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- 1. Chapter 3
Language & Communication
The aim of this tutorial is to help you to
understand the relationships among language,
communication, and critical thinking.
Copyright © 2021 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
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A Car-Bombing Site
Ibrahim Alaguri/AP Images
How do poor communication skills contribute to
distrust and even acts of terrorism?
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Good Communication Skills Are an
Essential Part of Critical Thinking
Communication skills enable effective critical thinking and
decision-making.
Effective communication involves several related skills:
• Keeping avenues of communication open.
• Communicating with others clearly and accurately.
• Taking care with word use.
• Developing awareness of your own and others’ language use.
• People’s communication styles.
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Language Is the Key
• Language is a system of communication with arbitrary
symbols, whether spoken, written, or nonverbal.
• By creating a shared reality among people, language is
the primary means of transmitting cultural concepts and
traditions.
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Functions of Language 1
Language has one basic function: the communication of
information about ourselves and the world.
Other functions of language include:
• Directive language is used to direct or influence actions.
• Expressive language communicates feelings and attitudes.
• Emotive words is used to generate emotive impact.
• Ceremonial language is used in prescribed formal circumstances.
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Functions of Language 2
• Most languages serve multiple functions.
• Intellectual curiosity and awareness of other people’s
language use are two critical thinking skills that can
make us less susceptible to misunderstandings and
manipulation.
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Nonverbal Language
• Nonverbal cues, such as body language and vocal tone,
often help us interpret verbal communication.
• Nonverbal cues are commonly used to reinforce verbal
communication.
• Images, such as artwork or photographs, are also
means of communicating ideas and feelings.
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Language Enables Effective Critical
Thinking
• Using language effectively to convey information,
provide direction, and express feelings is essential for
individual and collaborative critical thinking.
• It is important to understand that while language greatly
enriches our communication of ideas and feelings, it
also can contribute to ambiguity and misunderstanding.
• Intellectual curiosity and awareness of other people’s
language use are two critical thinking skills that can
make us less susceptible to misunderstandings and
manipulation.
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Lance Armstrong and Oprah Winfrey:
Nonverbal Communication and Withholding
Information
George Burns/Oprah Winfrey Network/Getty Images
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Language Is a Cultural Construct
Good critical thinkers realize that word choices and
nonverbal cues significantly influence how verbal
communication is interpreted—or misinterpreted.
The following approaches greatly assist effective
communication:
• Communicate clearly, and be conscious of language’s complexity
and flexibility.
• Be willing to ask people for clarification if you are uncertain of their
meaning.
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Definitions
Like all languages, the English language is in constant
flux.
• This dynamic state means that word meanings change constantly
as words move in and out of use.
In order to communicate accurately and clearly, it is
important to understand the difference between the
denotative and connotative meanings of words.
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Denotative and Connotative Meanings
All words have both denotative and connotative meanings.
The denotative meaning of a word or phrase expresses
the properties of the object, being, or event the word is
symbolizing—its dictionary definition.
The connotative meaning of a word or phrase includes
thoughts and personal feelings based on past experiences
and associations.
• This means a word’s connotative meaning may be in a dictionary
listing but also could be shared only among small groups.
• Stereotypes are a good example.
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A Dog
G.K. & Vikki Hart/Getty Images
The denotative meaning of the word dog is a domesticated member of
the family Canis Familiaris
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Types of Word Definitions
There are four major types of word definitions:
• Stipulative definitions are definitions given to new words or terms
or are new definitions of existing words.
• Lexical definitions are commonly used dictionary definitions for
words or terms.
• Precising definitions are used to reduce vagueness.
• They are split into two subsets: (a) Theoretical definitions are used to
provide theory, and (b) Operational definitions are used to provide
standards in data collection.
• Persuasive definitions are used to influence or persuade others.
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Lexical Definitions of a Word May Vary
from Country to Country
Fuse/Getty Images
Homely, for example means "plain or unattractive" in the
United States, but "comfortable and cozy" in Canada
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Body Mass Index (B M I): An Example
of Operational Definition
Access the text alternative for slide images
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Evaluating Definitions
Five criteria are useful in evaluating word definitions:
• Good definitions are neither too broad nor too narrow.
