{"id":108,"date":"2015-08-13T21:59:34","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T21:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/standupspeakoutxmaster\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=108"},"modified":"2015-11-01T23:27:18","modified_gmt":"2015-11-01T23:27:18","slug":"oral-versus-written-language","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/chapter\/oral-versus-written-language\/","title":{"raw":"Oral versus Written Language","rendered":"Oral versus Written Language"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\r\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n<ul id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_l01\" class=\"im_orderedlist\">\r\n\t<li>Understand the importance of language.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Explain the difference between denotative and connotative definitions.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Understand how denotative and connotative definitions can lead to misunderstandings.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Differentiate between oral and written language.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWhen we use the word \u201clanguage,\u201d we are referring to the words you choose to use in your speech\u2014so by definition, our focus is on spoken language. Spoken language has always existed prior to written language. Wrench, McCroskey, and Richmond suggested that if you think about the human history of language as a twelve-inch ruler, written language or recorded language has only existed for the \u201clast quarter of an inch.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_006\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Wrench, J. S., McCroskey, J. C., &amp; Richmond, V. P. (2008). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Human communication in everyday life: Explanations and applications<\/em>. Boston, MA: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 304.[\/footnote]<\/span> Furthermore, of the more than six thousand languages that are spoken around the world today, only a minority of them actually use a written alphabet.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_007\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Lewis, M. P. (2009). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Ethnologue<\/em> (16th ed.). Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/span> To help us understand the importance of language, we will first look at the basic functions of language and then delve into the differences between oral and written language.\r\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Basic Functions of Language<\/h2>\r\n<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Language<\/span><\/span> is any formal system of gestures, signs, sounds, and symbols used or conceived as a means of communicating thought. As mentioned above, there are over six thousand language schemes currently in use around the world. The language spoken by the greatest number of people on the planet is Mandarin; other widely spoken languages are English, Spanish, and Arabic.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_008\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Lewis, M. P. (2009). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Ethnologue<\/em> (16th ed.). Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=siz<\/a>[\/footnote]<a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size\" target=\"_blank\">e<\/a><\/span> Language is ultimately important because it is the primary means through which humans have the ability to communicate and interact with one another. Some linguists go so far as to suggest that the acquisition of language skills is the primary advancement that enabled our prehistoric ancestors to flourish and succeed over other hominid species.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_009\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Mayell, H. (2003, February). When did \"modern\" behavior emerge in humans? <em class=\"im_emphasis\">National Geographic News<\/em>. Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2003\/02\/0220_030220_humanorigins2.html\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2003\/02\/0220_030220_humanorigins2.html<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\nIn today\u2019s world, effective use of language helps us in our interpersonal relationships at home and at work. Using language effectively also will improve your ability to be an effective public speaker. Because language is an important aspect of public speaking that many students don\u2019t spend enough time developing, we encourage you to take advantage of this chapter.\r\n\r\nOne of the first components necessary for understanding language is to understand how we assign meaning to words. Words consist of sounds (oral) and shapes (written) that have agreed-upon meanings based in concepts, ideas, and memories. When we write the word \u201cblue,\u201d we may be referring to a portion of the visual spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440\u2013490 nanometers. You could also say that the color in question is an equal mixture of both red and green light. While both of these are technically correct ways to interpret the word \u201cblue,\u201d we\u2019re pretty sure that neither of these definitions is how you thought about the word. When hearing the word \u201cblue,\u201d you may have thought of your favorite color, the color of the sky on a spring day, or the color of a really ugly car you saw in the parking lot. When people think about language, there are two different types of meanings that people must be aware of: denotative and connotative.\r\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Denotative Meaning<\/h2>\r\n<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Denotative meaning<\/span><\/span> is the specific meaning associated with a word. We sometimes refer to denotative meanings as dictionary definitions. The definitions provided above for the word \u201cblue\u201d are examples of definitions that might be found in a dictionary. The first dictionary was written by Robert Cawdry in 1604 and was called <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Table Alphabeticall<\/em>. This dictionary of the English language consisted of three thousand commonly spoken English words. Today, the <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Oxford English Dictionary<\/em> contains more than 200,000 words.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_010\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]Oxford University Press. (2011). How many words are there in the English language? Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/oxforddictionaries.com\/page\/howmanywords\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/oxforddictionaries.com\/page\/howmanywords<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Conotative Meaning<\/h2>\r\n<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Connotative meaning<\/span><\/span> is the idea suggested by or associated with a word. In addition to the examples above, the word \u201cblue\u201d can evoke many other ideas:\r\n<ul id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01_s02_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\r\n\t<li>State of depression (feeling blue)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Indication of winning (a blue ribbon)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Side during the Civil War (blues vs. grays)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Sudden event (out of the blue)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWe also associate the color blue with the sky and the ocean. Maybe your school\u2019s colors or those of your archrival include blue. There are also various forms of blue: aquamarine, baby blue, navy blue, royal blue, and so on.\r\n\r\nSome miscommunication can occur over denotative meanings of words. For example, one of the authors of this book recently received a flyer for a tennis center open house. The expressed goal was to introduce children to the game of tennis. At the bottom of the flyer, people were encouraged to bring their own racquets if they had them but that \u201ca limited number of racquets will be available.\u201d It turned out that the denotative meaning of the final phrase was interpreted in multiple ways: some parents attending the event perceived it to mean that loaner racquets would be available for use during the open house event, but the people running the open house intended it to mean that parents could purchase racquets onsite. The confusion over denotative meaning probably hurt the tennis center, as some parents left the event feeling they had been misled by the flyer.\r\n\r\nAlthough denotatively based misunderstanding such as this one do happen, the majority of communication problems involving language occur because of differing connotative meanings. You may be trying to persuade your audience to support public funding for a new professional football stadium in your city, but if mentioning the team\u2019s or owner\u2019s name creates negative connotations in the minds of audience members, you will not be very persuasive. The potential for misunderstanding based in connotative meaning is an additional reason why audience analysis, discussed earlier in this book, is critically important. By conducting effective audience analysis, you can know in advance how your audience might respond to the connotations of the words and ideas you present. Connotative meanings can not only differ between individuals interacting at the same time but also differ greatly across time periods and cultures. Ultimately, speakers should attempt to have a working knowledge of how their audiences could potentially interpret words and ideas to minimize the chance of miscommunication.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Twelve Ways Oral and Written Language Differ<\/h2>\r\nA second important aspect to understand about language is that oral language (used in public speaking) and written language (used for texts) does not function the same way. Try a brief experiment. Take a textbook, maybe even this one, and read it out loud. When the text is read aloud, does it sound conversational? Probably not. Public speaking, on the other hand, should sound like a conversation. McCroskey, Wrench, and Richmond highlighted the following twelve differences that exist between oral and written language:\r\n<ol id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s02_l01\" class=\"im_orderedlist im_editable im_block\">\r\n\t<li>Oral language has a smaller variety of words.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has words with fewer syllables.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has shorter sentences.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has more self-reference words (<em class=\"im_emphasis\">I<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">me<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">mine<\/em>).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has fewer quantifying terms or precise numerical words.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has more pseudoquantifying terms (<em class=\"im_emphasis\">many<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">few<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">some<\/em>).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has more extreme and superlative words (<em class=\"im_emphasis\">none<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">all<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">every<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">always<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">never<\/em>).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has more qualifying statements (clauses beginning with <em class=\"im_emphasis\">unless<\/em> and <em class=\"im_emphasis\">except<\/em>).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has more repetition of words and syllables.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language uses more contractions.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has more interjections (\u201cWow!,\u201d \u201cReally?,\u201d \u201cNo!,\u201d \u201cYou\u2019re kidding!\u201d).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language has more colloquial and nonstandard words.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_011\" class=\"im_footnote\">[footnote]McCroskey, J. C., Wrench, J. S., &amp; Richmond, V. P. (2003). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Principles of public speaking<\/em>. Indianapolis, IN: The College Network.[\/footnote]<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThese differences exist primarily because people listen to and read information differently. First, when you read information, if you don\u2019t grasp content the first time, you have the ability to reread a section. When we are listening to information, we do not have the ability to \u201crewind\u201d life and relisten to the information. Second, when you read information, if you do not understand a concept, you can look up the concept in a dictionary or online and gain the knowledge easily. However, we do not always have the ability to walk around with the Internet and look up concepts we don\u2019t understand. Therefore, oral communication should be simple enough to be easily understood in the moment by a specific audience, without additional study or information.