what is verbal communication essay

What Is Verbal Communication?

“Man is by nature a social animal,” the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote more than 2,000 years ago. And communication…

“Man is by nature a social animal,” the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote more than 2,000 years ago.

And communication lies at the heart of all social relationships.

From the time you enter this world, you start communicating. Your first cry is your first attempt at verbal communication. And as you start growing, you find newer ways of communication. You learn to form words and sentences to communicate.

This is the beginning of verbal communication.

What Is Verbal Communication? 

Characteristics of verbal communication, types of verbal communication, advantages of verbal communication.

Verbal communication means effectively presenting your thoughts in verbal format i.e., by talking. Verbal communication skills are essential in the world of business. Be it a weekly meeting or presentation to stakeholders, the importance of verbal communication is unparalleled. People always remember a person who speaks clearly, effectively, confidently, and charismatically.

For instance, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’s speech launching the iPhone is a classic example of brilliant verbal communication that people remember even today. Similarly, many speeches made by former US President Barack Obama are also unforgettable.

A powerful speaker is also able to connect with their audience easily. Like Oprah Winfrey says, “Great communication begins with a connection.”

You too can be a great speaker with practice. Most of us possess the means of verbal communication, what’s important is to recognize how to maximize them. Read on to learn more about its distinct characteristics.

Before we explore the various defining features of verbal communication, let’s look at its primary form. Verbal communication is oral in nature. Oral communication encompasses various activities such as talking, laughing or listening. We often navigate different emotional situations through oral forms of communication.

We also have written communication that includes script, alphabets, acronyms, logos and graphics. To interpret written messages, everyone involved must understand the code (e.g., the language). This is different from verbal or spoken communication.

There are several characteristics that are specific to verbal communication, namely:

The message being communicated is directly or indirectly related to an object

We use concepts to communicate messages

The content should be understood by both the sender and receiver

Cultural factors influence the content of messages

While communicating emotions and feelings, a sender’s state of mind influences the content of messages

Even though we talk to our friends, family and coworkers on a regular basis, we may not always be aware of how we’re communicating. Mastering the art of verbal communication will help you in more ways than one. Let’s explore different types of verbal communication and how your audience factors into it.

Verbal communication goes beyond words, sounds and languages. You need to know your audience to talk to them better. Remember that you can follow the Pyramid Principle and start with your main argument and then follow up with supporting statements. You can classify verbal communication into four types based on your audience.

Intrapersonal Communication

This is your private verbal communication channel. You talk to yourself and articulate your thoughts. Communicating with yourself will give you more confidence and clarity in your thoughts. It’ll help you make up your mind, form your sentences, find suitable words and effective ways to connect with other people. This will help you gain your colleagues’ trust in the workplace.

Interpersonal Communication

You can also call this one-to-one verbal communication. This type of communication happens between two individuals. It helps you understand if you’re getting your thoughts across clearly. Reactions, responses and verbal and nonverbal cues from the other person will help you understand whether you’re being understood or not. Make sure that you listen to the other person intently. Communication doesn’t just mean to talk to someone. It’s also about listening. So, listen, think and then respond. Take time to think and make sure you don’t offend people with your response.

Small Group Communication 

The number of people increases in small group communication. You move from communicating with a single participant to a few more. These small groups could be team meetings, board meetings or sales meetings. The number of participants is small enough for everyone to communicate with each other. When you attend small group meetings, be prepared with a topic to make sure you stay on track. Stay on topic and allow enough time for everyone to present their thoughts.

Public Communication 

You may also know this type as ‘ public speaking ’. Here, an individual addresses a large number of people at once. Speeches, election campaigns and presentations are a few examples of public communication. Since the number of people in the audience is larger in this type of communication, be sure to use words and phrases they’ll understand easily and structure your thoughts before addressing the audience. The more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll feel like a public speaker.

Verbal communication is a broad topic. There are various elements that help us organize our thoughts around it. They are:

When you express yourself your tone determines the message to be interpreted. For example, you can be saying something nice but if your tone is a sarcastic tone, the message will be conveyed differently. Your tone makes a huge difference to your speech.

The pace at which you speak is important as it determines the reaction of your audience. You may have attended lectures or webinars where people speaking slowly and softly can get boring. Similarly, it may be difficult to understand someone speaking at a rapid pace.

Volume ranges from a whisper to a scream. The volume at which you talk can convey various meanings. For example, if you whisper into someone’s ears in the presence of multiple people, it can be misconstrued as something negative. On the other hand, screaming while someone is talking is rude. Always monitor your volume depending on the social context you’re in.

Additionally, language, grammar and vocabulary are critical aspects of verbal communication. An erroneous message to a hiring manager, for example, can make or break your career opportunity. This is why verbal communication is a critical skill for success in professional settings as well. Effective communication helps with decision-making and increases collaboration in teams. Let’s look at the benefits of different types of verbal communication.

Verbal communication is one of the most important mediums of communication. The stronger your communication skills are, the easier it is for you to establish trust and build lasting relationships with others. Here are some benefits of strong verbal communication skills:

It provides complete understanding and there’s room to clarify any messages that may have been misunderstood

It’s one of the fastest modes of communication and is time-efficient

There is space for providing feedback, which allows two or more people to engage in a conversation at the same time

It allows speakers to exercise influence and persuade listeners to agree with ideas, thoughts and opinions

It’s flexible, that is, you can change your language and tone depending on the situation you’re in or the relationship you share with an individual

In short, verbal communication is one of the most reliable methods of communication. Its benefits apply to the world of work as well. Let’s look at the various ways in which strong verbal communication skills can be beneficial for professionals:

Building Relationships

Verbal communication allows you to build strong interpersonal relationships. It’s easier when you find like-minded people who share similar interests, ideas and outlooks. This further encourages you to cooperate, collaborate and engage in teamwork.

Persuading Someone

In professional settings, you need to exert a certain amount of influence to get things going. For example, if you want your coworkers to join your project, you need to be able to convince them first. Even in brainstorming sessions, you need to be able to convince others of your ideas and perspectives.

Bringing Clarity

As verbal communication enables feedback, you can provide clarity to your message by repeating yourself. For example, in conflicts or arguments, you can repeat your message so that there’s no room for ambiguity.

Improving Productivity

With proper communication in place, you can communicate effectively with team members and people across the organization. Well-established relationships enhance the process, allowing you to cooperate and collaborate quickly. Group discussions and teamwork maximize output, therefore increasing productivity.

Increasing Motivation

Verbal communication plays a crucial role in providing feedback and recognizing individual effort. Whether it’s a congratulatory speech or email, words of support and appreciation boosts confidence levels. If you’re a manager, don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate your team’s success and efforts. Not only will they get encouraged to do better, but it also cements your relationship with them.

Therefore, effective verbal communication opens up a two-way street that allows individuals to interact, engage and collaborate with each other, improving organizational efficiency and productivity. On an individual level, it helps you become more confident and a well-rounded professional.

