Speech Codes Research

A well known professor at Northwestern University, Gerry Philipsen, performs research on ethnography of communication. Philipsen not only presents his theories, but also describes from personal experience the process on how he concluded these theories.

While reading Developing Communication Theory written by Gerry Philipsen and Terrance Albrecht, I acquired knowledge on the subject of speech codes. Philipsen defines speech codes as "a system of socially constructed symbols and meanings, premises, and rules, pertaining to communicative conduct" (Griffin p. 432). The rationele for speech codes research was devloped by focusing on main points to prove his theory correct. The way individuals deploy to talk about their knowledge with others is limited knowledge known only by these groups. Philipsen suggests

"the question of the existence of distinctive speech codes, and has promted the search for evidence of distinctivness, across cultures, in the resources people deploy to invent, characterize, interpret, and rationalize their communicative conduct"

Gerry Philipsen and Mary Jo Rudd began an observation by listening to tape recordings of, Nacirema (American spelled backwards) conversations at dinner time. The communication contributions made by the family were equal. This was a time for each family member to voice their opinion without any interuptions made by the other participants. The Nacirema speech was a way to express each persons uniqueness. This gives the family an opportunity to show their equality.

Another study was conducted by Philipsen and Tamar Katriel where they focused on the way people tell their life stories. The conclusions they found were similar to the ones presented at the family dinner table. A great emphasis was placed on interpersonal relationships in which each person wanted to express their own uniqueness and accept the other's distinctive character. Philipsen and Katriel devised two clusters relating to the common ways of speaking.

Communication
Real Communication
Really Talking
Supportive Communication
Open Communication

Mere Talk
Small Talk
Normal Chit-Chat

While observing Nacirema communication the team recognized that the terms in each cluster could substitute each other in some eloquence. In certain expressions the phrases could not replace each other between clusters. The terms "real communication" and "open communication" contain more meaning as statements than only using the term "communication." "Communication" often represents speech about interpersonal life. Throughout the study Philipsen and Katriel discovered "communication" was a character that was pre-eminent in Nacirema conversation. Words such as "self," "relationship," and "work," often coincide with the term communication. For example, relationships are often discussed with either having open communication or insufficient communication. Philipsen concluded "I have tried to show, in each case, how the field work contributed not just to the collection of anecdotes but to the discovery and formulation of a distinctive code" (Philipsen p.133).

Speech Codes Theory home page

To preview a web page on a related theory, Face Negotiation Theory click here. This web page talks about the values between different cultures.

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This page was last revised by Angela Andrus on March 10, 2000