Analyze the way a group you are part of uses language.

Possible groups include 1. Work teams.

2. Sports teams.

3. Sororities, fraternities, and other social groups.

4. Churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples.

5. Geographic or ethnic groups.

6. Groups of friends.

Questions to ask include the following:

1. What specialized terms might not be known to outsiders?

2. What topics do members talk or write about? What topics are considered unimportant or improper?

3. What channels do members use to convey messages?

4. What forms of language do members use to build goodwill? To demonstrate competence or superiority?

5. What strategies or kinds of proof are convincing to members?

6. What formats, conventions, or rules do members expect messages to follow?

7. What are some nonverbal ways members communicate?

As your instructor directs,

a. Share your results orally with a small group of students.

b. Present your results in an oral presentation to the class.

c. Present your results in an e-mail to your instructor.

d. Share your results with a small group of students, and write a joint e-mail reporting the similarities and differences you found.