Harappa offers two courses to build your communication skills— Writing Proficiently and Speaking Effectively . They’ll help you break the barriers and connect with your colleagues and the people around you. With key frameworks like the Pyramid Principle and PAM (Purpose-Audience-Message), you’ll learn how to communicate with impact.

Explore blogs on topics such as effective communication , the 7 barriers of communication ,  types of nonverbal communication , the different types of communication , and verbal and nonverbal communication on Harappa Diaries to make your world of work better.

Verbal Communication: Understanding the Power of Words

Categories Social Psychology

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As human beings, we rely on communication to express our thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Verbal communication, in particular, involves using words to convey a message to another person. It is a fundamental aspect of human interaction and is crucial in our daily lives and relationships.

In this article, we will explore the importance of verbal communication, the different types of verbal communication, and some tips on improving your verbal communication skills.

Table of Contents

Importance of Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is essential because it is the primary means of interacting with others. It lets us express our thoughts and feelings, convey information, and build relationships. It is a powerful tool for connecting with others and forming social bonds.

By communicating meaning verbally, others are able to understand your needs, interests, and beliefs.

Effective verbal communication is essential in many contexts, including personal relationships, social interactions, and professional settings. In personal relationships, it can help build trust, foster intimacy, and resolve conflicts. Lack of communication can lead to serious problems, including conflicts and the breakdown of relationships.

Social interactions can help establish common ground, build rapport, and create a sense of community. For example, discussions can help people with different needs understand one another and find ways to ensure each person achieves their goals.

In the workplace, it can help to convey ideas, influence others, and achieve goals.

Types of Verbal Communication

There are two main forms of verbal communication: spoken and written communication.

• Spoken Communication : Spoken communication is the most common form of verbal communication. It involves using words, tone of voice, and body language to convey a message. Spoken communication can take many different forms, including conversations, speeches, and presentations.
• Written Communication : Written communication is using written words to convey a message. It includes emails, letters, memos, and reports. Written communication is often used in professional settings to document information and convey messages to others.

There are four main types of verbal communication, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes:

• Intrapersonal communication : Intrapersonal communication is the process of talking to oneself, either out loud or internally. This type of communication is often used for self-reflection, problem-solving, and decision-making. Intrapersonal communication can help us better understand our own thoughts and feelings, and can be a valuable tool for personal growth and development.
• Interpersonal communication : Interpersonal communication is the process of communication between two or more people. This type of communication is often used for social interaction, relationship-building, and collaboration. Interpersonal communication can involve a range of verbal communication modes, such as face-to-face communication, telephone communication, and video conferencing.
• Small group communication : Small group communication involves communication between three to ten people, typically in a group setting such as a meeting or a discussion. This type of communication is often used for decision-making, problem-solving, and brainstorming. Small group communication requires effective listening and speaking skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with others.
• Public communication : Public communication is communicating to a large audience, typically through a speech or a presentation. This type of communication is often used for persuasive purposes, such as advocating for a cause or presenting information to an audience. Public communication requires effective public speaking skills, including the ability to engage and connect with the audience, use effective visual aids, and communicate ideas clearly and persuasively.

Other Types of Communication

In addition to verbal communication, other important forms of communication can convey meaning, including:

Nonverbal communication : Nonverbal communication is the use of body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice to convey a message. It can be used to emphasize a point, show emotion, or convey meaning. Nonverbal communication can be just as powerful as spoken communication and can often convey a message more effectively than words alone.

Visual communication : Visual communication is the use of images, charts, and graphs to convey a message. It is often used in professional settings to present data and information in a way that is easy to understand.

Components of Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is a complex process that involves not only the words we use, but also how we say them. Tone of voice, inflection, and other vocal cues can greatly impact the meaning of our message. Here are some important aspects of verbal communication and how they convey meaning:

• Tone of voice : Tone of voice refers to the way we use our voice to convey meaning. It can be described as the emotional quality of our voice. For example, a sarcastic tone of voice can convey that the speaker is not being sincere, while a warm and friendly tone can convey that the speaker is approachable and trustworthy.
• Inflection : Inflection refers to the rise and fall of our voice as we speak. It can convey emphasis and emotion. For example, a rising inflection at the end of a sentence can indicate a question, while a falling inflection can indicate a statement.
• Volume : Volume refers to how loudly or softly we speak. It can convey confidence, authority, and assertiveness. For example, speaking loudly can convey confidence and authority, while speaking softly can convey intimacy and vulnerability.
• Pace : Pace refers to the speed at which we speak. It can convey excitement, urgency, and impatience. For example, speaking quickly can convey excitement and urgency, while speaking slowly can convey thoughtfulness and deliberation.
• Intensity : Intensity refers to the level of emotional energy that we put into our words. It can convey passion, enthusiasm, and conviction. For example, speaking with intensity can convey a strong belief in something, while speaking with low intensity can convey ambivalence or lack of interest.
• Pitch : Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of our voice. It can convey age, gender, and emotion. For example, a high-pitched voice can convey youthfulness or excitement, while a low-pitched voice can convey authority or seriousness.

It’s important to note that these aspects of verbal communication can vary greatly depending on context, culture, and personal preference. What may be considered a confident tone of voice in one culture may be perceived as aggressive in another. 

Understanding these nuances is essential for effective verbal communication. By paying attention to these aspects of verbal communication, we can convey our message more effectively and avoid misunderstandings.

Modes of Verbal Communication

Verbal communication can occur through different modes, each with their own unique features and advantages. Here are some of the different ways verbal communication may occur:

Face-to-Face Verbal Communication

Face-to-face communication occurs when two or more people are in the same physical space and communicate verbally. This mode of communication allows for the use of nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions and body language, which can help convey meaning and emotion. It also allows for immediate feedback and clarification of misunderstandings.

Telephone Communication

Telephone communication occurs when two or more people communicate verbally over a telephone line. This mode of communication allows for immediate verbal communication over long distances but does not allow for the use of nonverbal cues, which can sometimes make it difficult to convey meaning and emotion.

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing occurs when two or more people communicate verbally over a video conferencing platform, such as Zoom or Skype. This mode of communication combines the benefits of face-to-face and telephone communication, allowing for the use of nonverbal cues and immediate verbal communication over long distances.

Public Speaking

Public speaking occurs when one person communicates verbally to a large audience. This mode of communication requires careful planning and preparation, as well as the ability to engage and connect with the audience through the use of tone of voice, inflection, and other vocal cues.

Group Discussion

Group discussion occurs when a group of people communicate verbally to exchange ideas, solve problems, or make decisions. This mode of communication requires active listening skills and the ability to work collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal.

Written Communication

Written communication occurs when ideas, thoughts, and information are conveyed through written words, such as emails, letters, or memos. This mode of communication allows for careful consideration and editing of the message, but can sometimes lack the immediacy and personal connection of verbal communication.

It’s important to note that each mode of verbal communication has its own strengths and weaknesses. Some modes may be more appropriate for certain contexts than others. 

