Communication Studies

Lesson Plan

Module 2: Language and Community

Teacher:

Class:

Date: November

General Objectives:

On completion of this class, should :

1. Use the structures of Caribbean Standard English correctly and appropriately, as well as with a
degree of elegance.
2. Evaluate examples of written and spoken communication, including arguments, taking into
consideration the form and content of the communication and the context in which it is
presented or constructed.
3. Appreciate the nature of, characteristics and roles of language in society in general and in the
Caribbean in particular.

Specific Objectives:
Students should be able to:
1. Discuss the concept of language;
2. Identify the salient features of one Creole or Creole-influenced vernacular (in their territory or
any other territory) which make it different from Caribbean Standard English.
3. Explain the challenges faced by the Creole or the Creole-influenced vernacular speaker in
learning Caribbean Standard English.

Engagement: (5 minutes) Students will be asked to give their understanding of the definition of the
term 'language'.

What is Language?

Language is essentially defined as the primary means of communication used to establish societies
through the creation of agreed rules and regulations, and through transmission of the written and
oral culture.

Language has also been instrumental in facilitating the development of science and technology, and
has resulted in the creation of formal educational and learning institutions.

Elaboration : (15 minutes)

Basic Features of Language – There are many forms of communication, both human and non-
human . All communication systems have a number of characteristics in common. For example:
 - They all require the use of two parties at the least: a sender and a receiver; a speaker and a
hearer; a composer and an audience.
- They all use one or more media of communication. The media may be physical movement
(or kinesics), as in dance; graphic or visual marks as in writing or painting or as in the way
peacocks use their feathers to attract the peahen; sound as in music, drumming, speech,
barking; smell as in the way the skunk threatens its enemies. Each of these features can be
used separately or in combination with others (Simon & Robertson, 2011)

Distinguishing Language from other forms of Communication

The following exercises are

designed to help Activity 8.2 (p. 69) you identify the
features of human language and to
recognize some of Read the text below and follow the instructions the differences
between human given at the end. language and other
systems of communication. At
the end of the All communication systems have at least four exercises you will
be able to common characteristics or features. Every system of distinguish
between communication: characteristics of
language and those of other forms of
communication. 1. Has means (called the mode) by which a You will conclude
that human message is sent from one party to another. language is unique.
2. May be based on sound, or physical
movement, or even on touch or smell.
3. Conveys a meaning or message.
4. Serves specific purposes.

Examine the communication systems used by the

groups listed below:
1. The pet dog (do not forget to look at the
tail).
2. Any bird.
3. Ants.
4. Talking drums.
5. Dancers

o Identify the means used by each group to

communicate.
o State the type(s) of message that each group
transmits.
o Identify the purpose(s) that the
communication serves.
o Try to determine which system could be
used to send out the most complex
message.
Feedback

1. Sound (bark) and movement (tail wagging)

2. Sound and movement.
3. Movement.
4. Sound.
5. Sound and movement.

The activity above would have alerted you to a variety of communication systems, that may use several
media and in which users may be producers or receivers of the communication. Some systems, like
those used by birds, convey simple fixed messages, others, like dance, convey complex messages.

Expansion (15 minutes):

Discussion - Compare any (or all) of the above with human language. Discuss range, effectiveness,
complexity, economy and ability to deal with abstraction:
Identify areas of difference of form between human language and other kinds of communication.
Deduce the formal characteristics of human language: verbal, symbolic, systemic (grammar, sound,
meaning).

Exploration (15 minutes)

Characteristics of Language:
(1) Human; (only humans can be taught to formulate sentences on their own)
(2) Verbal (uses words to communicate)
(3) Symbolic; (it uses words as representations or symbols of ideas)
(4) Systematic (non-arbitrary); (language makes use of a number of different systems)
(5) Maturational;
(6) Non-instinctive (naturally acquired);
(7) Dynamic/Evolutionary (it changes over time)
 Activity 8.3 – Basic features of language

Use a good dictionary to find the meanings of the following words and phrase:

Systematic; arbitrary; creativity; displacement; instinctive; cultural transmission.

