Communication is the imparting or exchanging of information or news.

Language and Dialect. Linguistically, mutual intelligibility is often described as an important factor for the
definition of a separate, independent language. Accordingly, native speakers of one language are usually
able to understand each other. ... Thus, a language is a collection of dialects or linguistic varieties.

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication - It is one of three main types of communication, along with
verbal communication (speaking) and non-verbal communication (tone, body language, etc.). Visual
communication is believed to be the type that people rely on most, and it includes signs, graphic designs,
films, typography, and countless other example.

Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting
of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/laptops,
or other type of compatible computer

A symbol is something that represents or stands in for something else. The term symbol originates from
the Greek word symbolon meaning token or sign. Symbols must be learned as they represent, stand in
for, or suggest something else such as an idea or object.

A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication or non-vocal communication in which visible bodily

actions communicate particular messages, either in place of, or in conjunction with, speech. Gestures
include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body.

Speech Communication is the study of how people generate shared meaning through the use of verbal
and nonverbal symbols. Speech Communication majors work to develop confidence and effectiveness in
their public speaking, inter- personal, and small group communication skills.

Jargon is specialized terminology used to define specific words and phrases used in a particular
profession, trade, and/or group. Jargon is a type of language that is used in a particular context and may
not be well understood outside that context.

Bilingualism and multilingualism is an interdisciplinary and complex field. As is self-evident from the
prefixes (bi- and multi-), bilingualism and multilingualism phenomena are devoted to the study of
production, processing, and comprehension of two (and more than two) languages, respectively.

The Communication Process

The goal of communication is to convey information—and the understanding of that information—from

one person or group to another person or group. This communication process is divided into three basic
components: A sender transmits a message through a channel to the receiver. (Figure shows a more
elaborate model.) The sender first develops an idea, which is composed into a message and then
transmitted to the other party, who interprets the message and receives meaning. Information theorists
have added somewhat more complicated language. Developing a message is known as encoding.
Interpreting the message is referred to as decoding.

The other important feature is the feedback cycle. When two people interact, communication is rarely
one-way only. When a person receives a message, she responds to it by giving a reply. The feedback cycle
is the same as the sender-receiver feedback noted in Figure . Otherwise, the sender can't know whether
the other parties properly interpreted the message or how they reacted to it. Feedback is especially
significant in management because a supervisor has to know how subordinates respond to directives
and plans. The manager also needs to know how work is progressing and how employees feel about the
general work situation.

The critical factor in measuring the effectiveness of communication is common understanding.

Understanding exists when all parties involved have a mutual agreement as to not only the information,
but also the meaning of the information. Effective communication, therefore, occurs when the intended
message of the sender and the interpreted message of the receiver are one and the same. Although this
should be the goal in any communication, it is not always achieved.

The most efficient communication occurs at a minimum cost in terms of resources expended. Time, in
particular, is an important resource in the communication process. For example, it would be virtually
impossible for an instructor to take the time to communicate individually with each student in a class
about every specific topic covered. Even if it were possible, it would be costly. This is why managers often
leave voice mail messages and interact by e-mail rather than visit their subordinates personally.

However, efficient time-saving communications are not always effective. A low-cost approach such as an
e-mail note to a distribution list may save time, but it does not always result in everyone getting the
same meaning from the message. Without opportunities to ask questions and clarify the message,
erroneous interpretations are possible. In addition to a poor choice of communication method, other
barriers to effective communication include noise and other physical distractions, language problems,
and failure to recognize nonverbal signals.

Sometimes communication is effective, but not efficient. A work team leader visiting each team member
individually to explain a new change in procedures may guarantee that everyone truly understands the
change, but this method may be very costly on the leader's time. A team meeting would be more
efficient. In these and other ways, potential tradeoffs between effectiveness and efficiency occur
The Elements of Communication: A Theoretical Approach

DECEMBER 13, 2013 BY WILL GEMMA

Whether in a marketing strategy, a client-server model, or just day-to-day conversation, communicating

effectively is an amalgamation of art and science. In fact, when technology advanced rapidly through the
turn of the 20th century, a new theoretical field, Communication Theory, was introduced alongside
Information Theory. Notable products of that field (livelier today than ever) are the Elements of
Communication, for which there exists a basic model. Naturally, debate abounds over what these
elements are in what order they should appear, but a general blueprint survives to help us better
understand the tangibles and intangibles behind the art of communication.