For example, face-to-face communication may be more effective for resolving conflicts, while written communication may be more appropriate for conveying complex information or instructions.

Tips for Improving Verbal Communication Skills

Effective verbal communication requires more than just speaking clearly and articulately. It involves listening actively, empathizing with others, and adapting your communication style to different situations. Here are some tips for improving your verbal communication skills:

• Listen actively : Effective communication requires active listening. This means paying attention to what the other person is saying, asking questions, and clarifying misunderstandings.
• Use appropriate body language : Your body language can convey as much meaning as your words. Use appropriate gestures and facial expressions to emphasize your message and convey your emotions.
• Speak clearly and confidently : Speak clearly and confidently to ensure that your message is understood.
• Empathize with others : Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It is an important communication skill because it helps build trust and understanding.
• Be adaptable : Adapt your communication style to different situations and audiences. Use appropriate language for the context and audience, and be mindful of cultural differences.

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4.1: Verbal Communication

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• Keith Green, Ruth Fairchild, Bev Knudsen, & Darcy Lease-Gubrud
• Ridgewater College via Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Learning Objectives

After completing this section, students should be able to:

• differentiate verbal communication and vocal communication
• distinguish verbal and nonverbal communication
• list and explain the functions and dynamics of language
• define and explain connotation and denotation
• identify strategies to improving one's verbal communication

To communicate, we use a communication package of two components: verbal communication and nonverbal communication. Verbal communication is the use of symbolic language to stimulate shared meaning . Nonverbal communication is any non-linguistic variable with communication value —nonverbal communication is any factor about us, except for language and words, which stimulates meaning in a receiver.

It is important to understand that verbal is not the same as vocal . Vocal factors, like pitch, rate, and volume, are part of nonverbal communication. With verbal communication, we focus on the language itself, how the words convey meaning, the grammar, and the syntax.

Even though the U.S. tends to be a low-context culture, placing a lot of emphasis on the spoken word, verbal communication is less than half of our overall communication package. Researcher, Albert Mehrabian (1981), claimed in intensive emotional expression, language comprises only about 7% of our communication package. The other 93% is nonverbal, specifically 38% is vocal tone and 55% is body language. In this section, we will look as some of the variables and dynamics of verbal and nonverbal communication.

Spoken language is a set of sounds with which we have learned to associate various meanings. We send these sounds hoping the meaning stimulated in the mind of the receiver is highly similar to what we intended, but we know by now that differences in interpretation are the norm. We have all experienced saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. We inherently know language has power. If we say the wrong thing, it can damage or even destroy a relationship; it can hurt our credibility; or create enormous problems. We know we must be highly self-reflexive, thinking carefully about the words we use in order to ward off such problems.

The Functions of Language

Language is our core survival tool. Our ability to communicate detailed, complex messages allows us to work collaboratively to form societies, solve problems, develop new technologies, and fulfill our survival needs. At its core, language fulfills four functions:

• Language is used to express and negotiate a common worldview.

The way we refer to events, experiences, and people communicates our underlying view of the world. For example, a person who is generally pessimistic will tend to use more negatively slanted

language, focusing more on their dislikes than their likes. A religious person may make far more references to their deity, letting listeners know their worldview contains a significant religious component. Expressing our worldview is far more than simply stating ideas or opinions; rather, our language use, as a whole, gives others an overall sense of our personality, our viewpoints, the way we see the world, and overall who we are as a person.

As we reveal this worldview, we are also seeking to find common ground and validation from others. Communication is an act of negotiating. We exchange ideas, testing to see if the other person’s views are compatible with our own. Sometimes we change our views, at least our stated ones, to match others, and other times, they will change their views to match ours. As we form these common worldviews, we enhance our social bond (Fisk, 2013). On a simple level, we have all experienced being in a setting where something was said, we realized we felt differently, yet we chose to say nothing or to even agree, at least for the moment. We chose to enhance the social bond, not threaten it. This negotiative process helps us develop a shared worldview that gives us comfort and confidence in our lives. It builds trust with others, and establishes a foundation for further interaction.

This negotiation process is vital to us as we seek validation. We need to know our perceptions of the world are accurate, at least to someone else. Just walk into a small-town café and listen to the sharing of worldviews. Talk about politics, social issues, or sports will be rife with people negotiating a worldview. This does not mean they have to all agree on precisely the same thing; rather, it means they feel they understand each other, have validated each other, and are comfortable with that understanding. The internet has provided us the ability to seek refuge with those sharing our views, making us feel more confident and comfortable in how we see the world. Liberals may read The Huffington Post , and conservatives may get information from Fox News . At the extremes, there are detailed web sites for every conceivable conspiracy theory. These “echo chambers”“echo chambers” are places those with similar worldviews can gather, at least virtually, to feel comfortable, confident, and validated about their worldview (Garrett, 2009). On the down-side, however, these are also places we escape to that protect us from alternative viewpoints, diminishing our ability to consider and contemplate other perspectives.

• Language allows us to navigate the present, past, and future.

From communication theory, we know humans live in a “stimulus- thought -response” world. We experience the world and process it through language. In other words, we think about it. As a result, for the most part, how we respond to the world around us is based on how we think about it, how we put it in language, and not just an immediate response to the stimuli. We can anticipate consequences and make choices rather than simply responding instinctively. We create and recall memories; we are constantly adding to our knowledge of how to handle the stimuli we encounter. We are sentient beings; we are aware of being alive, and can reflect on what it means to be alive. Such complex, abstract thoughts are only possible due to language.

We humans are the only animal capable of this process of abstraction. We can discuss events, ideas, and people who are not present, or we have not even experienced, due to our ability to interact with a world present only in our minds. We can discuss the here and now, what we are immediately experiencing, and we can also discuss the past (the there and then), or the future (the there and then) because we can imagine what it was like or will be like. Those "there and then" worlds are as much a part of our reality as the here and now. We can plan, imagine, and hope because we can consider possible realities. This ability to conceive of such possibilities has led to the enormous expansion of the human knowledge base. We can imagine something being different than what it is; we can think of new ideas; we can ask questions and seek out answers.

• Language is used to label what something is and what something is not.

This function operates on two levels. First, attaching labels to events, things, experiences, and people gives us the ability to make references to those things with others. We talk about objects, peoples, or events that are present, past, or anticipated with some degree of clarity and certainty. We name things so others know what or who we are talking about.

Second, and a bit more complex, when we label something, we are also defining what it is and what it is not. This is an important part of negotiating meaning. Consider the difference it makes if college students are referred to as "kids" or as "adults." Recall the perceptual process, the halo effect, and how we tend to cluster traits. The label used carries with it a whole collection of assumptions of what students are and are not. If we think of students as “kids,” we are making assumptions about age, maturity, independence, and a host of other traits, but if we label students “adults,” those assumptions change quite dramatically. As we talk about the world, the words we use to refer to people, events, and experiences say much about how we see the world and what we think of it.

