Linguistic Observation

Improved Essays
As I observed the linguistic interaction between dyads I identified a variety of phenomena discussed in class lectures. My observations were taken in three different locations a restaurant, a shopping arena, and at a professor’s office in order to achieve a wide interpretation of the linguistic interaction. My first observation took place at a Mexican restaurant in Rosarito. There were three female and two male involved in the conversation. The setting appeared to be a family dinner. The estimated age for the female differed; there was a teenager, a woman in her early thirties and the other appeared to be in her mid-forties. On the other hand, the males were between their early thirties and mid-fifties. The apparel for female is best identified …show more content…
The greeting that best identifies the scenario is near-boundary occurrence because the greeting mainly occurred at the beginning of the social interaction. The greeting was a combination of formal and informal because the women in her early thirties politely said, “Buenos Dias (Good Morning)” followed by a handshake. Due to the handshake I infer that there is a formal boundary between the family and the women. On the contrary the male in his early thirties greeted the older couple also by saying “Buenos Dias (good morning),” but followed by a mom and dad and a kiss on the cheek. After the greeting they took a seat relatively close to each other and the conversation began. Some of the conversational genres involved gossip, sports, and retelling of memories. At first a routine was created when speaking, but then interruptions became frequent until the food arrived. Once the food arrived to the table the verbal interaction …show more content…
There is no definite formal greeting it is more as an informal command. I found it rude how the women didn’t bother to interact with her customer and just continued to do what she was previously doing. Fortunately, due to the language expertise of the women who granted the help facilitated the interaction between the owner and the customer. Also, because of her cultural diversity she managed to understand and translate both Spanish and English. In addition, this encounter may also include an imagined community because even though the women who helped and the customer didn’t know one another they both shared a common idea of belonging to the same community. In addition, trust was built between both and the thanks was given to the helper and never to the owner. I also identified that face to face communication was mostly seen between the two women who share the common

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Steven Pinker really reveals how important diction and word choice is when he stated: “The language we use influences the way we think.” Essentially this quotation says that language is a vital element to the readers understanding of tone and the overall context of any literature piece. This statement from Pinker really shows how language affects a reader understanding, the two authors John Muir and William Woodsworth do just that. Muir and Woodsworth both show an interesting bond with nature, but they use different writing styles, diction and word choice to establish their relationship with nature. An element like these is vital so the reader can clearly understand the author's point.…

    • 1403 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University, evaluate the difference between direct and Indirect communication and its effectiveness towards peoples’ way of life with her essay How to Give Orders Like a Man. Tannen challenges the belief that talking in an indirect way indubitably reveals an absence of self-confidence or shows a powerless individual who has no real authority. There are multiple aspects touching on how each individual communicates with others, such as gender, culture, and relationship. The first scenario involves a university president expecting a visit from Mr. Smith, a member of the board of trustees. Her secretary notified her that Mr. Smith was waiting, she left her office and entered the reception…

    • 322 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The goal of this paper is to present a map of the argument in the article “Dude” by Scott F. Kiesling. This argument mapping will do the following things. First, it will present what I believe are the main claims of the article. While doing this I will also explain any important terms or concepts needed to understand the Kiesling’s argument. I will then link the claims to the kinds of evidence that Kiesling uses in order to support them.…

    • 691 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    During meal times there is active exchange of ideas and each member is given equal time to participate. d. Extent of Congruent and Incongruent Messages: Both the mother and the teens appear to have the majority of their communication be congruent. However, Mother at times tells her daughter I love you but I don’t like you sometimes. Ha Ha e. Types of Dysfunctional Communication Processes Seen in Family: Occasionally observed parent led communication that limits child participation and input and at other times, the teens appear not to engage in any communication.…