Over the years, and with the help of distinguished communication theorists Claude Shannon, Wilbur
Lang Schramm and Robert Craig, among others, a simple model of communication has evolved to signify
the aforementioned “elements of communication.” Again, there is no universally accepted archetype,
and dissidents will flock to anything claiming to be such. Still, what follows is not only an accurate
assessment of the basics; it is also an informative lesson for anyone with a desire to better understand
the mechanics of communication.

1. Source

The source is the person (or thing) attempting to share information. The source can be a living or non-
living entity. The only qualifications necessary for a source are an origin of information (in Information
Theory, the source generates data that one would like to communicate) and an ability to transmit this
information, through a channel, to a receiver.

2. Message

At first glance, the message is simply the information you want to communicate. But it goes deeper than
that. Communication theorists examine messages from a semiotic perspective (the study of signs and
symbols, and how meaning is created through them; note: it is not the study of meaning, just how
meaning is created). For example, a commencement speaker produces meaning through several criteria.
First, there is the object (in this case, the speaker has an inherent meaning, maybe through being a local
celebrity or famous alum). The second criterion would be his or her image, acting as a symbol or
representation of the meaning of the object (a well-dressed, professional and successful person). The
third criterion is interpretation or derived meaning. If the object and image (and, in this case, speech)
are successful, then the audience will leave with an understanding of how to proceed toward a life of
personal fulfillment.

3. Encoding

Encoding is the process of assembling the message (information, ideas and thoughts) into a
representative design with the objective of ensuring that the receiver can comprehend it.
Communication is only established when it results in both the source and the receiver understanding the
same information. People who are great communicators are great encoders; they know how to present
their message in a way that their audience (receivers) can easily understand. They are also able to
identify information that is superfluous, irrelevant or even accidentally offensive, and eliminate it in
advance through anticipation.

4. Channel

An encoded message is conveyed by the source through a channel. There are numerous channel
categories: verbal, non-verbal, personal, non-personal, etc. A channel could be the paper on which
words are written, or the Internet acting in the client-server model that is allowing you to read these
words right now.

A good communicator is one who understands which channels to use under different circumstances.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect channel. All channels have strengths and weaknesses (smartphones
are great, for example, but a marriage proposal is best done in person).

5. Decoding

Now would be an appropriate time to remind yourself that you can just as easily fill the role of decoder
as you can encoder. This is where listening, and reading directions carefully, makes its claim to fame—
decode with care, my friends. As we discussed in Encoding, communication is only successful when it
results in both the source and the receiver understanding the same information. For this to happen,
there can be no errors in processing. The most common among these would be, for example, a first-
grader sitting in on a lecture on differential equations, i.e. decoding is impossible if the decoder cannot
even understand the message.

6. Receiver

Ultimately, the message is delivered to the receiver. A good communicator takes the receivers
preconceptions and frames of reference into consideration; how they will react, where common ground
is shared, their sense of humor, their moral conduct, etc. All of these things will affect how the receivers
decode messages.

7. Feedback

A better word might be “reaction” or “responses.” The source judges its success based on the feedback
it receives, so pay close attention. If Google’s servers crashed tomorrow, there would be a lot of
confused sources. The same would be true if you delivered a flawless marriage proposal, only to receive
a look of bewilderment and horror. And then there are famous marketing nightmares, such as Aqua
Teen Hunter Force’s LED signs that were mistakenly identified as explosive devices. Feedback is the
moment of reckoning. Whether things go right or wrong, it serves as one of the most important learning
opportunities we have.

8. Context

Context is simply the environment in which your message is delivered. For Bob Dylan, the context was
the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, with a heavy focus on The Big Apple (though he would probably
disagree). Context could be a boardroom meeting focusing on international expansion or the 2006
World Cup final in Germany (poor choice, Zidane). Needless to say, context can easily make or break the
effectiveness of communication.

Chain Reaction

It’s a tired old cliché, but these eight elements truly are only as strong as their weakest link. The best
communicators master them all. If these tips have you feeling ambitious, learn Italian and see if you can
do it in another language. Ciao!

Functions of Communication Theory

While theories in many disciplines can be hard for some to understand, in a field like Communication,
our theories are important to understand because they directly impact our daily lives. In this respect,
they serve several functions in guiding our communication.

