Abstract This paper studies language, the most important communication tool that humans use in their relationship with their fellow humans. As the paper demonstrates, words are not only the fundamental and primordial element of communication, they are also a means of connecting two individuals and giving expression and philosophical interpretation to that connection. This paper attempts to understand how that connection can be understood -- and misunderstood -- given the myriad ways language can be and is interpreted. The paper also concentrates on how the interpretation of language can alter the meaning of the actual words used in communication.
From the Paper "The easiest way to define the intrinsic meaning of a word would be to relate it to its definition. According to Higginbotham and his "Elucidation of meaning", "there still may be a place in lexical semantics for some contribution of definitions to meaning" . Following on Higginbotham's explanation, there are several further elucidations that need to be interpreted. The first thing that comes to mind would be whether or not a definition of a word or term is identical with the meaning of that respective term. From a philosophical perspective, this cannot be so. First of all, the definition of a term is a mean by which a word is described. There is no philosophical certitude that the respective definition of a term covers all the characteristics of the word. It simply may be that some of these are left out or that the definition covers the term only from a certain perspective."
Abstract This paper details the published research relating to human communication analysis, based on intra-personal, interpersonal and group interaction. This paper details Gregory Bateson's perception and definition of second-order cybernetics which illustrates an interactive system wherein the individual is constantly in relation with his or her own social environment. This paper analyzes both the quantitative and qualitative realities objectified in the field of cybernetics. The writer of this paper contends and explains the manner in which cybernetics objectively looks into the social phenomenon of being studied, noting its nature and dynamics through subjective measures. This paper examines and explains the reasoning behind Bateson's cybernetics learning process, as detailed in his book "Steps to an Ecology of Mind." This paper also delves into Bateson's discovery which clearly identifies the processes involved while interacting with the self, another communicator and other people from varying cultures and with different values.
From the Paper "While in Learning I the individual is just learning and developing communication skills, in Learning II, s/he must now be able to identify acts and meanings that belong or do not belong to his/her culture. As exemplified earlier, distinguishing between the different actions in which agreement or disagreement are expressed is a manifestation of learning at the second level, where the communicator now commits action based on the context or situation s/he is in. Thus, when the individual is in a Middle Eastern society, it is essential to adopt the culture's communication action of agreement and disagreement, which is opposite to the individual's American culture and upbringing. These adjustments made by the communicator is an illustration of contextualization, the commitment of proper actions and meanings in an altogether different culture and society."
Abstract Using Foucault's Theory of Language/Power Relationships, this paper analyzes the way that three different newspapers reported on the March 21, 2005 Red Lake, Minnesota high school shooting incident. The paper analyzes the way that each newspaper described the incident, the similarities and differences between the three descriptions and looks at which relationship(s) of power each of the three articles emphasizes within the language of the article itself.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Methodology
Analysis
Conclusion
From the Paper "Additionally, as Foucault (1970a; 1970b; 1972; 1980) suggests, discourse (language) is similar to a scientific system, or "discipline" that operates within a given social context or contexts (e.g., a work situation; a classroom; a written historical account; a newspaper article). Human discourses (e.g., spoken or written language) are never free, according to Foucault, of inflected, or implied, meaning(s) within that particular context(s). In other words, as Foucault (and later, Derrida, Fairclough, and others) asserted, discourse in never just written or spoken language that is neutral. Therefore, under Foucault's theory, there can be no such thing as completely neutral newspaper reporting, since language (that is, the written language by which the report is made) will always be inflected with meaning according to hidden (or not so hidden) relationships of language and power."
Abstract This paper explains that communicative competence is made up of four competence areas: Linguistic, which is knowing how to use the language's grammar, syntax and vocabulary; sociolinguistic, knowing how to use and respond to language appropriately; discourse, knowing how to interpret the larger context and to construct a coherent whole and strategic, knowing how to recognize and repair communication breakdowns by working around gaps in one's knowledge of the language. The author points out that communicative language teaching (CLT) began because educators and linguists were dissatisfied with the audiolingual and grammar-translation methods of foreign language instruction. The paper stresses that communicative language teaching places great emphasis on helping students use the target language in a variety of contexts and places great emphasis on learning language functions.
Table of Contents
Communicative Competence
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
Principles and Characteristics of CLT
Communicative Activities
Teacher's Roles in Communicative Language Teaching
Implementation of CLT in ESL and EFL Countries
From the Paper "Other research studies focus on the difficulty attributed to the English as a first language environment. In 1996, studies by Stapleton pointed out how Confucianism as a belief system appears to be in tension with underlying notions of communicative language teaching. In these studies, Stapeton examined the theory that Confucianism establishes the superior status and knowledge of the teacher over that of the students, thus elevating the role of the teacher above the students. In 1998, Li studied teaching and learning in China, concluding that local conditions seem to be detrimental to communicative language teaching methodology."
Abstract This paper presents a discussion of how "slang," a sociolinguistic phenomenon, can be correctly understood by English language learners. It looks at the linguistic features of slang and the need for effective communication for new immigrants to the United States.
