On True Or False Forms Of Speech Information And Their Functions In Verbal Communication

In verbal communication, people use words to communicate information, which is called speech information. There are many studies of speech information home and abroad, but most of them study from the viewpoint of functional linguistics. Some specialists and scholars have studied the content of the speech information and point out that the speech is loaded with true and false information. But no one has ever categorized the configuration of it. Furthermore, the scholars usually focus on the study of false speech information, and ignore malicious false speech information.This study defines the true speech as those that adhere to both objective facts and speakers'intention. And the contrary is defined as false speech. Based on the statistics of the speeches in some literature works, it is found that the true speech account for the majority and the false speech only takes the small proportion. According to the intensity of the emotion to be expressed, the true speech is classified to two kinds: true words and sincere words. True speech can promote people's harmony in communication and sometimes will do harm to the hearer's emotion.However, in some occasions, people have to give some false speech. The false speech is classified into beneficial false speech and malicious false speech according to the motivation of the speaker and its positive and negative influence upon the hearer. Beneficial false speech includes two types: initiative and passive, based on speaker's intention. Beneficial false speech will help to establish harmonious interpersonal relationship and induce hearer's courage in tough communications. According to the purpose and speech content, malicious false speech can be classified into fraudulence and slander. Fraudulence is to gain others'trust by telling lies and damage other's benefit. Slander lies in jealousy and hatred, and do harm to people's reputation. Malicious false speech is pernicious for a stable and united society, for harmonious interpersonal relationships, and for the benefit of hearers and others. Beneficial false speech exerts a positive influence, while malicious exert negative one. In conclusion, we advocate true speech in communication, appropriate beneficial false speech and prohibit malicious false speech.