situations more...