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3.5: Review

  • Page ID
    151554
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    Chapter 3: Vocabulary and Questions for Review and Discussion

    Vocabulary

    • Abstract
    • Affiliation: Converge and Diverge
    • Biased Language
    • Cliché
    • Colloquialism
    • Concrete
    • Connotation
    • Denotation
    • Formal Language
    • Idiom
    • Informal Language
    • Jargon
    • Language
    • Personal Function
    • Pragmatic Rules
    • Racist Language
    • Semantic Rules
    • Sexist Language
    • Slang
    • Syntactic Rules
    • Word
    • Verbal Communication

    Questions for Review and Discussion

    1. For each of the sentences below, determine if the bold word has a positive or negative connotation. (Adapted from Parent, Beth. Yourdictionary.com (opens in new window)
      • How long have you been dieting? Maybe, too long. You look so skinny.
      • I can tell you put a lot of work into your paper. It is extraordinary.
      • I hope to look like my sister when I grow up. She is gorgeous.
      • I know that Eddie and I are the same age, but he is just so juvenile.
      • It's certainly unusual to use Comic Sans font on a resume.
    2. Each word below is taken from a list of the most commonly-used business terms. But what does each word mean? Instructions: First, work alone. For each word on the list, write down the percentage of certainty from 0-100% you would feel if you were to use the word in a sentence. For example, if I were to use the word “Probably,” I might mean there is a 90% chance that something will take place. What level of certainty does the word represent in your mind? After you have completed your list, compare your results with members of your class. What does this exercise teach you about words and their meanings? (Adapted from Hamilton, Cheryl with Cordell Parker. Communicating for Results: A Guide for Business and Professions, 4th ed. Wadsworth, 1989.)
      Figure out the percentage of certainty of these words.
      Word Percentage of Certainty
      Probably __________%
      Possibly __________%
      Maybe __________%
      Certainly __________%
      Unlikely __________%
    3. Create a list of colloquialisms or idioms. Find an international student and see if these words make sense. What was confusing or unclear?
    4. Ask an international friend or classmate to share clichés that are used in his or her culture or locate clichés through research. See if you can find an American equivalent of each cliché.
    5. Create a list of jargon or slang words that you use and what they mean. Ask your parents or grandparents to share some of the slang they grew up hearing. Compare your lists.

    This page titled 3.5: Review is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lisa Coleman, Thomas King, & William Turner.

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