Language and Misinterpretations

Language and Misinterpretations Language comprehension is an important tool of communication. Through language, human beings are able to exchange information amongst themselves, form relationships, comprehend, and express their feelings. Consequently, language is a vital component of human understanding.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Language and Misinterpretations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The issue of misinterpretation in language use is very important because it has the potential to affect communication in a big way. Misinterpretations can result in severed relationships and in other cases they can offend people. The complexities of the differences between languages are responsible for contradicting statements and unintended interpretations. Most cases of lingual misinterpretations depend on cultural differences and ambiguity. Languages are often interpreted differently by several individuals. Consequently, the issue of †˜meaning to whom’ takes centre stage in language use. In some instances, the usage of some words may differ depending on lingual factions. This paper explores language use with respect to misinterpretation and meanings. The issue of misinterpretation in language use is tricky because it is likely to have several valid interpretations of one utterance. Therefore, several listeners might have different interpretations in a single case of language use. The concept of having a ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’ interpretation is complicated by the fact that one utterance can have several valid interpretations. Interpretations depend on their interpreter. For instance, misinterpretations depend on the status of the listener. In America, interpretations are mostly dependent on racial factions such as African American, Asian American, or Native American. Misinterpretations are a product of a speaker’s intention. Nevertheless, in some cases a speaker might hav e more than one intention. An utterance can bear characteristics of motive, desire, and reason. All these factors are tied to cultural backgrounds and resulting interpretations. The fact that a speaker’s motive might be in conflict with his/her desires makes things complicated for listeners. Racial tensions in America are a common source of misinterpretations. After considering all these facts, it is clear that misinterpretations are part of communication. Consequently, the ‘correct’ interpretation of any language use can vary.Advertising Looking for critical writing on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A listener’s chances of misinterpretation are dependent on a number of pre-conditions. A listener is only able to interpret an utterance based on his/her â€Å"background knowledge, intelligence and imaginative power, degree of attention and interest, social relation s to the speaker and actual social interaction with the latter, willingness to think over what has been said and what follows from that† (Odlin, 2008). During language use, it is likely for a listener to draw multiple conclusions from a single utterance. Therefore, the issue of misinterpretation easily applies to listeners during language use. It is also important to note that a listener might have a wide range of valid interpretations when it comes to language use. When discussing the issue of misinterpretations, it is important to note that the context of a particular utterance matters. The issue of ‘meaning to whom’ is rarely analyzed by linguists. The multiplicity of contexts in communication makes it difficult to analyze the issue of what a particular utterance means to diverse groups of people. Nevertheless, the task of deeply analyzing utterances is often relegated to observers and other linguistic experts. Linguistic analysts often investigate the concept of ‘meaning to whom’ using several considerations. The chances of an interpreter avoiding instances of ‘misinterpretations’, depend on his/her familiarity with speakers and listeners. For instance, America uses English as the standard language of communication. However, English speakers are likely to understand utterances in relation to their individual backgrounds. A linguistic analyst can have difficulties analyzing what an utterance means to a Mexican-American without a slight understanding of the Spanish language. Consequently, to reduce instances of misinterpretations the American system uses hyphenation. Hyphenation offers linguistic experts a chance to make interpretations using the unique traits of listeners and speakers. Each cultural group creates meanings in its unique way. Therefore, even though all Americans speak one language their interpretations might differ. The issue of interpretation encourages both speakers and listeners to use cultural anthropologies when making deductions. Nevertheless, hyphenations are more effective when analyzing utterances compared to an analysis of written texts (Leiser, 2009). In written texts, accents do not matter. However, in utterances accents form a big part of interpretation.  An example of how the concept of ‘meaning to whom’ is manifested is in the use of the word ‘squaw’. The word squaw means different things to different Native American communities.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Language and Misinterpretations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, the word has different interpretations within Canada and the United States. For the Algonquian speaking people, the word squaw refers to either a woman or girl. Over the years, the term squaw has come to be interpreted in different ways by different people. Even though the origins of the word indicate that the word i nitially meant ‘woman’, other Native American communities have claimed that the word refers to ‘vagina’. Linguists agree that the change of meaning of the word ‘squaw’ is a misinterpretation. Nevertheless, the resulting misinterpretation has turned the word squaw into a derogatory term. In addition, some Native American communities have renamed places that have the word squaw in them. Although the word squaw initially meant one thing to the early Native Americans, it has come to mean something else to the current generation. References Leiser, R. G. (2009). Exploiting convergence to improve natural language  understanding. Interacting with Computers, 1(3), 284-298. Odlin, T. (2008). Language transfer: Cross-linguistic influence in language learning.  New York: Cambridge University Press.

Definition and Examples of Reporting Verbs in English

Definition and Examples of Reporting Verbs in English In English grammar, a reporting verb is a  verb (such as say, tell, believe, reply, respond, or ask) used to indicate that discourse is being quoted or paraphrased. Its also called a  communication verb. [T]he number of  reporting verbs  that can be employed to mark  paraphrases  is around a dozen, author Eli Hinkel reported, and  they can be learned with relative ease while working on a writing assignment (e.g.,  the author says, states, indicates, comments, notes, observes, believes, points out, emphasizes, advocates, reports, concludes, underscores, mentions, finds), not to mention phrases with similar textual functions such as  according to the author, as the author states/indicates, in the authors view/opinion/understanding,  or  as noted/stated/mentioned. Tenses and Their Uses Most often, reporting verbs, such as seen in fiction to show dialogue, are in the past tense, because as soon as a speaker says something, it is literally in the past.   George Carlin illustrates this in this example of reported speech: I went to a bookstore and  asked  the saleswoman, Wheres the self-help section? She  said  if she  told  me, it would defeat the purpose. To contrast with  words spoken once, putting a reporting verb in the present tense is used to show an adage, something that someone has said in the past and continues to say or presently believes. For example: She always says how hes not good enough for you. Next, a reporting verb may be in the historical present tense (to refer to an event that took place in the past). The historical present is often used for dramatic effect or immediacy, to place the reader right in the scene. The technique should be used sparingly, so you dont create confusion, but its use can make for a dramatic lead to a story, for example. The year is 1938, the place, Paris. The soldiers smash shop windows and run through the street  and yell...   You also use reporting verbs in  the literary present tense (to refer to any aspect of a work of literature). This is because no matter what year you watch a particular movie or read a book, the events always unfold in the same way. The characters always say the same thing in the same order. For example, if youre writing on Hamlet, you might write, Hamlet shows his anguish when he speaks his To be soliloquy. Or if youre reviewing fantastic movie lines, you might write, Who can forget when Humphrey Bogart says  to Ingrid Bergman, Heres looking at you, kid  in Casablanca?   Dont Overuse Reporting Verbs When youre writing dialogue, if the identity of a speaker is clear from the context, such as in a back-and-forth conversation between two people, the reporting phrase is often omitted; it doesnt have to be used with  each line of dialogue, just enough times to make sure the reader doesnt get lost as far as whos speaking, such as if the conversation is long or if a third party interjects. And if the lines of conversation are short, using a bunch of he said she said gets distracting for the reader. Its more effective to leave them out in this instance. Overusing creative substitutions for, said can also get distracting for the reader. A reader goes by said quickly and doesnt lose the flow of the dialogue. Be judicious in using substitutions for said.   The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in, wrote Elmore Leonard in  The New York Times.  But  said  is far less intrusive than  grumbled, gasped, cautioned, lied. I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with she asseverated, and had to stop reading to get the dictionary. Sources Teaching Academic ESL Writing. Routledge, 2004Elmore Leonard, Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodle.  July 16, 2001