Linguistics Recap 7/14

Review of Ch 1-2 in book

Discussed differences between communication and language

Communication - a behavior that affects the behavior of another

Language - a form or extension of communication

Looked at the etymology of communication

Steven Parker video from www.ted.com

Language is a window to human nature and to our thoughts

Language is a way of negotiating relationships

We need to be aware of syntax and semantics when we tell.

What do you want to emphasize? What words need to be focused on? How will you order the words you use? What words will you use?

When speaking for performance, put emphasis on verbs

Sound game:

1 - Someone chooses a word then everyone has a chance to say a word that has the same beginning sound

2 - Someone chooses a word then everyone has a chance to say a word that has the same ending sound

3 - Someone chooses a word then everyone has a chance to say a word that has the same middle sound (could be more than one middle sound)

4- Someone chooses a word then the person next to them says a word that starts with the same sound the first person's word ended with (go around the circle)

Then as a group we experimented with wordless sounds and vocal sounds, nasal sounds and oral sounds, consonants and vowels.

Voice - vibrate vocal chords, create sound

Speech - break up sound into distinct units

Voice can take on various forms, it is like squeezing playdough through a toy that makes it come out like noodles or some other form

We did some tongue twisters to distinguish the different sounds

Compared and contrasted the following sentences:

O Romeo Romeo wherefore art though Romeo

To be or not to be that is the question

Sounds in these sentences gave us a different feeling. First one had lots of lower vowels (o) and seemed more emotional. Second sound had higher vowels (e) and seemed more intellectual.

Talked about the rhythm of each sentence and how that helps bring out the emotion and meaning of the sentences.