Language

Chapter Seven

“Use your words!”

Language Characteristics

Arbitrary

• “Symbols used to represent things that are not intrinsically connected to those things” (220).

• What meanings do we have for the word “hot?”

Ambiguous

• “Language does not have precise, concrete meanings” (220).

• Things are what we call them, because that is what we have chosen to call them!

Abstract• “Words are not concrete or tangible items; they are only

representations” (221).

• Words are what we use to explain our reality.

• Ladder of abstraction: Thing

Animal

Pet

Dog

Golden Retriever

Hierarchical

• “Language that is structured according to more or less, higher or lower” (221).

• Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

Spoken vs. Written Language

• Spoken language is irreversible; once it is said it cannot be unsaid

• Spoken language is less formal than written language; we do not speak the way we write

Structuring Language

Repetition

• “Repeating words and phases” (222).

• Examples in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech

• “The Walking Dead is number one on TV right now. Number one!”

Alliteration

• “Repeating the same consonant or vowel sound at the beginning of subsequent words” (223).

• Peace, prosperity, and progress

• She sell sea shells by the sea shore!

• Ronald Reagan, Betty Boop, Nicholas Nickleby, Anna Allen

Parallelism

• “Similarly structuring related words, phrases, or clauses of speech” (223).

• Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast.

• I will discuss proper yoga warm up, proper yoga breathing, and proper yoga posture.

Antithesis

• The juxtaposition of opposite ideas.

• “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!”

Language Devices

Metaphor

• Direct comparison of two things – two things are dissimilar in most ways, but alike in one important way

• Juliet is the sun.

• She is my angel.

Similes

• An indirect comparison of two things using the words “like” or “as” –allows each thing to retain its unique characteristics.

• He is as strong as an ox!

• She’s mad as a bull.

• Juliet is like the sun.

Other Metaphor Types• Synecdoche: use one part of a thing to represent the whole thing

• Metonymy: use a tangible object to represent an intangible one

• Archetypal: relate to common human experiences – “light and darkness” to represent “good and evil”

• Mix Metaphor: compares two objects that have no logical connection with one another

Guidelines for Using Language

• Avoid profanity

• Avoid hate speech

• Do not use too many metaphors/clichés

• Use vivid language when telling a story

• Use language you are familiar with

• Use inclusive language

• Use an active voice

• Avoid wordiness

• Adapt your language to your audience