06-Dec-2003, 15:40
|
| |
 Re: Does speaking well indicate intelligence and/or educatio
Quote: |
Originally Posted by jwschang Quote: |
Originally Posted by CitySpeak There is good language and there is bad language. What does language mean to you? Why?
2. According to the usage note, using “ain’t” is not correct. Do you think that one must speak correctly all the time? Why would you say that?
Speaking well has to do with exposure I would say. If one is exposed to certain forms of linguistic expression, one may pick up on certain forms of linguistic expression. When I say exposure, I mean reading, listening to the radio, environment and conversational opportunities. There is no guarentee, though, that all of this will have a direct effect on one's language ability.
I don't believe, however, that language skills would necessarily be associated with intelligence. We have to think about how we define intelligence as well. Good language skills can certainly be associated with intelligence; however, a lack thereof would not, to me, necessarily indicate low intelligence. Let's keep in mind creative intelligence. I've heard musicians speak - known and unknown - who do not conform to that which we may consider to be standard with regards to English grammar and usage; however, they still struck me as articulate, expressive and quite intelligent individuals.
No, I would not like to mention any names. [/color] | This is an interesting subject that you've raised. I think that language has been and is being deliberately used by some people as a class barrier. To me, the most important thing about speaking correctly is to be understood correctly, more so with people close to you (family and loved ones) than in business, politics, diplomacy (these are a special bunch of speakers here), etc. The question of intelligence does not arise for me.
In fact, some people are so very good at communicating without resorting only to words. A picture paints a thousand words. A glance, a gesture, a movement, an expression, all these take a naturally sensitive and/or intelligent person to communicate to another.
The spoken word (as against the written) unavoidably has the greatest impact on the listener. That's because most of us (consciously or unconsciously) use, or react to, unspoken communication based on our personal experiences and our own very personal make-up. Being very personalised, non-verbal communication is so varied that the listener is unaccustomed to reacting or paying greater attention to it than the word which is spoken and heard.
Except for people who have learned or been trained in non-verbal communicative behaviour, we are generally "uneducated" in non-verbal language, unlike a spoken language which is learned and/or taught.
This is one area where women are more "intelligent" than men. A relationship is truly more enriched by the unspoken word than the spoken word. |
Well, once again I am reminded that there is language for all occasions.
The spoken word (as against the written) unavoidably has the greatest impact on the listener. That's because most of us (consciously or unconsciously) use, or react to, unspoken communication based on our personal experiences and our own very personal make-up. Being very personalised, non-verbal communication is so varied that the listener is unaccustomed to reacting or paying greater attention to it than the word which is spoken and heard. <<<< This is interesting. I take it we might think of what you are referring to here are very subtle forms of paralanguage, such as the type where you can tell when something is bothering someone that you know very well even there are no obvious signs that something is bothering that person.
Of course, there is more than just that.
A relationship is truly more enriched by the unspoken word than the spoken word. <<<< Very true. I think if we were to pay closer attention we might be able to tune ourselves in to more nonverbal communication.  |