COM 250 / Wk. #4 Discussion: Nonverbal communication and stereotype/prejudice

How is it that our nonverbal behavior can exhibit prejudice and discrimination? Have you ever subconsciously displayed prejudicial nonverbal behavior toward people (poor/rich, minority/mainstream, gay/straight, alien/fellow citizen, abled/disabled ... ) in your life? Do you regret about that? if not, why?

COM 250 / Wk. #4 Discussion: Nonverbal communication as an implicit exhibition of power: My story

  How is the power relationship exhibited in our nonverbal behavior? Have you realized that some mannerism belongs to people with certain status? How does people use nonverbal behavior to signify their cultural identity? Why does some group of people protest that their nonverbal behavior has been stolen by other group of people? For example, recently, I heard an Indian female student in Yale University complained that their bindi (red dot) has been misused by ethnic fashion. Does she has a valid reason to complain about this? When a politician born with a silver spoon behaves like a plain folk, what do you feel? 

COM 250 / Wk. #4 Discussion: Sapir-Whorf hypothesis: Is it an exaggeration?

   According to Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, our language serves as a template or metaphor system to help us describe and make sense of reality.  Based on your foreign language experience, is it true that language is like a prison and it constrains the ways individuals can perceive the world? As a foreigner, I am constantly amazed that Americans always feel “amazing” even the most mundane and drudgery things in our life. What do you think about this hypothesis?  

COM 250 / Wk. #4 Discussion: Ebonics: Do we really think it is a legitimate language?

   In some areas of our nation, Ebonics is considered an independent and natural language, and thus, English is taught in those schools as a second language to students who spoke Ebonics as their "first language." However, some educators consider Ebonics as substandard English, not even a dialect, and therefore, were not willing to teach it as a legitimate "first language" nor provide funds for ESL to be taught to those students. To make things more controversial, Bill Cosby blamed the parents for speech like "why you ain't" and "where you is"... He further slammed the liberal educators for this accommodation: "Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads.... You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth!"
  What do you think? Should Ebonics be taught as the legitimate first language? Why?

COM 250 / Wk. #4 Discussion: How is communication an exhibition of power relationship in society?

      Pragmatics is one of the four components of language. Researches in pragmatics focus on rules and patterns people follow to make their communication appropriately and effectively. For example, conversational rules (- “I have the floor”) and contextual rules can significantly influence or restrict our communication behavior. With those rules, the power relationship of the society is manifested and reinforced. Now, can you tell us, based on your life experience, how those rules (- political correctness) actually are exercising of power in our society? Have you realized that sometimes, the more gigantic "the crap" is, the more it needs to "have the floor" to exhibit itself?