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KEY
Chapter 4: Verbal Communication
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. __________ is a system of symbols, governed by grammatical rules that we use to think about and
communicate experiences and feelings.
2. The consistently accepted definition of a word is referred to as its
3. When Joe’s roommate asks if Joe would bring his cat home after the winter holidays, Joe remembers how his
aunt’s house smelled like a soiled litter box and that there was cat hair all over the furniture. Joe feels a great
sense of reluctance. His response is related to what kind of meaning for cat?
4. Grammatical rules that dictate how words should be pronounced are referred to as
5. Andy compliments his mother’s new hairstyle just before he asks her if she can loan him some money for the
weekend, hoping that this will put her in a good mood and improve his chances of getting the loan. His
compliment is serving which functional communication competency?
6. Using abstract words that have unclear or misleading definitions to get out of an uncomfortable situation is
referred to as
7. Jane says her cousin is “big boned” instead of saying she’s overweight, obese, or fat, because she understands
those other terms might have insulting connotations. What type of language abstraction is Jane using?
8. When Ashleigh confides in her friend that she thinks her boyfriend might be cheating, her friend says, “Girl, he
is a dog!” What language form did Ashleigh’s friend use?
9. Technical language that is specific to members of a particular profession, interest group, or hobby is referred to
as
10. The relationship between symbols, objects, people, and concepts and the meaning that words have for people,
either because of their definitions or their placement in a sentence, defines which of the following terms?
11. In which of the following contexts would you be most likely to use high language?
12. The theory that holds that speakers of different languages have different views of the world is
13. What term refers to a form of accommodation in which a communicator changes his or her regular language
and slang to fit into a particular group?
True/False Questions
2. Unlike with other codes, there is a natural connection between language symbols and the things they represent.
4. When Joe’s professor says he will have to give a presentation in class, Joe feels his heart start to race and his
palms feel sweaty. Joe probably reacts this way because his denotative meaning for the word “presentation” is
6. While grammar is important in written communication, the transactional nature of oral communication means
7. Grammar includes rules about how words should be pronounced as well as how they should be placed in
9. The communication competency of expressing feeling emphasizes that emotions are deeply personal, and that
10. The imagining functional competency refers to our ability to use language to play as well as our ability to think
11. On the abstraction ladder discussed in the text, the word “fork” would be more abstract than the word “utensil.”
12. While lower abstractions ensure clarity, we sometimes use high abstractions to accomplish specific
13. On their first date, Rebecca asked Andy what he did for a living. Andy responded vaguely, “Oh, I work in
retail.” Rebecca had to ask Andy “What types of stores?” and “What types of positions have you held?” in
order to get him to provide any specific details. We would categorize Andy’s initial highly abstract response as
14. When Tom’s manager sat down to tell him he was fired from his job at the car wash, he said, “Tom, I’m going
15. Jargon is an informal form or language that is known to most people in a particular culture at a particular time.
16. When someone says a disagreement is related to semantics, they are suggesting that the root of the problem is
18. The use of politically correct language is unanimously accepted in the discipline of communication as a
21. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that men and women have different speech repertoires as a result of
22. When comparing men and women who have equal status, men tend to interrupt more often than women do.
23. “I feel like maybe this movie is too violent for us to see as a family.” This statement includes a disclaimer.
24. Speakers who use qualifiers, hedges, and disclaimers are usually perceived to be uncertain or hesitant, and
25. When Kent, who lives in Illinois, visited his cousins in Los Angeles, he got a confused look when he asked
them if they had any “pop.” After a few seconds, his aunt said, “Oh, you want a soda!” Geography can account
26. Competent communication through technological media like e-mail requires communicators to use more clear
language than is usually required in face-to-face communication to make up for the nonverbal cues that are
Short-Answer Questions
1. Define the difference between denotative and connotative meaning.
H = Words Have Multiple Meanings (p. 76); C = knowledge and comprehension; D = 1
2. Grammar is made up of __________ that dictate how words should be pronounced, and __________ that
dictate the placement of words in sentences.