    • 2051 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    If Only We Spoke Two Languages By Ariel Dorfman is an editorial which explains the importance of knowing two or more languages. Ariel Dorfman is a human rights activist and A professor of literature, he has written many books, and writes for the New York Times, The Washington Post, and many others which would make him a credible source. Dorfman has credentials in the area he is discussing because he is an immigrant who experienced the lack of multilingualism in America when he had to move to Manhattan for hospital treatment with no one speaking Spanish there, forcing him to never speak spanish again for 10 years. Dorfman uses his books and articles he has written to try to show and explain reasons for why America should adapt to a second language.…

    • 979 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    “What is Discourse Analysis?” In “What is Discourse Analysis?” James Paul Gee introduces readers to the concept of discourse analysis and its application to everyday situations and objects. The author does so by illustrating that discourse analysis can be applied to any medium; an animated film, statues in a city square, or even to the layout of a famous painting.…

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The person who first invested in regeneration was Abraham Trembley. He started his research around 1744. A more recent person who has invested in regeneration is Hiroyuki Yamakawa. He started his research in 2016 and is still continuing. A difference in their work is Abraham worked on an animal called hydra while Hiroyuki works on heart regeneration.…

    • 63 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Great Essays

    Interpersonal communication is an exchange of information between two or more people. This can be achieved in many ways and many parts come into play when influencing communication. Many times individuals do not notice these different aspects that influence the way we communicate because they happen so often and so quickly. Movies are a great way to acknowledge these aspects because they are based on communication. In the movie Mean Girls, Cady Heron has lived in Africa her entire life with her parents, who were also her homeschool teachers.…

    • 3570 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Indirect Observation

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Along with these elementary operants, there are also more complex verbal behaviors. These complex behaviors include tact extensions and generalization, automatic reinforcement and private events. For Joey, it is hypothesized that the problem behavior of swearing is due to a private event that is occurring because of frustration and misunderstanding of what is being expected from him. Initial Assessment Joey has been referred to the Oak City Applied Behavior Analysis Center to focus on these behaviors. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) has begun working on Joey’s case.…

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    As I was violating this social norm, I felt strange and out of place. I had a lot of awkward encounters that day and i think it was because i normally don't stop and start talking to strangers or greet them by using hand gestures. Normally if someone smiles or says hi, i smile back or say or hi and then we both go our separate ways. With this experiment, I would have to stop and greet them in an unusual and personal way.…

    • 217 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Chapter Five: Language and Metaphysics, is a descriptive analysis on how assimilation has affected the Native American perspective of understanding traditions , language and place. Within the recent era there has been great efforts by organization and Universities in order to preserve the traditions and languages of the numerous Native American tribes. Yet, this process is meet with several challenges. One of the major challenges being that the Native American language is an oral language. Outside of the realm of some western philosophers finding oral languages not to be credible, these oral stories have not been carried over from generation to generation.…

    • 441 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Language

    • 1335 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Rhetorical Language in Product and Political Advertisements In our lives we see examples of how propaganda and doublespeak, or “tricky” language, are used daily. Propaganda is a way of persuasion, usually misleading, that is used for both good and bad reasons. Doublespeak is language that is usually used to misguide people through hidden meaning and a stretching of the truth. Both of these types of language are used widely by political leaders and in many product advertisements.…

    • 1335 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brazil Geography

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Long Handshakes are common. In a group setting, one should shake everyone’s hand. Often first names are used; however, titles are also important. There is no need to bring a gift to a first business meeting; instead by dinner or…

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On the order hand, when greeting an elderly person, they lower their head and slightly bend forward to show some sign of respect. The Chinese culture does not permit too much touching, therefore kissing and hugging is not part of their style. On a business platform, it is very respectful to give someone a business card or something with two hands in the Chinese culture. The Chinese people don’t like to say no, so they usually tilt their head backward and suck in air through their teeth to signify that they are having…

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Manners Informal greetings, such as backslapping hugs and kisses on cheeks is normal in the business world and is expected. It is polite to enquire about how everyone is doing and a minimal inquisition about personal lives. A polite “How is everything in your life?” is purely acceptable. Social Structures and Organizations Social Classes. The middle class makes up the majority if the work force in Brazil.…

    • 1974 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays