Language and CommunicationLanguage and Communication

IntroductionIntroduction

• Language is developing through ages in different places. So the conflicts of communication between different people of different classes, and from different ages are numerous.

People from different People from different classes have language classes have language

communication communication problems.problems.

Firstly, different classes of Firstly, different classes of people will speak inpeople will speak in

Different ways to express meanings

Different styles of words and expressions

Different social background Different social background arouses different utterance arouses different utterance

styles.styles.

• There is two on you, who’s the t’other one?

你们有两个人呀，另一个是谁？• Walking for sivin days! 走了七天• I might have know’d. 我应该晓得了

These sentences are said by the thieves.

Quoted from: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

For example, when leaving for For example, when leaving for the toilet on various occasions, the toilet on various occasions,

people from different classes will people from different classes will express in different ways.express in different ways.

Elderly people or ladies will say Elderly people or ladies will say politely as followspolitely as follows

I'm just going to wash my hands.

(old people)

I have to powder my nose.

(Ladies)

I'm going to spend a penny.

In the classroom, the In the classroom, the pupil will say to teacherpupil will say to teacher

Excuse me. Can I go to the toilet (loo), please?

people will saypeople will say

Excuse me. Is there a public toilet round here, please?

Secondly, communication Secondly, communication problems happen in different problems happen in different

places and periods of time.places and periods of time.

Take English as an example

English is divided into three periods:

• Old English

• Middle English

• Early modern English

Old English poem Old English poem BeowolfBeowolf

Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum,þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum

Middle English Middle English Canterbury talesCanterbury tales

A PrioresseShe leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,

Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe,

Wel coude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe,

That no drope ne fille up-on hir brest.in curteisye was set ful muche hir lest.

Early modern EnglishEarly modern English

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes

necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

• 美国独立宣言， 1776年，汤玛斯•杰佛逊

Comparison of the three periods Comparison of the three periods EnglishEnglish

Different spelling forms of letters

Phonetic syllables remain in sentences

More like modern English, but different in spelling words

e.g. hir- her, carie – care

A boy crazy about old English poem performances a courtship to the girl he loves.

THE FLEA. by John Donne

MARK but this flea, and mark in this,How little that which thou deniest me is ;It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.Thou know'st that this cannot be saidA sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead ;    Yet this enjoys before it woo,    And pamper'd swells with one blood made of two ;    And this, alas ! is more than we would do.

• 看这个小跳蚤• 你就明白你对我的否定是多么渺小• 它先吮吸我的血液，然后是你• 我们的血液在它体内融合在一起• 你知道这不能向人提及• 这种罪恶合耻辱足以令少女失掉首级• 然而它在求爱前尽情享乐• 身体因两种血液组成而膨胀• 这远比我们要做的勇敢无数

I am here

Different in placesDifferent in places

Guangdong is a great melt pot of Guangdong is a great melt pot of many dialects from different many dialects from different

places. places.

Jokes made by Guangdong Jokes made by Guangdong people because of different people because of different

accentsaccents

• 　有一回，粤西某领导到部队去感谢解放军对少年宫的支持，他非常热情地发表演讲：“亲爱的南海烂队（南海舰队）的指战员们，你们好，感谢你们给少年宫赠送了退役的烂艇（舰艇）……”在场的官兵面面相觑，那明明是一艘好船哪！

Reason given by Mr. Chen

某珠三角地区市领导信誓旦旦地在新闻发布会上表示：“我们要坚决地拒绝（自觉）接受人大的监督。”全场哗然。

• 广州某事业单位领导表扬一位资深员工工作出色，他感慨地说：“毕竟是老人渣（老人家）啊。” 从此，年轻人便有样学样，表扬那些比自己年长的同事了。

渣 (za) 家 (jia)

ConclusionConclusion Language communication gap is

likely to happen in every time and in any places.

That is all!

Presenters: 杨文芳 余凌玲 陈文贤 刘洋 梁振觉 0207 班

Thank you very Thank you very much!!much!!