Chapter 2

Delivering Your Message

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 Chapter Outlines
1. What Is Language?
2. Messages
3. Principles of Verbal Communication
4. Language Can be an Obstacle to
Communication
5. Emphasis Strategies
6. Improving Verbal Communication 2
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Learning Objectives
1. Describe the role of language in perception and the communication process.
2. Describe three different types of messages and their functions.
3. Identify and describe five key principles of verbal communication.
4. Explain how the rules of syntax, semantics, and context govern language.
5. Demonstrate six ways in which language can be an obstacle or barrier to
communication.
6. Describe and define four strategies that can give emphasis to your message.
7. Understand how to assess the audience, choose an appropriate tone, and
check for understanding and results in an oral or written presentation.
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1. What Is Language?
Language is a system of symbols, words, and/or gestures
used to communicate meaning.

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1. What Is Language? (Cont.)
*Words change meaning over time.
‘’Nice’’
- overly particular or fastidious
- pleasant or agreeable
“Gay’’
- happy or carefree
- (refers to) homosexuality

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Semantic Triangle

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 2. Messages
When you write or say something,
you not only share the meaning(s)
associated with the words you
choose, but you also say something
about yourself and your relationship
to the intended recipient.

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Primary Message Is Not the
Whole Message
• Primary messages: refer to the intentional content, both
verbal and nonverbal.
If you are sitting at your desk and a coworker stops by to ask you a question,
you may say, “Here, have a seat.” or “please sit down.”

• Secondary messages: refer to the unintentional content,

both verbal and nonverbal.
Perhaps a photograph of your family on your desk makes an impression on
your visitor.

• Auxiliary messages: refer to the intentional and

unintentional ways a primary message is communicated.
When you say, “Here, have a seat,” do you smile and wave your hand to
indicate the empty chair on the other side of your desk?
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Primary Message Is Not the Whole Message

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Parts of a Message (Cont.)

1. Attention statement
2. Introduction
3. Body
4. Conclusion
5. Residual message

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Parts of a Message (Cont.)

1. Attention statement
• is used to capture the attention of
your audience
• is especially useful at the outset
• “What’s in it for me” strategy

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The “What’s in it for me” strategy

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Parts of a Message (Cont.)

2. Introduction
• to make a clear statement your topic
• to establish a relationship with audience:
(to create common ground with the audience/ to refer to the
person who introduced you/ explain why you chose to convey
this message at this time, why the topic is important to you,
what kind of expertise you have, or how your personal
experience has led you to share this message…)

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and….

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Parts of a Message (Cont.)

3. Body
• to present your message in detail, using any
of a variety of organizational structures
• to make your main points clear, provide
support for each point, and use transitions
to guide your readers or listeners from one
point to the next
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Parts of a Message (Cont.)

4. Conclusion
• to provide the audience with a sense of closure by
summarizing your main points and relating them to
the overall topic
• It is important not to merely state your list of main
points again, but to convey a sense that you have
accomplished what you stated you would do in
your introduction
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 Parts of a Message (Cont.)

5. Residual message
Does this part
appear
Ask yourself of the following:
throughout or Does this part appear throughout or only at the end of the message?
only at the end • What do I want my listeners or readers to
of the
message?
remember?

• What information do I want to have the

audience retain or act upon?

• What do I want the audience to do?

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3. Principles of Verbal
Communication
• Language Has Rules
• Our Reality Is Shaped by Our Language
• Language Is Arbitrary and Symbolic
• Language Is Abstract
• Language Organizes and Classifies Reality

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 Language Has Rules
Syntactic rules govern the order of
words in a sentence.
English syntax is relatively flexible and open to style.

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Language Has Rules (Cont.)

Syntactic rules govern the order of

words in a sentence.
Semantic rules govern the meaning
of words and how to interpret them.
Contextual rules govern meaning
and word choice according to
context and social custom.
E.g. “Anna always meets her deadlines.”

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 Language Has Rules (Cont.)

1. I will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
2. I will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
3. I will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
4. I will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
5. I will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
6. I will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
7. I will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
8. I, David Vo, will be sending you the contract before next Friday (Feb 14, 2023).
… 22
 Language Has Rules (Cont.)

Anh/em yêu em/anh. I love you. 我爱你。 Я тебя люблю.

Cô ấy yêu anh ấy. She loves him. 她爱他。 Она любит его.
Anh ấy yêu cô ấy. He loves her. 他爱她。 Он любит ее.

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Language Is Arbitrary and Symbolic
Words have two types of meanings:

• The denotative meaning is the

common meaning, often found in
the dictionary.
• The connotative meaning is often
not found in the dictionary but in
the community of users itself.
=> Both is necessary to reduce the possibility of misinterpretation. 24
 Language Is Abstract
Abstract and Concrete words

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‘Traffic Jam’
Definitions Language and Meaning

Abstract Words Concrete Words

Refer to ideas or concepts Refer to specific

that cannot be seen or things that can be
touched such as fairness, seen. Concrete words
freedom, work minimize
Example: “happiness” misunderstanding.
Example:
Puppy, Kitten

https://juravin.com/research/what-is-happiness-for-you/
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 Language Organizes
& Classifies Reality
• We use language to create and
express some sense of order in
our world.
• We all use systems of
classification to navigate
through the world.