H = Language Is Ruled by Grammar (p. 78); C = knowledge; D = 2
3. Provide a brief example to illustrate how we use the ritualizing function of language.
H = Using Language as Ritual (p. 81); C = comprehension; D = 3
4. Briefly describe the meaning of the abstraction ladder. What is the difference between words at the top of the
ladder as compared to the ones on the lower rungs?
H = Abstraction and Meaning (pp. 81‒82); C = comprehension; D = 3
5. Provide an example of a euphemism.
H = Abstraction and Meaning (p. 82); C = comprehension; D = 2
6. Contrast the difference between slang and jargon.
H = Abstraction and Meaning (p. 82); C = knowledge; D = 1
7. What is an example of jargon that you use at work, or that you have encountered when communicating with a
professional in some field?
H = Abstraction and Meaning (p. 82); C = comprehension; D = 2
8. In your own words, what is the difference between semantics and pragmatics?
H = Situation and Meaning (p. 83); C = knowledge and comprehension; D = 2
9. Define and provide an example of politically correct language.
H = The Dangers of Biased Language (p. 86); C = knowledge and comprehension; D = 2
10. What do we mean when we say that competent communicators use language that meets a standard of civility,
and how does that differ from rude or profane language?
H = Profanity, Rudeness, and Civility (pp. 86‒87); C = comparison; D = 2
11. Provide an example of a context in which high language would be appropriate, and an example of a context in
which low language would be an appropriate choice.
H = The Situational Context (p. 88); C = application; D = 2
12. Define linguistic determinism.
H = Culture, Words, and Thought (p. 89); C = knowledge; D = 2
13. Imagine that you are a woman who is being hit on by a man you do not find attractive. Provide an example of a
resistance message that adheres to the feminine preferences discussed in the text.
H = Gender and Language (pp. 90‒91); C = application; D = 3
14. Give an example of a tag question.
H = Gender and Language (p. 91); C = comprehension; D = 3
15. Define the process of code switching.
H = Accommodation (p. 92); C = knowledge; D = 1
Essay Questions
1. Explain what we mean when we say that language is symbolic, that words have multiple meanings, that it is
informed by our thoughts, ruled by grammar, and bound by context.
C = comprehension; D =1
2. List and explain the five functional communication competencies identified by Barbara Wood.
C = knowledge; D = 1
3. Why is the use of abstract language described as a language problem? Why and how would someone
intentionally use abstract language to accomplish his or her communication goals?
C = comprehension; D = 1
4. Using a brief narrative example, illustrate how a person might understand how to use language semantically,
but not grasp how to use those same words on a pragmatic level.
C = comprehension and application; D = 1
5. Considering what you have learned throughout this chapter and others, explain why it is important to label the
things in our world, including people. Why is labeling problematic?
C = synthesis and analysis; D = 2
6. Define the concept of politically correct language. How do the principles of cognitive language, the Sapir-
Whorf hypothesis, and linguistic determinism illuminate the underlying assumptions of the political correctness
movement? What do you understand to be the pros and cons of using politically correct language?
C = synthesis and analysis; D = 3
7. Synthesizing what you know about the situational context, the relational context, and the cultural context,
illustrate how language is bound by, builds on, and creates culture in each context.
C = synthesis; D = 2
8. Describe the differences in men’s and women’s language use. Why is it useful for us to understand these
differences? In what ways is it problematic to define particular language patterns as masculine or feminine?
C = comprehension and synthesis; D = 3
9. Shawna grew up in a poor inner-city neighborhood, but has recently moved to pursue her undergraduate degree
at a prestigious university. She’s an intelligent woman and she works very hard to earn good grades in all of her
classes—she was a star among her high school peers. Unfortunately, she finds that many of her professors at
the university dismiss her questions and comments in class because of her language use—they just don’t seem
to understand what she’s saying or to recognize the intelligence and insight behind what she offers.
Synthesizing what you have learned throughout this chapter, what would you say to Shawna to help her
understand the linguistic challenge she has encountered? What can Shawna do to manage this communication
problem?
C = synthesis and evaluation; D = 3
10. What are the challenges of using communication technology to communicate verbally? What can we do to
manage those challenges? In what ways have technologies like e-mail, chat, and text messaging changed the
way we communicate verbally?
C = comprehension; D = 2
