We use language when we communicate. In different speech acts we use language to interact with each other. However, in these interactions, language is not the only communication we use. Along with verbal communication, we also use nonverbal communication. While people are aware of verbal communication they are less aware of nonverbal communication, even though nonverbal communication can support or discard what someone is expressing with verbal communication. Like it or not, people you are speaking with will evaluated your credibility, confidence and trustworthiness in the first seven seconds. Even before you start speaking your body language and gesture can destroy your speech since people believe more what they see and not …show more content…
In this chapter we also deal with speech acts. Speech acts are the minimal functional units in human communication and gave us the insights on how the language is used. Language is also an important part in the chapter that follows and the chapter is about rhetoric.
Along with verbal communication, nonverbal communication has a significant role in communication. An overview of nonverbal communication is made. The emphasis is made on how verbal communication differs from nonverbal communication, what are the functions of nonverbal communication and what types of nonverbal communication we know. All this leads us to gestures and political discourse.
The empirical part of the thesis focuses on an analysis of political speeches that will complement some of previous findings about the connection between verbal and nonverbal communication. The analysis focuses on how Borut Pahor and Barack Obama use gestures and rhetoric in their speeches about army and in the speech after being elected presidents.
1.1 PURPOSE FOR …show more content…
There are multiple cultural groups and when communicating verbally, cultural assumptions are made within the given society or group. Similar like relationships, culture also influences verbal communication. So culture influences meanings that are given to words and the use of words (Duck and McMahn 69-82).
As we mentioned before, verbal communication also involves frames. Frames help people to make sense of communicating with drawing attention to how they should be communicating, what to expect from the person they are communicating with and which meanings to assign to symbols and words that are being used in the communication. In verbal communication, conversational frames are used. To make effective verbal communication these frames should be shared by both persons in the conversation (Duck and McMahn 69-82).
Verbal communication is presentational because it reviles information about the perspective and worldview of the person who is sending the message. The presentational role of verbal communication is the most recognizable when people tell stories and provide accounts (Duck and McMahn