Job titles are good examples. A person may insist on being called an "administrative assistant" instead of a "secretary" because “administrative assistant” has a more powerful halo than “secretary.” In higher education, whether a college teacher is labeled a "professor" or an "instructor" makes a huge difference; the halos of associated traits are quite different. Politics is ripe with such examples. Labels such as “elite liberal” or “neo-conservative” reveal assumptions about the person using them and their attitudes toward political viewpoints.

On a more sensitive note, labels we use for people matter. Whether a person uses “African-American,” “black,” or “colored” has a significant impact, especially on those being labeled. Words such as “retarded” or “crippled” have been replaced with “mentally challenged” or “developmentally disabled.” The halos of the words are different; labels matter.

Verbal bullies insist on using sexist, racist, or other forms of demeaning and derogatory language. By using these labels, they are expressing their worldview of people different than themselves. Communicators who insist on using demeaning language emphasize difference and disconnection; a way to emphasize dissimilarity, implying, “I am different from/better than that person or group.”

Generally, people who are sensitive to the significance of the halos use language thoughtfully, emphasizing similarity and connection, working to minimize the emphasis on differences.

• Language allows us to meta-communicate .

Because we are sentient, we can "talk about talking." Meta-communication is communicating about the quality of interaction and the quality of communication itself . For example, in a public speaking class, a student gives a speech and then we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the speech; critiquing the speech is meta-communication, we are talking about the quality of the communication effort. A couple will discuss issues and conflicts, but if one partner says to another, "You don't listen to me," the couple is now engaging in meta-communication; they are talking about how well they are communicating.

Consider the impact of this on social bonding. Being able to reflect on how well we are communicating and connecting with others allows us to monitor those relationships, making adjustments as needed to keep them strong. If Keith realizes he is not paying attention to his wife, he can alter those communication behaviors to strengthen that bond. If Ruth realizes she said something to a friend that could be taken as an insult, she clarifies what she meant. Social monitoring allows us to continually negotiate and strengthen our connections with others. Parents teach children to ask themselves, “How do you think that made your friend feel when you said that?” We teach children to be self-reflexive, to think about others, as we formulate messages.

The Meaning of Words

Words stimulate meaning in two ways: denotation and connotation. Denotation is commonly referred to as the dictionary definition . Connotation is the evaluative tone associated with the word . Language problems tend arise more from connotative issues than from denotative issues. First, however, let's consider how language is a dynamic, ever-changing part of our lives.

Words do not just appear out of the blue; rather, someone somewhere creates a new word, uses it with a group, and the word either catches on and becomes a new word, or fades away. Numbers vary widely, but the English language grows by approximately 10,000 words every year (National Public Radio, 2006). Although many of these are highly technical terms most of us will never use, some are taken on by the general public. For example, the internet has been around only since 1990. Prior to that time, the word "internet" did not exist in its current form. Consider all the words associated with the internet: email, the web, app, browser, social media, and so on. Although many reading this grew up with these terms, these were brand new words and phrases introduced to the culture quite recently. At this moment, language is changing because our world is constantly evolving. According to The Global Language Monitor (2013), approximately 15 new words are added to our language every day.

Sometimes existing words change in meaning. Up until about 1980, the word, “gay,” meant "happy and lighthearted." Today, however, the vast majority of American English speakers will see the word as meaning "homosexual," and probably "male homosexual." The meaning of the word has changed. The word "awesome" is another example of changing meaning. Today we use the word to express that something is outstanding or great; however, its past meaning was something that was frightening in its magnitude. The English language is far from static; instead, it grows and changes constantly.

The denotation of a word is the dictionary definition. This does not mean that any word has only one, clearly identified, precise definition; rather, the denotation is the meaning typically applied to the symbol.

We regularly encounter words with which we are unfamiliar. We hear technical terms, jargon, or other words for which we simply have no meaning. When such uncertainty arises, we experience denotative semantic noise. This can create confusion and frustration; but, at times, can also be beneficial. We seek information to alleviate the confusion, expanding our vocabulary and adding more language to our personal dictionaries.

A more troubling problem with denotation is obfuscation . Obfuscation is the deliberate use of complex language to confuse . This occurs when a person purposefully tries to confuse by using language the receiver will not understand. Obfuscation is about exerting power over the receiver; a deliberate, planned strategy to overwhelm the listener. The success of obfuscation lies in the fact most people, when feeling uncertain about what something means, will not ask for clarification for fear of looking foolish.

The danger with this is that we may agree to something when we really do not understand what we are agreeing to. The listener may get taken advantage of because of obfuscation. Imagine a mechanic tells Steven the following, "Your car is experiencing severe contamination of the primary engine lubricant causing an increase in wear and tear on the moving parts due to the contaminants etching the metal of the parts. The only resolution possible is to put it on the hoist and completely and thoroughly replace the lubricants." Depending on Steven’s knowledge of cars this may sound pretty severe, so it sounds expensive; however, all it really means is "Your car needs an oil change." By rephrasing common, inexpensive maintenance items into complex, obfuscated language, an unscrupulous mechanic could charge far more for the work than is warranted, just because the situation sounds so bad.

The best defense against obfuscation is quite simple: ask for clarification. If a person did not mean to obfuscate, they are usually happy to explain things in different terms. On the other hand, if they have been caught attempting to mislead or overwhelm us, we have now removed their ability to exert power. In effect, we are refusing to play the power game of obfuscation.

Connotation

The connotation of a word is the evaluative tone associated with the word . Many sexist or racist terms are less an issue of denotation than of what is implied by their use. If a man insists on calling his spouse "the old lady", the connotation is clearly one demeaning to the spouse.

When these connotations interfere with clear communication, we are experiencing connotative semantic noise, similar to denotative semantic noise. In this case, however, the noise is triggered not by what the words means, but by what the words suggests. It is suggestion which can distract us, disturb us, and cause us to focus more heavily on the word itself instead of on the overall message.

We all have emotional triggers . Emotional triggers are words or phrases so troublesome as to significantly interfere with clear communication . While there are words that we generally avoid, such as racist terms, sexist terms, profanities, vulgarities, and obscenities, we each have our own unique set of emotional triggers. Something that bothers one person may not bother another. Three factors will cause a word to vary in its impact:

• The person: Each of us has our own set of values and beliefs affecting our language choices. Religion is a good example. For a Christian, an expletive such as “Oh, Christ,” may be offensive, but for a Muslim, it may not carry any real impact. On the other hand, in Islam, it is considered blasphemy to have any images of Mohammed, so such images would be highly offensive. An emotional trigger for one person may be perfectly benign for another.
• The source : The person expressing the word may affect its power. Swear words are not uncommon among college students; however, to hear a seven-year old use such words would be quite striking. Many of us grew up not hearing our parents engage in much strong language; thus, to hear it from them may make the word much more striking because we do not expect it from them.
• The context : Where the word is said can also make a difference. For many people, to hear someone swearing profusely in a church would be quite troublesome due to the nature of the place. Students hearing a teacher using even a mild expletive may be quite taken aback due to the source and to the classroom context. Context also includes how the word is used in a sentence. A word used one way may be perfectly fine, while used another way, it may be quite problematic. A prime example is the word, “bitch.” Typically used as an expletive, the word also refers to a female dog. So depending on the context of the use of the word, the emotional impact will shift. The change in usage of the word dramatically changes its emotional impact.