Try to match the meaning of one of the terms in the list above to one of the
features mentioned in the text that follows:

Some communication systems or some parts of communication systems must be

learnt from other members of a community. This is sometimes referred to as
cultural transmission. These systems are not usually instinctive. That is, they are
not acquired or learnt automatically. The users will not acquire such
communication systems if they are not in the community or if they are not
exposed to the communication system of that community.

Some communication systems must be acquired naturally at a particular point in

development or during a particular phase of development. If that time or period
passes, the systems will never be properly acquired. People would sometimes
not acquire some communication systems unless they have sufficient exposure to
them.

In the communication process, some communication systems use sounds or

sequences of sounds as symbols for reality.

Some systems also allow for the combination of smaller units of the systems to
make larger or more complex or even new ones. Also the relationship between a
symbol and its meaning is often not a fixed or natural one but a totally arbitrary
one. The relationship is determined by particular societies and may change from
one society to another. This is the case with human language.

Human language has other unique features. It may be used to talk about itself. It
can talk about things that are absent or may never have existed, and it can
recombine a restricted number of symbols to create new messages.

Evaluation
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 Communication Studies

Pg 51-54
Module 2: Language and Community
( Simon & Osborne, 2009, pp. 40-47)

Teacher:
Class:
Date:

General Objectives:

On completion of this class, should :

4. Use the structures of Caribbean Standard English correctly and appropriately, as well as with a
degree of elegance.
5. Evaluate examples of written and spoken communication, including arguments, taking into
consideration the form and content of the communication and the context in which it is
presented or constructed.
6. Appreciate the nature of, characteristics and roles of language in society in general and in the
Caribbean in particular.

Specific Objectives:
Students should be able to:
4. Discuss the concept of language;
5. Identify the salient features of one Creole or Creole-influenced vernacular (in their territory or
any other territory) which make it different from Caribbean Standard English.
6. Explain the challenges faced by the Creole or the Creole-influenced vernacular speaker in
learning Caribbean Standard English.

Engagement (10 minutes): Review of the previous lesson which will lead into an explanation of the
characteristics of language.

Explanation (20 minutes)

Characteristics of Language
a. We have already established that one of the main characteristics of language is that it is
uniquely human. While parrots and parakeets can be taught to reproduce sound sequences,
they cannot be taught to formulate sentences on their own or to respond sensibly to a verbal
message.
- In the same way, a bird might be able to indicate through a series of movements that it
is ready to mate, but would be unable to convey how it feels about the shortage of
nesting materials .
- The possession of language as a communication tool has been the main catalyst in
our development as the most creative species on earth.

b. Another important characteristic of language is that it is systematic. Unlike other forms of

communication, language makes use of a number of different systems.
 Sound - One such system is sound. Each language has its accepted sound patterns that
are recognizable to its speakers.
- There are certain combinations of letter sounds that appear in other languages that
are not acceptable in English even though these languages all use the same
orthography or writing system.
- Many who learn English as a second language often have difficulty pronouncing words
with the “th” sound? That is because this particular combination letter sound does not
occur in their own languages.
- Sounds take on meaning in a language only when they are combined in certain ways
that are recognizable to its speakers.
- In sign language, the patterns of sound are replaced by patterns of finger, hand and arm
movements. These patterns are systemic and consistent.

c. Grammar – Another important system of language is grammar. The grammar of a

language is a set of rules that govern how the words of the language are put together to
make meaning.
- Example: the words:
Often to goes he the market

Would not qualify as an English sentence until they are placed in the accepted order:
He often goes to the market.

- Word order is critical to meaning. Consider the way in which a simple sentence can
acquire different meanings depending on the word order.

You are there. There you are! Are you there?

- Apart from the rules related to the standard order of the words, there are rules relating
to which type of word can be used in a given sentence to convey meaning.

See Activity 4.2 and 4.3 – p. 41

- Each language has its own set of rules, which must be employed for the effective
transfer of meaning.

d. Symbolic – Another characteristic of language is that it is symbolic. This means that it

uses words as representations or symbols of ideas.

- Each word represents some idea or thing that has meaning. Words need definitions
because they are symbols of something else.
- In order for language to make sense, or be mutually intelligible among its speakers, there
must be commonly understood or accepted meanings attributed to its symbols.
- Consider the following words. What do they symbolize? Do you think all English speakers
mean the same thing when they use those words?

