Exam 5: Language

Which of the following is not one of the criticisms that have been levied against the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

Which of the following statements about smoking is the best example of an appeal to pathos?

Which persuasion strategy takes advantage of the speaker's credibility?

Slang can serve an important social function by helping people distinguish between those who do and do not belong to their social networks.

Profanity is highly context-specific.

To an American, the phrase, "How are you today?" sounds correct whereas the phrase "Today you are how?" sounds incorrect. The second phrase violates which rule of language?

Technically speaking, which of the following is a factual claim?

Which of the following statements would be true according to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

How prevalent is hate speech in American culture today? What types of environments promote or foster this type of language? What, if anything, should be done to eliminate hate speech and/or protect the targets of hate speech? Finally, using some of the concepts from the textbook and/or class, make some recommendations for ways that hate speech can be avoided at your college or university.

What are some of the benefits of using language in positive ways that express affection, intimacy, comfort, and support? Think about implications for the speaker, the hearer, and their relationship. What are some of the different ways we can use language to express these sentiments?

Explain the concept of hate speech. Compare and contrast it with both profanity and slang.

Pennebaker's research shows that verbal communication has little ability to provide comfort and healing.

Your text has made the suggestion that generally positive forms of language, such as humor, can sometimes have negative consequences, and that generally negative forms of language, such as profanity, can sometimes be positive. This point illustrates how much the effects of language depend on the context in which it is used. In a short essay, explain this point by using concrete examples of humor and profanity (as both positive and negative). Then, extend your discussion to the other forms of speech discussed in the chapter, including euphemism, slang, libel, slander, and hate speech. It is true that each of these forms of language could have either positive or negative effects, depending on the context?

People often use language that is intentionally vague or unclear. Create a situation in which someone might use vague language intentionally to mislead someone. How might you improve this situation? Finally, comment on the ethical considerations of intentionally using language that is vague or misleading. Is it unethical to use language that is intentionally vague in order to give someone the wrong impression? Are there situations in which intentionally misleading someone is acceptable?

An allness statement is one in which the speaker intentionally misleads the hearer by arguing that everyone else agrees with his or her position.

Articulate how a factual claim differs from an opinion. Using concrete examples, be specific about what each type of statement involves and what kind of evidence each statement requires.

The claim that "4 out of doctors 5 prefer" a certain medication for a headache is an example of what kind of statement?

Only false statements can ever qualify as libel.

Which type of language rule deals with the correct pronunciation of words?

Explain the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and give examples that illustrate its assertions.