Additionally, the severity of emotional triggers will vary. They range from pet peeves to socially offensive . Pet peeves are those items that bug us, nag at us, but are not significant issues . They are troublesome, but not overwhelming. Examples include items such as slang terms, pronunciation issues, grammar, and so on. A good example is generic words for a soft drink: “pop,” “soda,” or “coke." Depending on the part of the country, one term is generally the norm, so when travelling around the country, we may encounter other terms which can sound silly and odd, only because they are different from what we expect.

Swear Words

While often used interchangeably, these terms are slightly different:

• Obscenity : a reference to sex or a sexual act.
• Vulgarity : a reference to a body part or body function.
• Profanity : a reference to a religious figure or concept.

Socially offensive terms include profanities, vulgarities, obscenities, sexist, and racist terms. No words are offensive to everyone; however, these are words and phrases that tend to offend a broader spectrum of individuals and are generally considered inappropriate in polite society. While pet peeves just nag at us a bit, socially offensive terms can trigger significant emotional reactions.

When we encounter emotional triggers as a listener, we have three choices:

• If we feel it is appropriate for the situation and the relationship, we can express our displeasure with the use of the word or phrase.
• We can choose to remove ourselves from the situation, either physically or mentally. We can physically leave, or “tune out” while the troublesome language is being used.
• As often happens, we simply have to get by it. We cannot leave, nor can we tune out, so we have to continue focusing on the message.

As speakers, however, we have the choice of what language to use. Becoming aware of emotional triggers can have a significant impact on how we are perceived by the listener. We can choose to avoid them, as best we can, when needed. Thoughtfully using our language is a core part of impression management.

The Dynamics of Language

Language is far more than simply a set of sounds or shapes we use to communicate. Language is a complex representation of how we see the world, how we think about ourselves and others, and what is important to us. Language has several dynamics that illustrate its complexity and depth.

Words range from concrete to abstract

Some words we use are relatively definite in their meanings, while many are quite vague and flexible. Concrete words refer to actual items, events, people; things we can see, touch, taste, hear or smell . Because of this concrete nature, we can more easily share an understanding of what we are referring to. Although there can still be a range of meanings, the range is usually far narrower than for abstract words.

Abstract words refer to language constructs . A language construct is an idea or thought we have only because of our use of language . They do not refer to any actual object or sensory experience; they exist only because we think. Take the word, “fair,” as in “to treat people fairly.” This is a highly abstract concept, not referring to any real thing in nature. After all, what one person sees as highly unfair, others may see as perfectly fine. “Treating people fairly” is a thought process, existing only in the minds of people. There is nothing ‘out there’ to point to what it means to “treat people fairly.” Consider what it means to “be happy” and how broad the meanings of that phrase can be, varying dramatically from person to person.

Clearly, the room for misinterpretation is far higher with abstract words. To insure clearer communication, concrete words are more valuable than abstract terms. Many students have had a teacher give a paper assignment and say something like, “I expect it to be well written.” What does that teacher mean by “well written?” Is it referring to content or writing mechanics? Compare that to an instructor who lays out details, the paper will be graded on a list of specific expectations. The more concrete list of expectations reduces uncertainty and gives the student a more specific idea of what the instructor is looking for.

Language use is inherently egocentric

Not only does the concrete/abstract nature of words cause problems, even with concrete terms the exact meaning we attribute to the symbol is specific to us. We each see a word in our own personal, one-of-a-kind manner; we use language in an egocentric manner.

Take something as simple as the word, “cat.” While it may seem like a clear, concrete term, what precisely one person means by “cat” and what precisely another means by “cat” can be different. Even though we are talking about cats, we may have very different images in our minds. Even when we try quite hard to be as clear as possible with others, effectively achieving shared understanding can be quite elusive as we have difficulty stepping outside our egocentric view of language. No matter how well we understand what we are saying, it is vital we act in provisional and receiver-based ways, keeping in mind how the listener decodes the message will be different to some degree than what we intended.

Language use reflects our worldview

The language we use can illustrate to others the way we see and experience the world around us. This happens in several ways:

• Topic frequency: It seems self-evident the topics we return to most often are those carrying the most interest for us. Depending on the choice of the topic, we get an insight into what is most important to the speaker. Regularly talking about sports, politics, work, or money, reveals what occupies a place of priority in a person’s life.
• Jargon: Jargon is the specialized language of a field or interest . Jargon is usually seen as something negative, but serves several important functions. These specialized languages can speed up interaction and serve as a very concrete form of communication among those who use and clearly understand the jargon. Medical jargon is a good example of a language which can speed up clear communication between users of that language. The classic image of an emergency room displays the use of medical jargon to make communication fast and precise. In addition, our ability to use and understand the jargon serves as a method of measuring inclusion and exclusion. If we demonstrate a comfort level with the specialized language, we are showing we belong to a special group, and vice versa. A person’s jargon use also gives us insight into their worldview. We can assume a person’s interests in their world correspond to their language use, whether it is the jargon of a profession or of a hobby. While jargon can easily be misused for obfuscation, its overall benefits outweigh its drawbacks.
• Colloquialisms : Colloquialisms are the collection of sayings and other non-standard types of language we use usually associated with a region of the country . For example, there is a collection of distinct, Minnesotan colloquialisms: "ya betcha"; "whatever," "ya, sure." The southern U.S. has a different set of colloquialisms: “in hog heaven,” or “eatin’ high on the hog.” The variations in language reflect our culture, our generation, our education, and give others a sense of where we feel we belong. One of your authors, Keith Green, was born in Tennessee, so he had a typical southern accent and used common southern colloquialisms. Upon moving to Minnesota as a high school sophomore, he wanted to fit in, so he worked with his speech teacher to reduce his accent. He changed how he spoke to fit in with those important to him. His brother, on the other hand, wanted to keep a strong southern identity, and even years after leaving the south he still has a pronounced accent and uses southern colloquialisms in his speech. Keith talks like a Northerner; his brother talks like a Southerner. This reflects where we feel a sense of place. Like jargon, colloquialisms also serve inclusion/exclusion purposes.
• Number of words for a given idea: According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, there is a correlation between the number of symbols for a given concept and the importance of the concept to the person, group, or culture (Hussein, 2012). In the U.S., since acquiring more and more money is a strong, culturally emphasized goal, we have many terms referring to money. Because sexual activity is a very important human drive, we have many terms referring to sex and related issues. Through an analysis of the language of a person or culture, we should be able to reach some sense of what is valued to the person or group.

