cmn 105 midterm 2 questions part 1
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- 1)What are the basic assumptions behind the thesis of this book?
- widespread intraspecific cooperation thru the use of language is the fundamental mechanism of human survival. A parallel assumption will be that when the use of language results, as I so often does, in the creation or aggravation of disagreements and conflicts, there is something linguistically wrong with the speaker, the listener or both. Humans survive based on the ability to write, talk, listen, and reading ways to increase chances of survival and fellow members of the species to survive together
- 1)In what ways do we use language to create "maps" of "territories" that do not exist?
- -whatever the words used in ritual utterance may signify, we often don't think very much about their signification during the course of the ritual ie) pledge of allegiance, Lord's Prayer, we can't regard such utterances as meaningless cuz they have a genuine effect upon us
- 1)How is an element of "predictability" in social life established thru language?
- -commissives: commit to something in future, -directive uses of language: get someone to do something, -affective element available in language: dramatic variations in tone of voice, rhyme and rhythm, purring and snarling, endless repetition, nonverbal affective appeals: (supplement directives), -commands, pleas, requests, orders are the simplest ways to making things happen via words, -statement about future events; symbols are independent of things symbolized; control future events
- 1)What is the relationship between symbols and the things symbolized?
- -word and symbol not the same, -no necessary connection between the symbol and that which is symbolized, -symbols and things are independent of each other
- 1)What is the definition of Semantics and what does it and what does it NOT address?
- -semantics is the study of human interaction thru cmn, -yes: truth, advocacy, adequacy, -no; grammar, diction, punctuation, spelling
- 1)How do we get false maps in our head?
- -having them given to us, -making them up for ourselves by misreading true maps, -constructing them ourselves by misreading territories
- 1)What are some qualities of "directives with collective sanction"?
- -impose patterns of behavior upon the individual in the interests of the whole group, -central purpose of ritual: deep effect they have on memory
- 1)What are the key ideas regarding language use expressed in the Story of A-town and B-ville?
- A town: smart business people; unemployed people so town decides to provide welfare aka "dole" so its less offensive. Being on welfare was embarrassing so no one would take advantage of being on welfare. Now we have the "haves" and "have-nots" words forming thought, B town: if the contribution these unemployed people had previously made to the community could be regarded as a form of "premium" paid to the community against time of misfortune, payments now made to them to prevent their starvation could be regarded as "insurance claims" disguised welfare payments as "insurance"
- 1)What is the relationship between language and societal progress?
- -the more individuals there are in a group accustomed to cooperating by making helpful noises at each other, the better it is for all huge cooperative nervous systems, language can be about language human noise-making systems differ from teh cries of animals, language makes progress possible: they can go on from where others left off; stuff said from other people/advice
- text written in response too
- dangers of propoganda
- 1)Why do judgments stop thought?
- -a judgment is a conclusion, evaluating a # of previously observed facts, -premature judgment often prevents us from seeing what's directly in front of us, -write will conscientiously keep such notions in his head to support "his beautiful neighborhood" writer must make all later statements consistent with those judgments and rest of essay will have facts supporting private notions
- 1)What are the qualities important to human survival?
- -survival of the fittest, cooperation, competition
- 1)Why are ceremonies and rituals considered "pre-symbolic"?
- -words secondary to act itself, -accustomed set of noises which convey no info, but to which feelings are attached,
- 1)How are dictionaries created?
- -first, reading vast amount of literature of the period or subject that the dictionary is to cover, -copy cards every interesting or rare word, every unusual or peculiar occurrence of a common word, a large # of common words in their ordinary uses, and also the sentences of in which each of these words appears, context of each word is collected, along with the word itself, person reads and then divides cards according to what seem to be several sense of the word, writer of dictionary is a historian, not a lawgiver