Introduction to Global Missions by Zane Pratt & M. David Sills & Jeff K. Walters

Introduction to Global Missions by Zane Pratt & M. David Sills & Jeff K. Walters

Author:Zane Pratt & M. David Sills & Jeff K. Walters [Pratt, Zane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religion/Christian Ministry/Missions
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 2014-07-01T05:00:00+00:00


The words we speak communicate, but the specific word choice, facial expression, appearance, tone of voice (paralanguage), and accompanying gestures can strengthen or negate the surface meaning. You may strongly affirm your rights as a citizen, responding to a speech at a political rally by shouting, “Yeah. Right!” Or you may skeptically respond to a friend’s remark that you have just won a million dollars by saying the same words but in a way that negates the meaning of both words. Short-term missions volunteers to Latin America sometimes will overhear the word gringo and ask if it is a derisive term. The answer usually depends, however, on the tone of voice and the facial expression of the person who said it. It could be a term of endearment or a pejorative term reserved for disliked North Americans.

Missiologist Donald K. Smith has a helpful insight to what he terms the Twelve-Signal System for communication.9 You have learned how to use all twelve signals in your home culture, and you do so daily without even realizing it. Only one of the twelve signals is the language. As we have already seen, language is used differently, and dialects or accents may sometimes nuance meanings that are unintended. The reality of this, seen in the relationship of the USA and England, has been observed by many, including Winston Churchill, who is noted to have said, “We are two countries divided by a common language.” Just as speaking English among non-English speakers will not communicate what you desire, each of the other eleven signals in the system must be studied to know how it is used in a new context. The twelve signals Smith recounts are:

Verbal—speech of the language itself (English, German, Spanish, Mandarin)

Written—symbols that represent speech (alphabets, Chinese characters)

Numeric—numbers and number systems (biblical numerology, police radio)

Pictorial—two-dimensional representations (No Smoking, Airport Exit)

Artifactual—three-dimensional representations and objects (uniforms, wedding rings)

Audio—use of nonverbal sounds and silence (school bells, alarm clocks)

Kinesic—body motions, facial expressions, posture (ballet, eye contact, slouching)

Optical—light and color (lighting in plays, white for weddings and black at funerals)

Tactile—touch and the sense of feel (touching another’s shoulder or arm)

Spatial—use of space (distance apart in intimate, casual, or public speaking)

Temporal—use of time (making someone wait, being “on time”)

Olfactory—taste and smell (perfume, scented candles)10



Download



Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.