• Euphemisms : A euphemism is a polite way to refer to a taboo subject . Normally, instead of telling others we need to urinate, we use euphemisms such as "go to the bathroom," or "use the restroom." These are considered more polite ways to make reference to uncomfortable topics. As we look at the euphemisms in a person's language or a culture's language, we are seeing what they view as uncomfortable or taboo subjects, giving us insight into their worldview.

All of these factors display how we see the world around us. Not only is our perception reflected in this word choice, we also seek to persuade others to see the world as we do. Dr. Robert Scott, a University of Minnesota professor, argues that all communication is an inherent attempt to persuade others to see the world as we do (1967). For example, if Bev says to a friend, "I thought that movie was quite good," she is not only expressing her perception, she is also asking they accept her opinion and be influenced to agree with the position. As students read this text and attend the class, not only are we explaining the overall dynamics of human communication, we are inherently trying to get the student to agree we are correct, a clearly persuasive effort.

• Improving Verbal Communication

Improving verbal communication revolves around one core action: expanding vocabulary. The more language we know, the more choices we have. The more choices we have, the more tools we have at our disposal to best express our ideas. Vocabulary acquisition is a life-long experience, especially given the annual growth of the language. Although there are some very deliberate methods of improving vocabulary (vocabulary.com and other similar apps), the most effective method to incorporate vocabulary expansion into everyday activities is to read regularly, especially newspapers, news magazines, and related internet sites. These sources contain the latest in language and, as a result, are great resources for learning more and new language. By expanding our vocabulary, we have more language “tools” at our disposal so we can use precise, concrete words and phrases to express ourselves, avoiding more abstract language. As discussed earlier, the more concrete language used, the greater the degree of shared understanding. Finally, and most importantly for public speaking, we must adapt our language use to the listener. Most of us inherently know this; we will speak to an adult differently than a child. Even when speaking to different adult audiences, language choices may have to change. Due to the differences in education and experience, speaking to a group of adult students in a speech class requires a different language level than speaking to a group of communication instructors. Verbal communication is more than just words. Instead, language functions to aid us in understanding the world and projecting our views about that world. However, since language is so personal, the likelihood of misunderstanding is very high, so we must be careful to act self-reflexively to increase the quality of communication.

Key Concepts

The terms and concepts students should be familiar with from this section include:

• Verbal Communication versus Nonverbal Communication
• Verbal Communication versus Vocal Communication
• Express and negotiate a worldview
• Navigate the past, present, and future
• Label what something is and is not
• Meta-communication
• Language is constantly growing and changing
• Obfuscation
• Emotional triggers
• Concrete and abstract words
• Inherently egocentric
• Topic frequency
• Colloquialisms
• Number of words

Fisk, A.P., (2013). The inherent sociability of homo sapiens. Human Sociality . Retrieved 4/1/13 from http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro/fa...e/relmodov.htm

Garrett, R.K. (2009). Echo chambers online?: Politically motivated selective exposure among internet news users. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 14 , 265-285. International Communication Association.

Global Language Monitor. (2013). Number of words in the English language : 1,019,729.6 (January 1, 2013 estimate). Retrieved 4/1/2013 from www.languagemonitor.com/no-of-words/

Hussein, B.A. (2012, March) The Sapir-Whorf hypothosis today. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2 (3), 642-646.

Mehrabain, A. (1981). Silent messages: implicit communication of emotions and attitudes . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Retrieved 6/30/2017 from www.kaaj.com/psych/smorder.html

National Public Radio. (2006, February). The English language: 900,000 words, and counting. Retrieved 4/1/2013 from www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=5182871

University of Oregon Center on Teaching and Learning (2013). Phonemic awareness . Retrieved 9/6/2013 from http://reading.uoregon.edu/big_ideas/pa/pa_what.php

Scott, R., Sprague, J., Stuart, D., & Bodary, D. (2014). The speaker’s compact handbook , (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Scott, R.L. (1967) On viewing rhetoric as epistemic . Central States Speech Journal. Volume 18, Issue 1 pages 9-17

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Verbal communication: an Introduction

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Essay on Importance of Communication for Students and Children

500+ words essay on importance of communication:.

Communication is one of the important tools that aid us to connect with people. Either you are a student or a working professional, good communication is something that will connect you far ahead. Proper communication can help you to solve a number of issues and resolve problems. This is the reason that one must know how to communicate well. The skills of communication essential to be developed so that you are able to interact with people. And able to share your thoughts and reach out to them. All this needs the correct guidance and self-analysis as well.

Meaning of Communication

The word communication is basically a process of interaction with the people and their environment . Through such type of interactions, two or more individuals influence the ideas, beliefs, and attitudes of each other.

Such interactions happen through the exchange of information through words, gestures, signs, symbols, and expressions. In organizations, communication is an endless process of giving and receiving information and to build social relationships.

Importance of Communication

Communication is not merely essential but the need of the hour. It allows you to get the trust of the people and at the same time carry better opportunities before you. Some important points are as follows –

Help to Build Relationships 

No matter either you are studying or working, communication can aid you to build a relationship with the people. If you are studying you communicate with classmates and teachers to build a relationship with them. Likewise in offices and organizations too, you make relationships with the staff, your boss and other people around.

Improve the Working Environment 

There are a number of issues which can be handled through the right and effective communication. Even planning needs communication both written as well as verbal. Hence it is essential to be good in them so as to fill in the communication gap.

Foster strong team

Communication helps to build a strong team environment in the office and other places. Any work which requires to be done in a team. It is only possible if the head communicates everything well and in the right direction.

Find the right solutions

Through communication, anyone can find solutions to even serious problems. When we talk, we get ideas from people that aid us to solve the issues. This is where communication comes into play. Powerful communication is the strength of any organization and can help it in many ways.

Earns more respect

If your communication skills are admirable, people will love and give you respect. If there is any problem, you will be the first person to be contacted. Thus it will increase your importance. Hence you can say that communications skills can make a big change to your reputation in society.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Don’t Go Overboard With Your Point

The conversation is about to express your thoughts. And to let the other person know what you feel. It is not mean to prove that your point is correct and the other person is wrong. Don’t Overboard other With Your Point.

Watch Your Words

Before you say something to Watch Your Words. At times, out of anger or anxiousness, we say somethings that we must not say. Whenever you are in a professional meeting or in some formal place, where there is a necessity of communicating about your product or work then it is advised to practice the same beforehand

Communication is the greatest importance. It is important to sharing out one’s thoughts and feelings to live a fuller and happier life. The more we communicate the less we suffer and the better we feel about everything around. However, it is all the more necessary to learn the art of effective communication to put across ones point well.

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Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place, person or group to another.

Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message and a recipient. This may sound simple, but communication is actually a very complex subject.

The transmission of the message from sender to recipient can be affected by a huge range of things. These include our emotions, the cultural situation, the medium used to communicate, and even our location. The complexity is why good communication skills are considered so desirable by employers around the world: accurate, effective and unambiguous communication is actually extremely hard.