\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\r\n<h3>Key Takeaways<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Language is important in every aspect of our lives because it allows people to communicate in a manner that enables the sharing of common ideas.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Denotative definitions are the agreed-upon meanings of words that are often found in dictionaries, whereas connotative definitions involve individual perceptions of words.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Misunderstandings commonly occur when the source of a message intends one denotative or connotative meaning and the receiver of the message applies a different denotative or connotative meaning to the same word or words.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Oral language is designed to be listened to and to sound conversational, which means that word choice must be simpler, more informal, and more repetitive. Written language uses a larger vocabulary and is more formal.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\r\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Exercises<\/h3>\r\n<ol id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s02_l03\" class=\"im_orderedlist\">\r\n\t<li>Find a magazine article and examine its language choices. Which uses of language could be misunderstood as a result of a reader\u2019s connotative application of meaning?<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Think of a situation in your own life where denotative or connotative meanings led to a conflict. Why do you think you and the other person had different associations of meaning?<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Read a short newspaper article. Take that written article and translate it into language that would be orally appropriate. What changes did you make to adjust the newspaper article from written to oral language? Orally present the revised article to a classmate or friend. Were you successful in adapting your language to oral style?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_l01\" class=\"im_orderedlist\">\n<li>Understand the importance of language.<\/li>\n<li>Explain the difference between denotative and connotative definitions.<\/li>\n<li>Understand how denotative and connotative definitions can lead to misunderstandings.<\/li>\n<li>Differentiate between oral and written language.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>When we use the word \u201clanguage,\u201d we are referring to the words you choose to use in your speech\u2014so by definition, our focus is on spoken language. Spoken language has always existed prior to written language. Wrench, McCroskey, and Richmond suggested that if you think about the human history of language as a twelve-inch ruler, written language or recorded language has only existed for the \u201clast quarter of an inch.\u201d<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_006\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Wrench, J. S., McCroskey, J. C., &amp; Richmond, V. P. (2008). Human communication in everyday life: Explanations and applications. Boston, MA: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 304.\" id=\"return-footnote-108-1\" href=\"#footnote-108-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Furthermore, of the more than six thousand languages that are spoken around the world today, only a minority of them actually use a written alphabet.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_007\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Lewis, M. P. (2009). Ethnologue (16th ed.). Retrieved from http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size\" id=\"return-footnote-108-2\" href=\"#footnote-108-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> To help us understand the importance of language, we will first look at the basic functions of language and then delve into the differences between oral and written language.<\/p>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Basic Functions of Language<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Language<\/span><\/span> is any formal system of gestures, signs, sounds, and symbols used or conceived as a means of communicating thought. As mentioned above, there are over six thousand language schemes currently in use around the world. The language spoken by the greatest number of people on the planet is Mandarin; other widely spoken languages are English, Spanish, and Arabic.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_008\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Lewis, M. P. (2009). Ethnologue (16th ed.). Retrieved from http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=siz\" id=\"return-footnote-108-3\" href=\"#footnote-108-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size\" target=\"_blank\">e<\/a><\/span> Language is ultimately important because it is the primary means through which humans have the ability to communicate and interact with one another. Some linguists go so far as to suggest that the acquisition of language skills is the primary advancement that enabled our prehistoric ancestors to flourish and succeed over other hominid species.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_009\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Mayell, H. (2003, February). When did &quot;modern&quot; behavior emerge in humans? National Geographic News. Retrieved from http:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2003\/02\/0220_030220_humanorigins2.html\" id=\"return-footnote-108-4\" href=\"#footnote-108-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>In today\u2019s world, effective use of language helps us in our interpersonal relationships at home and at work. Using language effectively also will improve your ability to be an effective public speaker. Because language is an important aspect of public speaking that many students don\u2019t spend enough time developing, we encourage you to take advantage of this chapter.