Deck 4: Verbal Communication

Question 1

The exchange of meanings through written and spoken symbols is

A) a language.
B) verbal communication.
C) a lexicon.
D) a word.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is made possible through human language?

A) Time-binding
B) Understanding animals' language
C) Communicating actions to successive generations
D) Complex systems of noises

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Rules of language that we come to understand largely through context are

A) phonological.
B) semantic.
C) syntactic.
D) pragmatic.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Since language is symbolic,

A) words do not themselves have meaning but represent ideas, feelings, objects, or events.
B) words are the same as meanings.
C) people respond to denotative rather than connotative meanings.
D) word meanings are not arbitrary.

Question 5

A fashion model is insulted when a magazine refers to her as 'bony,' but she is pleased to see herself described as 'slender.' She is responding to the __________ of the words used.

A) denotative definition
B) connotative definition
C) syntactic rules
D) phonological rules

Question 6

Which of the following statements is accurate about Americans' use of language when it comes to using first names to address other people?

A) It is more formal than in most other cultures.
B) It is less formal than in most other cultures.
C) It is more formal amongst younger people.
D) It is structured to require formality.

Question 7

Which of the following is a characteristic of women's use of language?

A) Women's language is more power-oriented than men's.
B) Women interrupt more often than men.
C) Women use more tag questions than men do.
D) Women's language is more task-oriented than men.

Question 8

According to the theory of linguistic relativity developed by Sapir and Whorf,

A) the way members of a culture think is related to the grammatical structure of their language.
B) animals have language that is as sophisticated as human language, but we cannot understand it.
C) people respond to denotative rather than connotative meanings.
D) word meanings are not arbitrary.

Question 9

If Debra refers to Keith as her "male secretary," she is

A) expressing affiliation.
B) using racist language.
C) using jargon.
D) marking.

Question 10

Messages that express affiliation or disaffiliation are

A) syntactic.
B) relational.
C) hypothetical.
D) racist.

Question 11

Language has the power to affect other people's perceptions of us. Therefore,

A) we should choose the appropriate verbal code to achieve our objectives.
B) if we use profanity, other people should realize that we do not intend to offend them.
C) exaggeration may lead people to think we are emotionally restrained.
D) the language we use does not convey messages about our education level.

Question 12

A nurse tells his friends that he had a difficult day because "a patient coded." They do not understand his meaning because he has used

A) a relative term.
B) a precise term.
C) a polarizing term.
D) jargon.

Question 13

If the teacher describes a child with a serious behavior problem as "energetic," he is using

A) a precise term.
B) a euphemism.
C) jargon.
D) marking.

Question 14

Trigger words

A) do not arouse emotions.
B) arouse emotions.
C) set off similar responses in all receivers.
D) create shared meaning.

Question 15

When Samantha meets an old man and he calls her "dear," she is offended and upset because of her conviction that such terms are patronizing to women when used by strangers. She is responding to

A) a trigger word.
B) a syntactical rule.
C) a phonological rule.
D) jargon.

Question 16

Jill says that Kelsey is "a sweet person." Jill's comment is

A) conveying allness.
B) conveying disaffiliation.
C) precise.
D) polarizing.

Question 17

Lauren tells Antwon, "Either you're my friend or you're my enemy." Her statement is polarizing because it

A) is hurtful.
B) is untrue.
C) does not allow for a middle ground.
D) does not convey a precise meaning.

Question 18

The doctor tells Shellie that she will recover "most" of the movement in her broken arm once it heals. The doctor's term is

A) polarizing.
B) relative.
C) jargon.
D) syntactic.

Question 19

In order to select words best suited to your goal and listener, the book recommends

A) using jargon.
B) using polarizing terms.
C) expanding vocabulary.
D) conveying allness.

Question 20

According to the textbook, what is the primary risk of using jargon?

A) Listeners may be overly impressed.
B) Listeners may become alienated.
C) Listeners will think the speaker is incompetent in his or her field.
D) Listeners will think the speaker does not care about impressing them.

Question 21

According to the textbook, which of the following is a primary benefit of using a euphemism?

A) Euphemisms can prevent barriers between speaker and listener.
B) Euphemisms can help listeners understand a message's full meaning.
C) Euphemisms can be seen as an attempt to deceive.
D) Euphemisms convey allness.

Question 22

Which of the following is true about trigger words?

A) They create external noise.
B) They create physiological noise.
C) They make shared meaning easier to achieve.
D) They make shared meaning harder to achieve.

Question 23

Which of the following is an example of indexing a statement? A. "McCabe's Pub has great food."B. "You might enjoy McCabe's Pub."C. "The last time I ate at McCabe's Pub, I enjoyed the food."D. "Some people enjoy McCabe's Pub."

Question 24

Your teacher tells the class to study hard for the test, and then she adds, "By 'hard,' I mean at least 10 hours." Her last statement is

A) an operational description.
B) an indexing statement.
C) a euphemism.
D) jargon.

Question 25

Which of the following is true of operational definitions and behavioral descriptions?

A) They generally require fewer words.
B) They maximize the potential for shared meaning.
C) They reduce precision and clarity.
D) They show that the speaker is not being cautious with extremes.

Question 26

A formal system of written characters representing a language's spoken words is a ________.

Question 27

Rules that govern the way words are combined in sentences are ____________.

Question 28

The images and emotions aroused by a word are its _________ definition or meanings.

Question 29

Referring to a person's race, ethnicity, or gender when those characteristics are not relevant is________.

Question 30

We convey information about our power over others or our connection with them through__________ messages.

Question 31

A word used in place of a word that might be considered offensive is a(n) __________.

Question 32

When we imply that an abstraction has captured the totality of something, we are expressing____________.

Question 33

When we assert that a thing is either one kind or the opposite, we use a ____________ term.

Question 34

Adding a date to a statement, such as "that English class was tough when I took it last summer," is the strategy of _____________.

Question 35

When you use language to clarify the action you are seeing, you are providing a___________ description.

Question 36

What characteristics differentiate human communication from animal communication? Consider the human ability to think.

Question 37

How do culture and gender affect the way people use and interpret language?

Question 38

As the textbook notes, language is powerful. Explain the ways in which language has the power to influence our perceptions of others, reflect attitudes, and affect others' perceptions of us.

Question 39

How does language have the power to reflect attitudes? Define and provide examples of messages that express affiliation and disaffiliation. Define relational messages and provide an example of one that is hurtful and one that is less hurtful.

Question 40

The book lists 7 obstacles to effective verbal encoding and recommends solutions for each obstacle. Describe 5 of these obstacles. Provide at least one example of an obstacle you have faced and discuss how you overcame it or might have done so.