This page explains more about what we mean by ‘ communication ’.

Defining Communication

communication , n . The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. …The successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings.

Oxford English Dictionary

As this definition makes clear, communication is more than simply the transmission of information. The term requires an element of success in transmitting or imparting a message, whether information, ideas, or emotions.

A communication therefore has three parts: the sender, the message, and the recipient.

The sender ‘encodes’ the message, usually in a mixture of words and non-verbal communication. It is transmitted in some way (for example, in speech or writing), and the recipient ‘decodes’ it.

Of course, there may be more than one recipient, and the complexity of communication means that each one may receive a slightly different message. Two people may read very different things into the choice of words and/or body language. It is also possible that neither of them will have quite the same understanding as the sender.

In face-to-face communication, the roles of the sender and recipient are not distinct. The two roles will pass back and forwards between two people talking. Both parties communicate with each other, even if in very subtle ways such as through eye-contact (or lack of) and general body language. In written communication, however, the sender and recipient are more distinct.

Categories of Communication

There are a wide range of ways in which we communicate and more than one may be occurring at any given time.

The different categories of communication include:

Spoken or Verbal Communication , which includes face-to-face, telephone, radio or television and other media.

Non-Verbal Communication , covering body language, gestures, how we dress or act, where we stand, and even our scent. There are many subtle ways that we communicate (perhaps even unintentionally) with others. For example, the tone of voice can give clues to mood or emotional state, whilst hand signals or gestures can add to a spoken message.

Written Communication : which includes letters, e-mails, social media, books, magazines, the Internet and other media. Until recent times, a relatively small number of writers and publishers were very powerful when it came to communicating the written word. Today, we can all write and publish our ideas online, which has led to an explosion of information and communication possibilities.

Visualizations : graphs and charts , maps, logos and other visualizations can all communicate messages.

The desired outcome or goal of any communication process is mutual understanding.

The Communication Process

A message or communication is sent by the sender through a communication channel to a receiver, or to multiple receivers.

The sender must encode the message (the information being conveyed) into a form that is appropriate to the communication channel, and the receiver(s) then decodes the message to understand its meaning and significance.

Misunderstanding can occur at any stage of the communication process.

Effective communication involves minimising potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at each stage in the communication process.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication for more information.

An effective communicator understands their audience , chooses an appropriate communication channel, hones their message to this channel and encodes the message to reduce misunderstanding by the receiver(s). 

They will also seek out feedback from the receiver(s) as to how the message is understood and attempt to correct any misunderstanding or confusion as soon as possible.

Receivers can use techniques such as Clarification and Reflection as effective ways to ensure that the message sent has been understood correctly.

Communication Channels

Communication channels is the term given to the way in which we communicate. It is therefore the method used to transmit our message to a recipient, or to receive a message from someone else.

There are multiple communication channels available to us today. These include face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, text messages, email, the Internet (including social media such as Facebook and Twitter), radio and TV, written letters, brochures and reports.

Choosing an appropriate communication channel is vital for effective communication. Each communication channel has different strengths and weaknesses.

For example, broadcasting news of an upcoming event via a written letter might convey the message clearly to one or two individuals. It will not, however, be a time- or cost-effective way to broadcast the message to a large number of people.  On the other hand, conveying complex, technical information is easier via a printed document than a spoken message. The recipients are able to assimilate the information at their own pace and revisit anything that they do not fully understand.

Written communication is also useful as a way of recording what has been said, for example by taking minutes in a meeting.

See our pages: Note Taking and How to Conduct a Meeting for more.

Encoding Messages

All messages must be encoded into a form that can be conveyed by the communication channel chosen for the message.

We all do this every day when transferring abstract thoughts into spoken words or a written form. However, other communication channels require different forms of encoding, e.g. text written for a report will not work well if broadcast via a radio programme, and the short, abbreviated text used in text messages would be inappropriate in a letter or in speech.

Complex data may be best communicated using a graph, chart or other visualisation.

Effective communicators encode their messages so that they fit both the channel and the intended audience. They  use appropriate language, conveying the information simply and clearly. They also anticipate and eliminate likely causes of confusion and misunderstanding. They are generally aware of the recipients’ experience in decoding similar communications.

Successful encoding of messages for the audience and channel is a vital skill in effective communication.

You may find our page The Importance of Plain English helpful.

Decoding Messages

Once received, the recipient needs to decode the message. Successful decoding is also a vital communication skill.

People will decode and understand messages in different ways.

This will depend on their experience and understanding of the context of the message, how well they know the sender, their psychological state and how they feel, and the time and place of receipt. They may also be affected by any Barriers to Communication which might be present.

There are therefore a wide range of factors that will affect decoding and understanding.

Successful communicators understand how the message will be decoded, and anticipate and remove as many as possible of the potential sources of misunderstanding.

The final part of a communication is feedback: the recipient lets the sender know that they have received and understood the message.

Recipients of messages are likely to provide feedback on how they have understood the messages through both verbal and non-verbal reactions. Effective communicators pay close attention to this feedback as it is the only way to assess whether the message has been understood as intended, and it allows any confusion to be corrected.

Bear in mind that the extent and form of feedback will vary with the communication channel. Feedback during a face-to-face or telephone conversation will be immediate and direct, whilst feedback to messages conveyed via TV or radio will be indirect and may be delayed, or even conveyed through other media such as the Internet.

Effective communicators pay close attention to this feedback as it is the only way to assess whether the message has been understood as intended, and it allows any confusion to be corrected.

You can always ask!

You may be unsure if a message has been successfully received and decoded, especially if you do not get much feedback from the recipient. If so, you can always ask!

A quick question is a good start, for example:

“ Is that OK? ” or “ Are you clear about that? ”

If you want more detailed feedback or to check that the recipient has really understood, you might say something like:

“ So, let’s just run over that one more time. I think I am going to do x, and you are going to do y. Is that your understanding too? ”

More on feedback: see our pages on Reflection , Clarification and Giving and Receiving Feedback .

Further Reading from Skills You Need

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Our eBooks are ideal for anyone who wants to learn about or develop their communication skills, and are full of easy-to-follow practical information and exercises.

Being able to communicate effectively is the most important of all life skills.

Understanding is the first step to improvement

Understanding more about communication and how it works is the first step to improving your communication skills. A good understanding of the process, and how it operates, will help you to become better at encoding and decoding messages.

Continue to: Principles of Communication Interpersonal Communication Skills

See also: Intercultural Communication Skills Effective Speaking Improving Communication

Essays About Communication: Top 5 Examples and Prompts

Are you writing essays about communication? Check out our top essay examples and writing prompts to help you get started.

Communication is power and is critical to building a well-connected society. Communicating well is vital in working with people and shedding light on problems and solutions. Practical communication skills can help build relationships. 

