Philipsen’s Speech Code Theory says that each and every culture has their own speech codes. Speech Codes are systems of socially constructed symbols and meanings, premises, and rules that pertain to interaction between those who make up the particular culture. These speech codes used by speakers and listeners are utilized to create and interpret their communication which make up their realities.

If one were to view the culture and communication of the Lumbee Indians of south-eastern North Carolina they’d easily be able to see support for the Speech Codes Theory. This tribe has developed its own particular speech codes that flood their communication. Their speech codes are woven into their communication and become more prevalent when you view the interaction between those who share the culture.

In Gerry Philipsen’s Speech Codes Theory, he defines speech code as, “a historically enacted, socially constructed system of terms, meanings, premises, and rules pertaining to communicative conduct.” He placed the information of the theory into six propositions: 1) Wherever there is a distinctive culture, there is to be found a distinctive speech code (422) 2) In any given speech community, multiple speech codes are deployed (423) 3) A speech code involves a culturally distinctive psychology, sociology, and rhetoric (424) 4) The significance of speaking, depends on the speech codes used by speakers and listeners to create and interpret their communication (425) 5) The terms, rules, and premises of a speech code are inextricably woven into speaking itself (427) 6) The artful use of a shared speech code is a sufficient condition for predicting, explaining, and controlling the form of discourse about the intelligibility, prudence, and morality of communication conduct (428)

Proposition five there is a communication ritual that have four major steps. First, is initiation, which is when one mentions that they have something to talk about. Second, acknowledgment, which is when the listener is willing to sit down and talk it through. Third, negotiation, which is the talking taking place and feedback is given. Fourth, reaffirmation, which is when both the speaker and listener resolve the problem and tell each other their feelings towards one another.

This reminds me of a scene in an episode from One Tree Hill. Brooke Davis confronts her best friend, Peyton Sawyer about a boy that they both like. They talk it through and demonstrate every single step given above. There was a problem, but they resolved it through communication.

Gerry Philipsen defines a speech code as “a historically enacted, socially constructive system of terms, meanings, premises, and rules pertaining to communicative conduct.” Ethnography is used to understand speech codes because without this understanding, one isn’t able to understand the culture and communicate with the people of that culture. Philipsen created six propositions for the speech code. The first one talks about how each distinctive culture has a distinctive speech code. For example, he compared Teamsterville and Nacirema dinner table rituals and how the Teamsterville children are usually silent during dinner while Nacirema children are always talking. The second proposition says how in any community, there can be multiple speech codes. Proposition three talks about psychology, sociology, and rhetoric and their importance to speech codes. In the fourth proposition, Philipsen states, “if we want to understand the significance of a prominent speech practice within a culture, we must listen to the way people talk about it, and respond to it.” Proposition five shows the importance of totemizing rituals to a speech code. The sixth proposition suggests that if one knows the specific speech codes then that will help them “predict or control what others will say and how they’ll interpret what is said.”

In this cartoon, the cavemen have finally learned how to speak and one of them suggests they establish speech codes. Establishing speech codes is important because every culture has different ways of speaking and different slang. By establishing speech codes they are also establishing their culture, in a way.