Honorio Gonzalez

EDU 533
Intercultural Competence
Chapter 7 Notes
Define verbal codes
Verbal means consisting of words and therefore, a verbal code is a set of rules about the
use of words in the creation of messages (p. 154). Words can obviously be either spoken
or written and verbal codes, then, include both oral (spoken) language and non-oral
(written) language (p. 154). Furthermore, an essential ingredient of both verbal and
nonverbal codes is symbols because of the relationship between symbols and what they
stand for is often highly arbitrary, particularly for verbal symbols (p. 154). Another
critical ingredient of verbal codes is the system of rules that governs the composition and
ordering of the symbols (p. 155).
List and describe the rule systems in verbal codes
Five different but interrelated sets of rules combine to create a verbal code, or language
and these parts, or components, of language are called phonology, morphology,
semantics, syntactics, and pragmatics (p. 155).
The basic sounds of units of a language are called phonemes, and the rules for combining
phonemes constitute the phonology of a language (p. 155). Additionally, the phonological
rules of a language tells speakers which sounds to use and how to order them and
languages have different numbers of phonemes (p. 155). Finally, mastery of another
language requires practice in reproducing its sounds accurately (p. 156).
Phonemes combine to form morphemes, which are the smallest units of meaning in a
language and note that morphemes refer to only meaning units (p. 156). Morphemes, or
meaning units in language, can also differ depending on the way they are pronounces (p.
156). As noted earlier, morphemes-either singly or in combination-are used to form
words (p. 156).
The study of the meaning of words is called semantics (p. 156). Furthermore,
communicating interculturally necessitates learning a new set of semantic rules but the
discussion of semantics is incomplete without noting one other important distinction: the
difference between the denotative and connotative meaning of words (p. 157). Denotative
meanings are the public, objective, and legal meanings of a word while connotative
meanings are personal, emotionally charged, private, and specific to a particular person
(p. 157).
The fourth component of language is syntactics, the relationship of words to one another
and each language has a set of rules that govern the sequence of words and to learn
another language, you must learn those rules (p. 158).
The final component of all verbal codes is pragmatics, the effect of language on human
perceptions and behaviors (p. 158). The study of pragmatics focuses on how language is
actually used and a pragmatic analysis of language goes beyond phonology, morphology,
semantics, and syntactics because it considers how users of a particular language are able
to understand the meanings of specific utterances in particular context (p. 158).
Furthermore, by learning the pragmatics of language, you understand how to participate
in a conversation and you know hoe to sequence the sentences you speak as part of the
conversation (p. 158). Finally, the rules governing the pragmatics of a language are firmly

embedded in the larger rules of culture and are intimately associated with the cultural
patterns discussed in chapter 4 and 5 (p. 159).
Explain Linguistic relativity p. 177
The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis of linguistic relativity concerns with the effects of language
on peoples thoughts and perceptions (p. 177). The firmer version of the hypothesis
portrays language as the determiner of thought, and the softer version portrays language
as a shaper of thought; that variations in words and grammatical structures from one
language to another provide important evidence in the debate on the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis; and that each language, with its own unique features, serves as a shaper rather
than determiner of human thought, culture, and behavior (p. 177-178).
Define linguistic grammars and give examples p. 181
A rich illustration of the reciprocal relationship among language, thought, and culture can
be found in the grammatical rules of different languages (p. 165). Therefore, because
language shapes how its users organize the world, the patterns of culture will be reflected
in its language and vice versa (p. 166).
An example would be how it is easier to show respect in Spanish that it is in English (p.
166). Another example would be how English is the only language that capitalizes the
pronoun I in writing (p. 167).
Explain how verbal codes and intercultural competence are connected
The link between knowledge of other verbal codes and intercultural competence is
obvious because to speak another language proficiently requires an enormous amount of
effort, energy, and time (p. 175). The study of at least one other language is
extraordinarily useful in the understanding the role of differences in verbal codes in
intercultural communication (p. 176). Short of becoming proficient in another language,
learning about its grammatical features can help you understand the messages of the other
person (p. 176). Furthermore, knowledge of another language is one component of the
link between competence and verbal codes (p. 176). The motivational dimension also
concerns your reactions to those who are attempting to speak you language and learning
other language is an important feature of intercultural competence (p. 177). Competence
in intercultural communication can be assisted by behaviors that indicate interest in the
other persons verbal code (p. 177). Intercultural competence requires knowledge,
motivation, and actions that recognize the critical role of verbal codes in human
interaction (p. 177).
Applications
This would help me to prepare a lesson in Japan on the link of verbal codes and
intercultural competence. I would also explain what linguistic grammars are and give
examples of them. Defining verbal codes will also help start the lesion on it. I would then
give the rule systems on verbal codes. This would help me start makeshift lesson that I
would later go back and edit to make it lesson plan material.
Biblical Links
Casting all you anxieties on him, because he cares for you 1st Peter 5:7. This reminds
that no matter how hard a situation gets, we can always count on God for support. He will
always be there for us and never give up on us. Just like God would never give up on us,
we should also not give on learning a new language. As long we are willing to try, we
will eventually master that language that we have kept on studying for. We just have to
trust in God because he cares for us and everything would work out according to his will.