<\/p>\n<p>One of the first components necessary for understanding language is to understand how we assign meaning to words. Words consist of sounds (oral) and shapes (written) that have agreed-upon meanings based in concepts, ideas, and memories. When we write the word \u201cblue,\u201d we may be referring to a portion of the visual spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440\u2013490 nanometers. You could also say that the color in question is an equal mixture of both red and green light. While both of these are technically correct ways to interpret the word \u201cblue,\u201d we\u2019re pretty sure that neither of these definitions is how you thought about the word. When hearing the word \u201cblue,\u201d you may have thought of your favorite color, the color of the sky on a spring day, or the color of a really ugly car you saw in the parking lot. When people think about language, there are two different types of meanings that people must be aware of: denotative and connotative.<\/p>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Denotative Meaning<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Denotative meaning<\/span><\/span> is the specific meaning associated with a word. We sometimes refer to denotative meanings as dictionary definitions. The definitions provided above for the word \u201cblue\u201d are examples of definitions that might be found in a dictionary. The first dictionary was written by Robert Cawdry in 1604 and was called <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Table Alphabeticall<\/em>. This dictionary of the English language consisted of three thousand commonly spoken English words. Today, the <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Oxford English Dictionary<\/em> contains more than 200,000 words.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_010\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Oxford University Press. (2011). How many words are there in the English language? Retrieved from http:\/\/oxforddictionaries.com\/page\/howmanywords\" id=\"return-footnote-108-5\" href=\"#footnote-108-5\" aria-label=\"Footnote 5\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Conotative Meaning<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Connotative meaning<\/span><\/span> is the idea suggested by or associated with a word. In addition to the examples above, the word \u201cblue\u201d can evoke many other ideas:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s01_s02_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\n<li>State of depression (feeling blue)<\/li>\n<li>Indication of winning (a blue ribbon)<\/li>\n<li>Side during the Civil War (blues vs. grays)<\/li>\n<li>Sudden event (out of the blue)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We also associate the color blue with the sky and the ocean. Maybe your school\u2019s colors or those of your archrival include blue. There are also various forms of blue: aquamarine, baby blue, navy blue, royal blue, and so on.<\/p>\n<p>Some miscommunication can occur over denotative meanings of words. For example, one of the authors of this book recently received a flyer for a tennis center open house. The expressed goal was to introduce children to the game of tennis. At the bottom of the flyer, people were encouraged to bring their own racquets if they had them but that \u201ca limited number of racquets will be available.\u201d It turned out that the denotative meaning of the final phrase was interpreted in multiple ways: some parents attending the event perceived it to mean that loaner racquets would be available for use during the open house event, but the people running the open house intended it to mean that parents could purchase racquets onsite. The confusion over denotative meaning probably hurt the tennis center, as some parents left the event feeling they had been misled by the flyer.<\/p>\n<p>Although denotatively based misunderstanding such as this one do happen, the majority of communication problems involving language occur because of differing connotative meanings. You may be trying to persuade your audience to support public funding for a new professional football stadium in your city, but if mentioning the team\u2019s or owner\u2019s name creates negative connotations in the minds of audience members, you will not be very persuasive. The potential for misunderstanding based in connotative meaning is an additional reason why audience analysis, discussed earlier in this book, is critically important. By conducting effective audience analysis, you can know in advance how your audience might respond to the connotations of the words and ideas you present. Connotative meanings can not only differ between individuals interacting at the same time but also differ greatly across time periods and cultures. Ultimately, speakers should attempt to have a working knowledge of how their audiences could potentially interpret words and ideas to minimize the chance of miscommunication.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Twelve Ways Oral and Written Language Differ<\/h2>\n<p>A second important aspect to understand about language is that oral language (used in public speaking) and written language (used for texts) does not function the same way. Try a brief experiment. Take a textbook, maybe even this one, and read it out loud. When the text is read aloud, does it sound conversational? Probably not. Public speaking, on the other hand, should sound like a conversation. McCroskey, Wrench, and Richmond highlighted the following twelve differences that exist between oral and written language:<\/p>\n<ol id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s02_l01\" class=\"im_orderedlist im_editable im_block\">\n<li>Oral language has a smaller variety of words.<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has words with fewer syllables.<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has shorter sentences.<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has more self-reference words (<em class=\"im_emphasis\">I<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">me<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">mine<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has fewer quantifying terms or precise numerical words.<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has more pseudoquantifying terms (<em class=\"im_emphasis\">many<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">few<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">some<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has more extreme and superlative words (<em class=\"im_emphasis\">none<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">all<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">every<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">always<\/em>, <em class=\"im_emphasis\">never<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has more qualifying statements (clauses beginning with <em class=\"im_emphasis\">unless<\/em> and <em class=\"im_emphasis\">except<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has more repetition of words and syllables.<\/li>\n<li>Oral language uses more contractions.<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has more interjections (\u201cWow!,\u201d \u201cReally?,\u201d \u201cNo!,\u201d \u201cYou\u2019re kidding!\u201d).<\/li>\n<li>Oral language has more colloquial and nonstandard words.<span id=\"wrench_1.0-fn13_011\" class=\"im_footnote\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"McCroskey, J. C., Wrench, J. S., &amp; Richmond, V. P. (2003). Principles of public speaking. Indianapolis, IN: The College Network.\" id=\"return-footnote-108-6\" href=\"#footnote-108-6\" aria-label=\"Footnote 6\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>These differences exist primarily because people listen to and read information differently. First, when you read information, if you don\u2019t grasp content the first time, you have the ability to reread a section. When we are listening to information, we do not have the ability to \u201crewind\u201d life and relisten to the information. Second, when you read information, if you do not understand a concept, you can look up the concept in a dictionary or online and gain the knowledge easily. However, we do not always have the ability to walk around with the Internet and look up concepts we don\u2019t understand. Therefore, oral communication should be simple enough to be easily understood in the moment by a specific audience, without additional study or information.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\n<h3>Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Language is important in every aspect of our lives because it allows people to communicate in a manner that enables the sharing of common ideas.<\/li>\n<li>Denotative definitions are the agreed-upon meanings of words that are often found in dictionaries, whereas connotative definitions involve individual perceptions of words.<\/li>\n<li>Misunderstandings commonly occur when the source of a message intends one denotative or connotative meaning and the receiver of the message applies a different denotative or connotative meaning to the same word or words.<\/li>\n<li>Oral language is designed to be listened to and to sound conversational, which means that word choice must be simpler, more informal, and more repetitive. Written language uses a larger vocabulary and is more formal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Exercises<\/h3>\n<ol id=\"wrench_1.0-ch13_s01_s02_l03\" class=\"im_orderedlist\">\n<li>Find a magazine article and examine its language choices. Which uses of language could be misunderstood as a result of a reader\u2019s connotative application of meaning?<\/li>\n<li>Think of a situation in your own life where denotative or connotative meanings led to a conflict. Why do you think you and the other person had different associations of meaning?<\/li>\n<li>Read a short newspaper article. Take that written article and translate it into language that would be orally appropriate. What changes did you make to adjust the newspaper article from written to oral language? Orally present the revised article to a classmate or friend. Were you successful in adapting your language to oral style?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-108\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Public Speaking: Practice and Ethics. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Anonymous. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Anonymous. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics\/\">http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-108-1\">Wrench, J. S., McCroskey, J. C., &amp; Richmond, V. P. (2008). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Human communication in everyday life: Explanations and applications<\/em>. Boston, MA: Allyn &amp; Bacon, p. 304. <a href=\"#return-footnote-108-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-108-2\">Lewis, M. P. (2009). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Ethnologue<\/em> (16th ed.). Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-108-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-108-3\">Lewis, M. P. (2009). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Ethnologue<\/em> (16th ed.). Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=size\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.ethnologue.com\/ethno_docs\/distribution.asp?by=siz<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-108-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-108-4\">Mayell, H. (2003, February). When did \"modern\" behavior emerge in humans? <em class=\"im_emphasis\">National Geographic News<\/em>. Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2003\/02\/0220_030220_humanorigins2.html\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2003\/02\/0220_030220_humanorigins2.html<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-108-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-108-5\">Oxford University Press. (2011). How many words are there in the English language? Retrieved from <a class=\"im_link\" href=\"http:\/\/oxforddictionaries.com\/page\/howmanywords\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/oxforddictionaries.com\/page\/howmanywords<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-108-5\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 5\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-108-6\">McCroskey, J. C., Wrench, J. S., &amp; Richmond, V. P. (2003). <em class=\"im_emphasis\">Principles of public speaking<\/em>. Indianapolis, IN: The College Network. <a href=\"#return-footnote-108-6\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 6\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":9,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Public Speaking: Practice and Ethics\",\"author\":\"Anonymous\",\"organization\":\"Anonymous\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/books\/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-108","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":106,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":465,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/108\/revisions\/465"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/106"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/108\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=108"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=108"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-standupspeakout-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}