LIN486H5 Chapter 4: Power in Context
Document Summary
Context: the information that surrounds an event; it is inextricably bound up with the meaning of that event", all communication takes place within a context or environment. In many ways, the context defines the meaning of any message as it impacts on the form and interpretation of both verbal and nonverbal communication. As communication is symbolic and continuous, it is impossible for us not to communicate. Communication is rarely between individuals with the same amount of power and prestige. In most interactions, it is the person (or persons) with more power and status who determines how the communication process unfolds. The process of primary language and cultural socialization, we learn how to communicate in ways that are deemed appropriate in our culture. The language one speaks influences our thinking patterns and communicative behavior. In other words, how we view or see the world is influenced by the grammar or structure of our language.