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 4. Language Can be an
Obstacle to
Communication

Language allows you to

communicate, but it also
allows you to miscommunicate
and misunderstand.

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4. Language Can be an Obstacle to Communication (Cont.)

FOC R&B

free of charge room and board

without having to pay the meals and room that are

# provided when someone pays
to stay somewhere

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Results of poor
communication in business
(The Miscommunication Gap, Susan Washburn)

• Damaged relationships
• Loss of productivity
• Inefficiency and rework
• Conflict
• Missed opportunities
• Schedule slippage (delays,
missed deadlines)
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Results of poor
communication in business
(The Miscommunication Gap, Susan Washburn)

• Scope creep…or leap (gradual or

sudden changes in an assignment
that make it more complex and
difficult than it was originally
understood to be)
• Wasted resources
• Unclear or unmet requirements

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 The six ways in which language can be an obstacle
or barrier to communication

1, Cliché: a once-clever word or phrase that has lost its

impact through overuse
Language can ‘I am glad to see you’
be an Obstacle 2, Jargon: an occupation-specific language used by people
in a given profession.
to SEO, Fixing bug
Communication 3, Slang: the use of existing or newly invented words to
take the place of standard or traditional words with the
intent of adding an unconventional, nonstandard,
humorous, or rebellious effect.
- “I won the auction!”
- “Sweet!”- Fantastic
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 The six ways in which language can be an obstacle
or barrier to communication

4, Sexist: uses gender as a discriminating factor.

Policeperson - policeman, businessperson - businessman
Language can 5, Racist Language: discriminates against members of a
be an Obstacle given race or ethnic group.

to ‘mọi người’
6, Euphemisms: involves substituting an acceptable word
Communication for an offensive, controversial, or unacceptable one that
conveys the same or similar meaning.
“passed” or “passed away,” rather than the relatively
insensitive word, “died.”
7, Doublespeak: the deliberate use of words to disguise,
obscure, or change meaning.
‘If nothing changes,…’ 34
 5. Emphasis
Strategies
• Visual Communication
The most important rule to remember in using visuals
One ofis the best ways to display respect for your audience is to not exceed the expected time in a presentation or length in a
this: the visuals are to support your document or
document.
presentation, not to take the place of it.

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 Combination?
5. Emphasis Strategies
(Cont.)
Strategic Use of Visuals
Type Purpose
Photograph, Video Clip, Show an actual person, event, or work of art.
or Video Still
Video
One of the Trailer,
best ways Video Still respect
to display Show theforvisual
your relationships among
audience is to two or more
not exceed things; a shape,
the expected time ina contrast in
a presentation or length in a
size, a process or how something works.
document.
Bar Chart Show the amount of one or more variables at different time intervals.
Pie Chart Show the percentages of the whole occupied by various segments.
Line Graph Show the change in one or more variables progressively across time.
Actual Object Show the audience an item crucial to the discussion.
Body Motion Use your body as a visual to demonstrate an event.

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5. Emphasis Strategies (Cont.)
• Visual Communication
• Signposts (or indicators)
Common signposts: “on the one hand,” “on the
other hand,” “the solution to this problem is,” “the
reason for this is,” “for example,” “to illustrate,”
and “in conclusion” or “in summary.”

• Internal Summaries and

Foreshadowing
“The first item,” “The second item,” “Now we’ve
got X and Y in our kit; what else do we need? Our
third item is,” and so forth…

• Repetition
Direct and Indirect

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 6. Improving Verbal
Communication
• Consider Your Audience
Define
One of•the best waysYour Terms
to display respect for your audience is to not exceed the expected time in a presentation or length in a
document.
• Choose Precise Words
• Take Control of Your Tone
• Check for Understanding
• Be Results Oriented
One of the best ways to display respect for your
audience is to not exceed the expected time in a
presentation or length in a document.
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Key Takeaway 1. Language is a system of words used as symbols to
convey ideas, and it has rules of syntax, semantics,
and context. Words have meaning only when
interpreted by the receiver of the message.
2. Messages are primary, secondary, and auxiliary. A
message can be divided into a five-part structure
composed of an attention statement, introduction,
body, conclusion, and residual message.
3. Language is a system governed by rules of syntax,
semantics, and context; we use paradigms to
understand the world and frame our
communications.

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Key Takeaway 4. To avoid obstacles to communication, avoid
clichés, jargon, slang, sexist and racist language,
euphemisms, and doublespeak.
5. Emphasize your message by using visuals,
signposts, internal summaries and
foreshadowing, and repetition.
6. To improve communication, define your terms,
choose precise words, consider your audience,
control your tone, check for understanding, and
aim for results.

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Exercises
1. From your viewpoint, how do you think thought influences the use of
language? Write a one- to two-page explanation.
2. Choose three examples of communication and identify the auxiliary message(s).
Share and compare with classmates.
3. Think of at least five words whose denotative meaning differs from their
connotative meaning. Use each word in two sentences, one employing the
denotative meaning and the other employing the connotative. Compare your
results with those of your classmates.
4. Identify at least five common clichés and look up their origins. Try to
understand how and when each phrase became a cliché. Share your findings
with your classmates.
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THANK
YOU!
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