Imagine you are stranded alone on a deserted island; No one to confer with, no one to help you, no one to keep you going. Do you go crazy with loneliness, or do you remember Tom Hanks in Cast Away and make your own Wilson? I don’t know about you, but I would definitely make my own Wilson. Wilson provided “Chuck” with an outlet for verbal communication, which was necessary for mental stability and perseverance. “Don’t worry Wilson, I’ll do all the paddling. You just hang on” (Cast Away, 2000).
Verbal communication is essentially using language while interacting with others. Though the word “verbal” may imply it must be spoken, verbal communication can bridge through multiple media, including email and phone conversation (McCornack 2010).There are five characteristics of language. Specifically, language is….
-symbolic-we use words as symbols representing people, places, feelings, etc.
-governed by rules- Rules govern meanings of words and structures of sentences.
-flexible- People often change words to mean other things, “cool” can mean cold or good.
-cultural- All cultures have different ways of communicating whether it be language change or social norms.
-always evolving- We are constantly adding new words to our vocabulary. Fun fact, “Bootylicious” was recently added to the dictionary!
Recently, my best friend and I moved into a new apartment with a foreign exchange student from China. We were worried we would overwhelm her with all of our stuff and our (sometimes) crazy personalities, so we tried to tone ourselves down when we went to introduce ourselves. We quickly learned, after a night of chatting with her, that in her culture, it was considered strange to be the first person to introduce yourself. She was happy that we had come to her because, as she said, she would have been incredibly uncomfortable coming to us. She also noted that her culture in China is vastly different from America, especially in the sense that in China language is used more for brief communication, not as a long, evolving series of verbal events. She said she had never just talked with someone for hours until she came to JMU. Apparently, these new conversations have exposed her to new ways of thinking and have helped her settle in with her sense of self.
Verbal communication is vital for life and emotional well being. “Chuck” needed “Wilson” to get off the island to safety, and YaoYao needed verbal communication to learn about a new culture. Because verbal communication and language affect our lives so immensely, it helps to understand their components.
Discussion:
1. What are some words you use day-to-day that may not necessarily be in the dictionary but others accept as a real word?
2. What would you name your “Wilson” if you were stranded on a deserted island?
3. Could you go an entire day without any verbal communication?
Reference:
-Broyles, William. Cast Away. 2000. Movie
-McCornack, S. (2009). Reflect and relate: An introduction to interpersonal
communication. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
