THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Communication Accommodation Theory
Communication accommodation theory or CAT mainly suggests that communication partners with different cultural backgrounds alter their linguistic approach to cope with one another (Jackson, 2014). CAT emerged from speech accommodation theory. The theory concerns itself with understanding the linguistic strategies individuals use within communicative acts to facilitate convergence or divergence (Giles, Coupland, & Coupland, 1991). Notably, CAT focuses specifically on how communicators use similar and dissimilar language and language cues (e.g., volume) to signal closeness to or distance from the other (Harwood, 2007).
This theory was developed by Howard Giles and his associates to describe and explain the reasons why individuals adjust their speech communication practices depending on their speech partner. This framework may be used to explore the reasons for, and consequences arising from, speakers converging toward and diversing away from each other.
CONVERGENCE
Convergence is a way for speakers to reduce social distance (Jackson, 2014) and as per Giles, Coupland, & Coupland (1991), it is an approach to whereby individuals adapt to each other’s communicative manners (as cited in West, 2010). Convergent moves are positively acknowledged by the receiver and in this effect, there will be a more positive feeling towards the entire culture or group to which the speaker belongs (Gallois & Callan, 1997). West (2010) stated
Smolla writes about the First Amendment in his essay, "Speech Overview". He discusses what freedom of speech is, why Americans hold the First Amendment in such high regard, and how it can be conflicting to many American's "social instincts". The main idea that Smolla is arguing is that Americans embrace freedom of speech and individuality, even though it may cause conflict. He recognizes that some limitations must exist, but the freedom to express our thoughts is the American way. Smolla points out that many controversial items are approved due to the first amendment, even though they conflict with patriotism.
From a study Tannen conducted, she describes the experience of a man who talked a lot in the room while his wife sat next to him dead silent, but then admitted to the importance of her wife’s personalized conversation starters later at night when they are alone, saying “She’s the talker in our family… It’s true. When we come home, she does all the talking. If she didn’t, we’d spend the evening in silence.(8)” Tannen later goes on to say “Drawing on… my own research of adults talking, I often (describe affiliative speech) this way: …(9)”.
In his essay "Speech Communities," Paul Roberts mentions the importance and impact speech communities have on an individual's form of speech. According to Paul Roberts language is always changing due to three distinct features: age, social class, and geography. All which are the basis for forming speech communities and causing then to eventually adapt and evolve. When discussing the speech communities of a child, Roberts makes an intriguing point. He states that no matter what speech habits were engraved in a child from birth through its parents, they are all prone to change once they interact with a different speech community such as school.
The Europeans had “curiosities and thirst for power” (Angel, 2012), so communication with the Natives didn’t seem to be a thought. One could say each culture was different in the sense of being a high context culture or a low context culture. The Europeans were definitely the low context culture and the Natives the high context culture. Kittler, Nelms, and Sucher (2015) suggests that in a high context culture, the meaning of conversation is found in context, not in words. On the other hand, low context cultures focus on actual words to be expressed rather than focusing on who is receiving the message (p.
This theory was made by Michael Argyle (1925- 2002), who was a social psychologist. In the late 1960s he studied social skills, body language, non-verbal communication and interpersonal behaviour. In this study, he found that non-verbal signals can be much more important and useful than verbal communication when trying to trigger peoples’ attitudes and feelings. His research showed and found that the stronger the relationship between the people communicating so with close friends for example the much better eye contact. However, when the relationship is not very strong so when speaking to a stranger people don’t have very good eye contact and they tend to look away when talking.
Another instance of misinterpretation hindered by noise and cultural difference is -when I am at home with my Nigerian roommate, I particularly choose to speak my native language because it is more convenient. For instance, if I am speaking to my roommate while my American girlfriend is present, I will respond to him in my native language. However, my girlfriend feels offended because she misinterprets our conversation; and believes that we are talking negatively about her. Moreover, I am only choosing to speak my language because the words form
Introduction Nursing is provision of professional care to individuals, families, and communities in order to make them attain, maintain or recover optimal health and resume the good quality of life. Other than the receiving professional training and possessing well-trained therapeutic skills, nurses should also have good ability of interpersonal communication, because during the process of therapy, large amount of communications are involved in it. Nurses and patients will experience an inter exchange of information between each other so as to reach their mutual goals. Hildegard E. Peplau raised the theory of interpersonal relations, the theory explains the phases of interpersonal process and nurses’ roles in different phases, encouraging
“Divergent perceptions and absence of a common language of communication ... they fail to fathom each other’s feelings and likes and dislikes” (Priya). Miscommunication between people creates rifts and lays pretense for tension and dispassion. Without communication, people become impatient and disassociate. “They see daughters who grow impatient when their mothers talk in Chinese, who think they are stupid when they explain things in fractured English”(Tan 31).
She emphasizes the recognition of “cross-cultural” communication is beneficial to repair the conversational issues (Tannen 264). She proposes couples to improve their relationship by learning differences, adjusting conversational styles, and changing attitude. Learning differences is crucial to couples at the beginning of improvement, which helps couples to achieve mutual acceptance. Ideally, couples change their communication patterns according to their partners’ preference.
Over the years, mass communication has been defined in several ways. While some view it as a process, others perceive it as a skill. But apart from these two classifications, I particularly view mass communication as a tool since it is an essential device that can be used in one’s everyday life. It is an instrument all humans can make use of in delivering their intended messages to their family, friends and even to strangers. Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese suggested the same perception as they proposed their theory called the Uncertainty Reduction Theory.
I will do so, by highlighting the idea of dialectal density that is discussed in the article. I will also use this article to support my claim that dialect awareness is essential within the education system. Garrity, April W., and Oetting, Janna B. "Auxiliary BE Production by African American English-Speaking Children with and without Specific Language Impairment. " Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 53.5 (2010): 1307-320. Print.
In our notes, it is stated that the high-context culture rely heavily on non-verbal cues to maintain social harmony. This includes many Asian and the Middle Eastern cultures. On the other hand, low-context culture uses language primarily to express thoughts, feelings and idea as directly and logically as possible. Such examples are the American and the European cultures.
Conflict is a normal part of human interaction. Due to the differences in high-context and low-context cultures as well as the variation in verbal and non-verbal communication, there does not seem to be any gesture and manner of communication that have the same meaning in all societies. Furthermore, not many people have a profound knowledge in the communication styles of their partners. Misinterpretation appears and entails cultural conflict as a result.
The world today is overflowing with technological gizmos which have greatly affected the lives of people. People have become overly dependent on technology. The technology seems to have control over our lives. Over the last decade, it has done nothing but become more advance from day to day. Gadgets such as computers, smart phones, and television have been invented over time to make our lives easier and more convenience.
In the essay, “Women Talk Too Much” Janet Holmes argues that while popular notion and worldwide proverbs would suggest that women talk more than men, her evidence leads to an opposite conclusion. However, her ultimate conclusion is that the question cannot be answered with a definitive answer, but instead with “it depends.” In the essay, “Sex Differences” Ronald Macaulay claims that the notion that there are considerable differences in the manner and frequency with which men and women talk is nonsense and that one way that this idea has been perpetuated is through works from more sexist ages. Macaulay states that the difference between men’ and women’s speech patterns is so minuscule that it should not be considered worthy enough evidence