CMST 2010 : Exam Two Book
Document Summary
Language is a system comprised of vocabulary and rules of grammar that allows us to engage in verbal communication: verbal symbols are the words, or the vocabulary that make up a language. Ex: saying thank you for a gift that you don"t really like, but you don"t want to hurt that person"s feelings. Linguistic determinism: a theory that argues that our language determines our ability to perceive and think about things. Linguistic relativity: a theory that states that language influences our thinking but doesn"t determine it. If we call someone by an extreme label, reification suggests that is how we will respond to them, regardless of what they might do: often referred to as confusing the symbol and the thing, muting. Language that demeans those of a particular ethnicity. Ex: causal friends or business colleagues: social distance: ranging from 4 to 12 feet, the spatial zone usually reserved for professional or formal interpersonal encounters.