• Good definitions state the essential attributes of the term being
defined.
• Good definitions are not circular.
• Good definitions avoid obscure and figurative language.
• Good definitions avoid emotive language.
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A Penguin
Ingram Publishing/Alamy Stock Photo
The definition of penguin as "a bird that lives in
Antarctica" is both too broad and too narrow.
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Communication Styles 1
• Good critical thinkers are aware that there are
differences in individual as well as group communication
styles.
• Understanding our styles and those of others facilitates
good communication in relationships and critical thinking
skills.
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Communication Styles 2
There are four basic types of communication style:
• Assertive communicators clearly and respectfully communicate their
own needs and strive for mutually satisfactory solutions.
• Aggressive communicators attempt to get their own way by
controlling other people through manipulation and control tactics.
• Passive communicators avoid confrontation and are compliant, often
putting their needs after those of others.
• Passive-aggressive communicators avoid direct confrontation but
use devious means to get their own way.
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Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Steve Petteway. Collection of the Supreme
Court of the United States.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s success as a Supreme Court
judge is due in part to her assertive communication style.
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Communication Styles: Other Factors
Other factors may influence communication styles.
• These factors include, but are not limited to:
• Gender.
• Ethnicity.
• Culture.
• Dress.
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A Mayan Calendar
jvphoto/Alamy Stock Photo
Misinterpretation of the symbols on the Mayan Calendar
led some to believe that the world was going to end.
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Language as Manipulation
• Language can be used to deceive as well as to inform.
• Typically, manipulation occurs through the use of three
devices: emotive language, rhetorical devices, and/or
deliberate deception.
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Emotive Language
Emotive language.
• Emotive language is used to elicit a certain emotional impact, either
positive or negative.
• When a factual issue arises, emotive language can slant the truth and
obscure our critical thinking abilities.
• It is particularly dangerous when used to cover weak arguments for
marketing purposes or when it masquerades as news in the media.
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Rhetorical devices
Rhetorical devices, like emotive language, use
psychological persuasion rather than reason to persuade
others.
Common rhetorical devices include:
• Euphemisms.
• Dysphemisms.
• Sarcasm.
• Hyperbole.
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Euphemisms and Dysphemisms
Euphemisms replace negative terms with neutral or
positive terms in order to conceal or sugar-coat the truth.
Dysphemisms, in contrast to euphemisms, use negative
terms to produce negative effects.
• They are often used to win over one group while at the same time
alienating others.
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Sarcasm and Hyperbole
Sarcasm involves the use of ridicule, insults, taunting,
and/or caustic irony.
• Like other rhetorical devices, it is used to deflect critical analysis
and encourage feelings of disapproval toward the subject.
Hyperbole is a device that uses exaggeration or
overstatement to distort the facts.
As good critical thinkers, we must be able to recognize and
resist these rhetorical devices.
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Facial Expressions Can Disclose a
Wealth of Information
Left: Hero Images/Corbis/Glow Images; Right: Image Source/Getty Images
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Deception and Lying
Although rhetorical devices may involve deception, the
deception is not always deliberate.
• A lie, on the other hand, is a deliberate attempt to mislead without
prior consent.
Lies can:
• Derail honest communication.
• Damage trust.
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Detecting Lies
As good critical thinkers, we must be able to detect,
recognize, and challenge lies.
• Always check information.
• Be aware of nonverbal cues of lying, such as less physical
movement and blinking, changes in voice tone and pitch, errors in
storytelling, etc.
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Conclusions
Language is a form of symbolic communication that allows
us to organize, express, and critically analyze our
experiences.
• It shapes our understanding of reality and of ourselves.
Good communication skills are vital in critical thinking.
As good critical thinkers, we need to clearly define terms,
be mindful of our communication styles and those of
others, and be aware of the manipulative and deceptive
powers of language.
