Understanding Communication: Elements, Types, and Language
Communication
Communication is the process of transmitting information from a source to a destination. Verbal language is the primary instrument of human communication, forming the foundation of our interactions and understanding of ourselves and the world.
Elements of Communication
- Issuer/Sender: The entity transmitting the information.
- Receptor/Receiver: The entity receiving the message.
- Information/Message: The content being transmitted.
- Channel/Medium: The means of transmission (e.g., natural or artificial).
- Context: The circumstances surrounding the communication, influencing its interpretation.
Types of Communication
Bidirectional Communication
In bidirectional communication, the sender and receiver interact and exchange roles.
Unidirectional Communication
Information flows from sender to receiver without a reciprocal exchange.
Noise: Disturbances hindering communication.
Redundancy: Repetition or rephrasing to counteract noise and ensure message delivery (e.g., raising one’s voice, using different words).
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication encompasses visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory cues.
Oral Communication
Oral communication is often improvised, spontaneous, direct, immediate, and ephemeral. It involves interaction between sender and receiver through the auditory channel. Linguistic features include interrogative, exclamatory, and affective expressions, as well as subject changes and colloquialisms.
Written Communication
Written communication is reflective, planned, and can be deferred or mediated. The receiver may receive the message at a different time and place than the sender. There is no direct interaction. The visual channel is used. Linguistic features include complex syntactic structures, text organization, subordinate clauses, adherence to linguistic rules, varied vocabulary, and sometimes a formal register.
Sign Language
- Signifier: The sequence of articulated sounds forming a word.
- Signified/Meaning: The concept conveyed by the signifier.
- Arbitrariness: The lack of inherent resemblance between the sounds and the concept.
- Conventionality: The agreed-upon relationship between signifier and signified.
- Linearity: The unfolding of language over time.
- Duality of Patterning: Language’s ability to be broken down into smaller units (sounds, words) that can be combined to create new meanings.
Functions of Language
- Representative: Conveying information (e.g., “Earth is a planet.”)
- Expressive: Expressing emotions or attitudes (e.g., “That’s horrible!”)
- Phatic: Establishing or maintaining social contact (e.g., “Hello.”)
- Metalinguistic: Referring to language itself (e.g., “What does this word mean?”)
- Poetic: Using language aesthetically (e.g., “Poetry is a way to reach.”)
Language and Dialects
Language: The human capacity to communicate using linguistic signs.
Tongue/Language Variant: A shared code used by a community of speakers.
Varieties of Language
- Diatopic Varieties (Geographical): Variations based on location.
- Diastratic Varieties (Social): Variations based on social group.
- Diaphasic Varieties (Situational): Variations based on context.
Dialects are linguistic systems derived from a language. They can be regional or social.
Language Levels
Cultured Level
Used by highly educated individuals, often associated with literary and scientific language. Characterized by precise and structured language, avoiding vulgarisms and slang.
Standard Level
An intermediate, formal level used by most speakers. Adheres to language standards but is less rigid than the cultured level.