COM 114 Exam 2 Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025/2026
what are phonological rules? - Answers how words sound/pronounce (ex. read vs read)
what are syntactic rules? - Answers word order and grammar (ex. "Where are you?" vs. "You are
where?").
what are semantic rules? - Answers the meaning of words (ex. bachelor = unmarried man)
what are pragmatic rules? - Answers how context changes meaning(ex. "Nice job" can be
sincere or sarcastic)
what causes semantic misunderstanding? - Answers When people assign different meanings to
the same word (ex. "soon" means different times to different people)
what is convergence? - Answers adapting your communication style to match someone elses
what is divergence? - Answers emphasizing differences in style to maintain identity
"it " statements - Answers avoid responsibility (ex. "It's a bad idea" instead of "I think it's a bad
idea").
"but" statements - Answers cancel/weaken what comes before(ex. "You did great, but...").
"we" statements - Answers show shared responsibility ("we need to work on this")
*"you" language - Answers pro = direct, con = can sound blaming
*"i" language - Answers pro = takes ownership, con = may seem self- focused
powerless speech mechanisms - Answers Tag question: turn statements into questions( "thats
okay.. Isn't it?")
Hedges: softens statements ("I think," "maybe" "sort of")
Filler: "um" "like" "you know"
fact - opinion confusion - Answers treating opinion as fact(Fact: "You forgot my birthday."
Opinion: "You don't care about me.)
fact interference confusion - Answers mixing facts with assumptions(Fact: "She didn't return my
call." Inference: "She's mad at me.")
characteristics of non-verbal comm. - Answers Culture-bound: Meanings vary across cultures.
Relational: Reveals emotions and relationships more than words sometimes.
Ambiguous: Can be interpreted differently.
, Continuous: Always happening, even when silent.
Multi-channel: Involves body, face, voice, space, etc.
Context-based: Meaning depends on situation.
emblem - Answers gestures that stand for a specific verbal meaning (okay symbol)
how do americans use smiles? - Answers Show friendliness/politeness even with strangers
types of non-verbal comm. - Answers Body movement (kinesics): Gestures, posture, facial
expressions.
Voice (paralanguage): Tone, pitch, rate, pauses.
Appearance: Clothing, grooming.
Touch (haptics): Hugging, handshakes.
Space (proxemics): Personal distance.
Environment: Color, temperature, decor
physical enviornment - Answers color, temp, decor,time
vocalized pause - Answers a meaningless saying such as "you know," "uh," "and a," used to fill
moments when the speaker is not sure what to say next
unintentional pause - Answers times when people stop to collect their thoughts silience or used
to emphasize
* 6 verbal-non-verbal connections - Answers Repeating: Saying "yes" while nodding.
Substituting: Shrugging instead of saying "I don't know."
Complementing: Saying "I'm excited" with a big smile.
Accenting: Emphasizing words with gestures.
Regulating: Using eye contact to signal it's someone else's turn to talk.
Contradicting: Saying "I'm fine" with a sad face.
listening vs. hearing - Answers hearing = the process of perceiving sound
listening = making meaning of sound
Mindful vs. Mindless listening - Answers mindful = focused/ actively
mindless = automatic(noddin w/o paying attention)
what are phonological rules? - Answers how words sound/pronounce (ex. read vs read)
what are syntactic rules? - Answers word order and grammar (ex. "Where are you?" vs. "You are
where?").
what are semantic rules? - Answers the meaning of words (ex. bachelor = unmarried man)
what are pragmatic rules? - Answers how context changes meaning(ex. "Nice job" can be
sincere or sarcastic)
what causes semantic misunderstanding? - Answers When people assign different meanings to
the same word (ex. "soon" means different times to different people)
what is convergence? - Answers adapting your communication style to match someone elses
what is divergence? - Answers emphasizing differences in style to maintain identity
"it " statements - Answers avoid responsibility (ex. "It's a bad idea" instead of "I think it's a bad
idea").
"but" statements - Answers cancel/weaken what comes before(ex. "You did great, but...").
"we" statements - Answers show shared responsibility ("we need to work on this")
*"you" language - Answers pro = direct, con = can sound blaming
*"i" language - Answers pro = takes ownership, con = may seem self- focused
powerless speech mechanisms - Answers Tag question: turn statements into questions( "thats
okay.. Isn't it?")
Hedges: softens statements ("I think," "maybe" "sort of")
Filler: "um" "like" "you know"
fact - opinion confusion - Answers treating opinion as fact(Fact: "You forgot my birthday."
Opinion: "You don't care about me.)
fact interference confusion - Answers mixing facts with assumptions(Fact: "She didn't return my
call." Inference: "She's mad at me.")
characteristics of non-verbal comm. - Answers Culture-bound: Meanings vary across cultures.
Relational: Reveals emotions and relationships more than words sometimes.
Ambiguous: Can be interpreted differently.
, Continuous: Always happening, even when silent.
Multi-channel: Involves body, face, voice, space, etc.
Context-based: Meaning depends on situation.
emblem - Answers gestures that stand for a specific verbal meaning (okay symbol)
how do americans use smiles? - Answers Show friendliness/politeness even with strangers
types of non-verbal comm. - Answers Body movement (kinesics): Gestures, posture, facial
expressions.
Voice (paralanguage): Tone, pitch, rate, pauses.
Appearance: Clothing, grooming.
Touch (haptics): Hugging, handshakes.
Space (proxemics): Personal distance.
Environment: Color, temperature, decor
physical enviornment - Answers color, temp, decor,time
vocalized pause - Answers a meaningless saying such as "you know," "uh," "and a," used to fill
moments when the speaker is not sure what to say next
unintentional pause - Answers times when people stop to collect their thoughts silience or used
to emphasize
* 6 verbal-non-verbal connections - Answers Repeating: Saying "yes" while nodding.
Substituting: Shrugging instead of saying "I don't know."
Complementing: Saying "I'm excited" with a big smile.
Accenting: Emphasizing words with gestures.
Regulating: Using eye contact to signal it's someone else's turn to talk.
Contradicting: Saying "I'm fine" with a sad face.
listening vs. hearing - Answers hearing = the process of perceiving sound
listening = making meaning of sound
Mindful vs. Mindless listening - Answers mindful = focused/ actively
mindless = automatic(noddin w/o paying attention)