Sorrow anger disgust strength fortitude

Pride excitement embarrassment love
 - Although the above words do not refer to something tangible, you immediately
understand what they mean even though they may be difficult to explain in other words.
- In sign language, specific positioning and movements of hands and fingers are used to
represent or symbolize the words and sounds that they replace.
- Symbolism in language ensures that ideas are easily shared among speakers of the same
language.
- Dictionaries are actually records of the symbolic meaning of the words in a language.
They ensure that the symbolism remains consistent despite the advent of new
generations and new speakers.

e. Evolutionary/dynamic - Although the major core of words generally remains constant

in meaning, there is development and change in aspects of all languages. Another
feature of language as a whole is that it is evolutionary, or changes over time.
- One manifestation of language change is the invention of new words. As humans
discover new things and new ideas enter the world, new symbols have to be created to
represent them.
- Generally, words are created to suit the particular needs of the culture of a specific group
of people (See article on p. 42)
- Changes in meaning are another way in which language evolves. Generally, these
changes occur when a significant group of persons persistently uses a word (symbol) to
mean something other than its traditionally accepted definition. A very obvious example
is the word ‘gay, which, until the mid twentieth century, did not mean ‘homosexual’

Word Older Meaning Modern meaning

Gay Carefree, happy homosexual
Nice Stupid, foolish Pleasant, agreeable
Girl Any young person Female young person
manufacture Make by hand Produce artificially by hand or
machinery
Tell count Say, inform
Meat Any food Food from animal flesh

Elaboration

Purposes of Language

Language affords humans the ability to communicate anything they can imagine. As a tool, language is
infinitely flexible and can be put to multiple purposes.

(i) Expressive Purposes

- Language can be used simply to express one’s feelings, ideas or attitudes, without
necessarily taking a reader or a listener into consideration. When language is used in this
way, the speaker/writer is not trying to effect change in an audience or elicit response.
He/she is merely giving vent to emotions or needs. Diaries and journals are obvious
examples of language used for expressive purposes. (See example on p. 44)
-
 (ii) Informative purposes
- In this case, language is employed with the intention of conveying information to others.
Therefore, a news broadcast, a bulletin board at your school, this textbook, a television
guide, are all examples of language being used for this purpose. (See example on p. 44)
-
(iii) Cognitive purposes (persuading, entertaining)
- When language is used cognitively, it is with the intention of affecting the audience in
some way in order to evoke some type of response. Therefore, when one uses language
to persuade, entertain, stir to anger or arose empathy, one is using language for
cognitive purposes. Jokes, political speeches and horror stories are different examples of
ways in which language can be used cognitively. (See example on p. 45).

(iv) Poetic purposes (Providing aesthetic pleasure)

- Language used in literary, stylistic or imaginative ways is poetic. The user focuses on the
structure and pattern of the language and places emphasis on the manner in which the
language is manipulated. Language used for poetic purposes is not necessarily done in
verse. It is the way in which the language is used, and not its form, that indicates its
poetic purpose. (See example of p. 45)
(v) Phatic purposes (Social)
- Sometimes language is used simply to establish or maintain contact among people. This
use of language is most obvious in spoken communication. Language used for phatic
purposes does not necessarily seek to generate a meaningful response. For example,
when we greet each other by saying ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’ we are using language to
maintain social customs. We say ‘good morning’ automatically as a greeting even though
a thunderstorm is raging or we are in the way to chemotherapy. In the same way, you
would not expect your cheerful ‘how you doing?’ to be responded to with a litany of all
the things that are going wrong in your friend’s life.
- Although the phatic purpose of language does not often apply to written communication,
in the case of letter writing, the greeting and closure are phatic. Informal or friendly
letters and e-mail may also use expressions like ‘How are you?” merely for phatic
purposes. (See example on p. 46)
(vi) Metalinguistic purposes
- This is the use of the language to comment on, refer to or discuss language itself. A
critique of your friend’s essay or speech is metalinguistic, so is the blurb on the back of a
novel. When you use language to consider language your purpose is metalinguistic. (See
example on p. 46)

The multiple purposes to which language can be put make it the most valuable tool of communication at
our disposal. In order to master the art of communication it is important to master the use of language
for all its purposes.

Evaluation

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