The first function theories serve is that they help us organize and understand our communication
experiences. We use theories to organize a broad range of experiences into smaller categories by paying
attention to “common features” of communication situations (Infante, Rancer & Womack). How many
times have you surfed the internet and found articles or quizzes on relationships and what they mean for
different genders? Deborah Tannen, author of You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in
Conversations, argues that men and women talk in significantly different ways and for significantly
different reasons. Of course, these differences cannot be applied to all men and women. But, theories on
gender communication help us organize and understand the talk of the different genders in a more
simplified context so we can understand general patterns of communication behavior. This helps us make
appropriate decisions in gendered communication situations.

A second function of theories is that they help us choose what communicative behaviors to study.
Theories guide where we choose to look, what we look at, and how we look at communicative
phenomenon. Remember back to Chapter 1 where we defined communication study. Theories focus our
attention on certain aspects of that definition. If you find that Tannen’s theories regarding how men and
women talk differ from your own perceptions, or that they’re outdated, you might choose to more
closely study the talk or non-verbals of men and women to see if you can rectify the difference in
theoretical perspectives. You likely already do this on a personal level. Googling something as simple as
“how to act in a relationship,” will lead you to hundreds of websites and articles breaking down the
dynamics of relationships depending on one’s gender. Likewise, if you want to persuade someone to do
something for you, you probably have a theory about what strategies you can use to get them to do
what you want. Your theory guides how you approach your persuasive attempts, and what you look for
to see if you were successful or not.

A third function of theories is that they help us broaden our understanding of human communication.
Scholars who study communication share theories with one another online, through books, journal
articles, and at conferences. The sharing of theories generates dialogue, which allows us to further refine
the theories developed in this field. Tannen’s book allowed the public to re-think the personal theories
they had about the communication of men and women. With the opportunity to find countless theories
through new books, magazines, the Internet, and TV shows, the general public has the opportunity to
find theories that will influence how they understand and communicate in the world. But, are these
theories valid and useful? It’s likely that you discuss your personal theories of communication with
others on a regular basis to get their feedback.

A fourth function of theories is that they help us predict and control our communication. When we
communicate, we try to predict how our interactions will develop so we can maintain a certain level of
control. Imagine being at a party and you want to talk to someone that you find attractive. You will use
some sort of theory about how to talk to others to approach this situation in order to make it more
successful. As in all situations, the better your theoretical perspectives, the better chances for success
when communicating. While theories do not allow us to predict and control communication with 100%
certainty, they do help us function in daily interactions at a more predictable and controlled level. Notice
that when you are successful, or unsuccessful, in your interactions, you use this information to assess
and refine your own theoretical perspectives.
A fifth function of theories is that they help us challenge current social and cultural realities by providing
new ways of thinking and living. People sometimes make the mistake of assuming that the ways we
communicate are innate rather than learned. This is not true. In order to challenge the communicative
norms we learn, people use critical theories to ask questions about the status quo of human
communication, particularly focusing on how humans use communication to bring advantage and
privilege to particular people or groups. For example, Tannen argues that when men listen to women
express their troubles, they listen with the purpose of wanting to provide a fix, or give advice. Tannen
argues that many times, women are not looking for advice or a fix, but rather empathy or sympathy from
their male conversational partners. With this understanding, it’s possible to begin teaching men new
strategies for listening in cross-gendered conversations that serve to build stronger communication ties.
Critical theories challenge our traditional theoretical understandings, providing alternative
communicative behaviors for social change.

While theories serve many useful functions, these functions don’t really matter if we do not have well-
developed theories that provide a good representation of how our world works. While we all form our
personal theories through examining our experiences, how are communication theories developed?

WHY IS COMMUNITION PURPOSEFUL

Purposeful communication – beyond shared understanding

Functional documents demand purposeful communication.

Traditional models of communication have understanding as the goal of communication. A person

constructs an idea, codes into media (speech, text, images) transmits it. The receiver decodes and
recomstructs as a new idea. Feedback and re-transmitting continues until both the sender and the
receiver have the same idea. That is, the aim is a shared understanding. But that is not good enough for
functional documents.

Purposeful communication starts by asking ‘Why?”.

The purpose of all business communication is to impact the thinking, attitudes or behaviour of readers in
some way. We write to achieve a business purpose.

For example, marketing communication aims, ultimately, to get people to buy from you. Policies and
procedures aimed to cause people to act in a particular way.
Purposeful communication goes beyond understanding and effectively transmitting ideas. It is more
about influence.

So, the simplest way of testing any communication piece is to look at your audience. Are they doing what
you wanted them to do? Are they moving towards doing what you want? Is your document achieving
purpose?