From the Paper "This research examines linguistic features of slang and ways in which it affects the language experience of English language learners ELL. The research will set forth the context in which slang becomes relevant to andre aches meaning with ..."
Abstract This analysis discusses how the meanings of words change due to cultural and historical beliefs. It also addresses the way words like "nigger," "fag? and "dyke" have the power to oppress when used by dominant cultures against subcultures but they can also be empowering when appropriated by the subcultures they are used against. It also includes five noun phrase appositives and four adjective clauses.
From the Paper "Changes in the meaning of words often empower or oppress others. We might look to Naylor's depiction of the word nigger to see how words can serve to empower or impress. Racial slurs are often used to wound or shame ..."
Abstract The paper begins with discussing the origins of the Spanish language. It continues to argue that the beginnings of Spanish do not lie in the Iberian Peninsula. It concludes with an examination of the influence of Arabic and Latin on the transformation of the Spanish language.
From the Paper "Spanish is like all other idioms spoken in the world today a dynamic and ever-changing language. This is only to be expected. As the world changes around us we need new ways of talking about that world and so we change our language to meet those needs. This is ..."
Abstract This paper analyzes the language of Ingrian, one of the languages of Russia. The paper explains that only 302 people speak Ingrian and that UNESCO classifies it as a seriously endangered language. The author also discusses syntax and morphology.
From the Paper "Ingrian one of the languages of Russia is an endangered language. When a language is classified as endangered it means that the language is in danger of extinction. Languages become extinct for a variety of reasons ..."
Abstract This paper provides a discussion of language and how it is used to oppress minorities, based on a reading of the first five chapters of W.E.B. Du Bois', "The Souls of Black Folk". It argues language is not only used by whites to oppress but often causes conflict and paradox among African Americans.
From the Paper "In "The Souls of Black Folk", W E B Du Bois targets two audiences. One is the white audience among whose members the author wishes to illustrate the humanity worth and dignity of African Americans. The other is the African ..."
Tags: racism, prejudice, blacks, social institutions, Freedmen?s Bureau, slavery, bigotry
Abstract This paper answers a number of questions from a linguistics text. It offers examples of different linguistic functions such as careful and rapid speech, English plurals and minimal pairs in English. It also discusses sentence constituents, antonyms and synonyms, polysemy and homonymy. The author explores semantic relations, metaphorical relations and thematic roles in the English language.
Abstract This paper explains good and bad uses to which ambiguity in the English language are put. The author argues that there is a linkage between language ambiguity and ethics. The paper presents examples of linguistic ambiguity.
From the Paper "Ambiguity as a linguistic and rhetorical strategy can take a variety of forms as Empson shows in "Seven Types of Ambiguity". It is important to recognize that Empson's study does not necessarily exhaust the subject of linguistic ambiguity when he identifies seven ..."
Abstract This paper presents a historical overview of the Sindhi language. The author discusses code-switching, borrowing and other issues related to Sindhi language.
From the Paper "The Sindhi a people named after the Indus Sindhu in Arabic River are said to be one of the oldest groups in the Indian subcontinent. They inhabit both sides of the Indus River, which divided India and Pakistan. Until Pakistan became an independent Muslim country in the Hindu and Muslim Sindhi lived together in the same region. As a result of the partition of India and Pakistan, a majority of the Hindu Sindhi migrated to metropolitan areas of India whereas the ..."
Abstract This paper considers the origin and current use of the word "surf" to describe using the Internet. The paper details the evolution of the word from a water sport to a high tech activity.
Abstract This paper explains that speakers of a language such as English in which the grammatical diminutive plays an insignificant part, the fact that other languages use the diminutive so frequently can seem rather quaint. The paper goes on to say that the diminutive is a highly useful grammatical structure, one that speakers of languages without a diminutive have to compensate for in various often less than elegant ways. This paper examines the grammatical diminutive in the Romance languages.
From the Paper "For speakers of a language such as English in which the grammatical diminutive plays an insignificant part, the fact that other languages use the diminutive so frequently can seem rather quaint. But the diminutive is, in fact, a highly useful grammatical structure, one that speakers of languages without a diminutive or with an anemic diminutive, as is the case in English, have to compensate for in various (often less than elegant) ways. This paper examines the grammatical diminutive in the Romance languages. We should begin by defining the grammatical..."
Abstract In this article, the writer studies the act of speech. A summary of some key terms within the study of verbal conversation is presented. The writer explores the speech acts and Grice's model of maxims. In this paper, the writer discusses ideal communication and failures of communication. Further, the writer shows how messages are received.
From the Paper "Speech allows human beings to accomplish various tasks they feel are necessary to their survival, happiness and self-actualization. Verbal speech acts are usually conducted for communicative purposes and into this category of speech acts falls the construct of verbal conversation. Ideal sustained communicative events in this case, verbal conversations require two or more participants to repeatedly alternate their roles between speaker and listener. The failure of communication is most fundamentally caused by a failure of one of the parties to accept the alternate listening role ... "
