Free Essay: Verbal Communication
The Four Components of Language
Semantics, phonology, syntax and pragmatics are the 4 components of language. Phonology refers to study of sound present in a language. It is a term derived from the work phoneme which is a fundamental sound unit. Pragmatics refers to application and study of language. Primarily, pragmatics is concerned with intentions of a person when they utter something in the language. Semantics refers to study of meanings derived from given language. It is closely associated with the term morpheme which is the smallest unit sound used to carry any form of meaning. The last language component is syntax which is the study of language structure. Syntax is also concerned with how words are arranged and used to create grammatically correct sentences.
These 4 components work together to enhance effective communication between people. This can be attributed to verity that the 4 are crucial in language development. Children learning how to communicate in their language are supposed to incorporate these 4 components in the manner they communicate. This is gradual and often, takes time to perfect. However, combination of these 4 components has proven to be effective in the enhancement of communication. Phonology is distinct in different kinds of languages. However, whenever people are aware of the different aspects used in language, it enhances their ability to communicate with members of a community using that language. Further, this is enhanced through the world of learning structure known as morphology (Pinker 135).
Nominalist and relativist
Nominalist position on perception and language is that perception takes shape independent of the language one uses. The nominalist position is the view people have similar thoughts though they express those using different means. Relativist position on the other hand is the position of perception and language that is critical in shaping discernment of cultural and reality patterns. This implies the primary difference between these two positions is the role played by language in human perception.
The notion language shapes perception of a person has flaws and discrepancies. For example, translations cannot be possible if language shapes peoples’ perception. It is crucial to note it has ever been ascertained the structure of language has an influence on the thought process as well as perception. However, it is assumed language influences the perception of people to a given extent. This is attested by the fact there is a dialectal relationship between the though process of people ad language (Goldstein 146).
Language Sample
5 people were involved in the sample and they were from Japan, US, Europe, Nigeria and Australia. These people had different names for drinks that were carbonated. Those from the US and Australia called the drink a pop while the rest referred to the drink as soda. Pronunciation of the word roof was also similar to majority of the participants. Though this is the case, the Nigerian had the tendency of pronouncing the term roof as roof’o.
Expressions that prove to be problematic to majority of people are those from the Americans. This is attributed to the fact of cultural influence of American language which is derived from the diverse cultures present in the country. The American stated use of the expression ‘goof’ has proven problematic in conversations held with non-Americans. The term feminist, according to participants mean a person who supports feminism. However, the European and American were of the view it can either be a female or male while the other participants thought a feminist could only be a woman. The participants also though the Nigerian’s manner of speaking was different.
Accents
Northern USA: This is a person who is well educated and informed. The individual is also clever on the basis of their pronunciation of terms such as ‘fresh’. They are also interesting and people are interested in getting to know them.
Southern USA: This individual is well and clever. However, they can be boring due to the manner they pronounce certain worlds. People are reluctant when it comes to knowing this person.
Mexico: This individual is semi-educated. They can be termed as clever though not well-educated. They are also very interesting and other people would find it pleasurable to get to know them.
France: This is an individual that is well educated but not clever. They can be boring at times though people would love to be affiliated with them.
These impressions are derived from the manner in which people pronounce different words in their own dialect. They can affect communication effectiveness in the event someone fails to understand the differences in syntax and phonology of the speaker. This can a well define whether the speaker is a native speaker or whether they are using the language in question simply as a second language.
Works Cited
Goldstein, Brian A. Bilingual language development and disorders in Spanish-English speakers. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Company, 2012.
Pinker, Steven, and Ray Jackendoff. “The components of language: What’s specific to language, and what’s specific to humans.” Language universals (2009): 126-151.