If you’re writing an essay on communication and are having a hard time choosing a topic to focus on, here is our round-up of the best essay examples to get you started:  

1. The Benefits of Communication and Teamwork by Karenina Loayza

2. it’s time to tune in: why listening is the real key to communication by kate murphy, 3. a love language spoken with hands by ross showalter, 4. the role of body language in communication by ashley tulio, 5. the power of storytelling in marketing by dylan jacob, 1. how-to develop communication skills, 2. how-to write an inspiring speech, 3. should all leaders be good communicators, 4. theories of mass communication, 5. how are schools developing children’s communication skills, 6. communicating face-to-face vs. online , 7. marketing communications: what are they, 8. is communicating on social media effective, 9. is it possible to communicate effectively on virtual workplace platforms, 10. how-to communicate in the workplace.

“In one task, we were blindfolded and had to describe a set of irregular pieces. With varying degrees of English and different experiences of the world, it was like explaining an elephant to an alien.” 

Loayza narrates an exercise in class where they have to describe surrounding objects as accurately as possible to keep others from stumbling on them. The writer said the exercise demonstrated effectively the need for good communication skills for teams to succeed.

“Schools and universities have courses in debate, rhetoric and elocution, but rarely classes that teach listening. You can get a doctorate in speech communication and join Toastmasters International to perfect your speaking skills, but who strives for excellence in listening?”

Murphy muses on a world that glorifies the speakers but leaves no room for the listeners like her. She points out how social media has created a generation that prefers interacting behind the screen and filtering out opinions that do not resonate with theirs. Instead, Murphy emphasizes listening as a foundation for better human relations and offers solutions for how others can develop their listening for successful communication. 

“Will showed me that not everyone makes promises they don’t intend to fulfil. I don’t have to invest in someone who promises an action they’ll never do. Relationships only move forward once the work of communication begins.”

Showalter, a deaf man, laments how non-deaf ex-lovers have promised to learn sign language to better communicate with him – only to see these promises broken. Then, one morning, a remarkable man in his life sends a video message reviving hopes for Showalter and redefines his standard in relationships for the better. 

“Non-verbal communication can affect our words as it can reiterate our message, contradict our words, reinforce our statement, substitute the meaning of what we are trying to say, and complement what we are trying to say. Body language is something that is usually natural and is often done instinctively rather than consciously.”

Tulio, a communications specialist, stresses the importance of using body language for expression. She provides tips on maximizing gestures and body movement to convey emotions in person and through videoconferencing. 

“In marketing, storytelling provides an avenue to connect to consumers unlike any other. Brands are empowered to share and sell their values and personality in a form that feels less like advertising and more like a concerted effort to strengthen relationships with customers.

The author cites the viewpoints of a business school professor who explains how storytelling can shape the world’s perception of a brand. Finally, the author outlines the vital elements that make an exciting story capable of connecting with an audience and effecting action among consumers.

10 Writing Prompts On essays about communication

To further expand your horizon on the subject, you can work around our list of prompts that are interesting and relevant to date:

You can narrow down this essay to target employees, students, aspiring leaders, or those who want to improve their conversation skills. First, list down recommendations such as expanding their vocabulary and listening. Then, explain how they can incorporate this into their daily routine. 

Writing a speech that strikes a chord requires extra work in developing empathy and understanding the audience. Next, you can focus on providing recommendations for your essay, such as putting in a personal touch and linking this story to the broader subject. Make sure you also offer simple writing tips such as using the active voice as much as possible, keeping sentences short, and keeping the tone conversational. 

Cite research studies that detail why effective communication is a critical skill that makes a leader. Then, write about the organizational pitfalls of poor communication. Later, leaders who can speak engagingly and listen attentively to their team members can address these pitfalls. 

Communication theory is the study of processes in sending and receiving information. Discuss the four main theories of mass communication: the Authoritarian Theory, the Libertarian Theory, the Soviet-Communist Theory, and the Social-Responsibility Theory. Explain each one. Explain how each remains relevant in understanding modern communication processes. 

Interview schools within your community and learn about their language curriculum and other efforts to empower children to communicate well. You can also interview child development experts. Find out the biggest challenges in helping children improve how they express their thoughts and ideas. Then, find out what schools and parents are doing to address them. 

While you’d hear many people expressing a preference for face-to-face meetings, there are undoubtedly benefits to online meetings, which some usually dismiss. Weigh in on the pros and cons of in-person and online meetings, especially in the current scenario of an ongoing pandemic. 

What are the new marketing channels marketers are leveraging to reach their audience? Several surveys and studies show where most marketing campaigns allocate their budgets. One example is video content. 

An interesting angle would also involve looking at epic brand fails. Cite two or more cases, find a communication mishap common between them and provide what lessons can today’s brands learn from these epic fails. 

From interacting with loved ones and finding someone to date and love, social media has dramatically changed our ways of communication. It might be great to interview the elders who have experienced communicating through snail mail. Dive into their nostalgia and discover how they compare the experience of letter writing against instant chatting through mobile apps. 

Several apps today aim to transform workplaces to be more connected for interaction and communication. First, list down the top apps most used in the corporate world and discuss why these communication forms are preferred over email. Then, delve into the drawbacks and aspects of the apps that need improvements according to what business users say. 

Recent studies show that employees quit their jobs when they feel unable to talk about their needs in the workplace. Research the communication culture in the top companies in a specific field. How are they engaging with their employees? How are they driving conversations toward critical concerns?

TIP: You don’t have to write an extended essay. Here is a guide to writing a concise and organized five-paragraph essay.

For more help with writing, check out our best essay writing tips for a stress-free writing process. 

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

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Verbal Communication

Functions of verbal communication.

Our existence is intimately tied to the communication we use, and verbal communication serves many functions in our daily lives. We use verbal communication to define reality, organize, think, and shape attitudes.

Case In Point

Being able to communicate effectively through verbal communication is extremely important. No matter what you plan to do as a career, effective verbal communication helps you in all aspects of your life. Former President Bush was often chided (and even chided himself) for the verbal communication mistakes he made. Here is a list of his “Top 10” according to About.com.

10) “Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.” —LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

9) “I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family.” —Greater Nashua, N.H., Jan. 27, 2000

8) “I hear there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a draft.” —second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004

7) “I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.” —Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

6) “You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn’t it? I mean, that is fantastic that you’re doing that.” —to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 2005

5) “Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.” —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

4) “They misunderestimated me.” —Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

3) “Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?” —Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

2) “Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

1) “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.” —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

• Verbal communication helps us define reality. We use verbal communication to define everything from ideas, emotions, experiences, thoughts, objects, and people (Blumer). Think about how you define yourself. You may define yourself as a student, employee, son/daughter, parent, advocate, etc. You might also define yourself as moral, ethical, a night-owl, or a procrastinator. Verbal communication is how we label and define what we experience in our lives. These definitions are not only descriptive, but evaluative. Imagine you are at the beach with a few of your friends. The day starts out sunny and beautiful, but the tides quickly turn when rain clouds appeared overhead. Because of the unexpected rain, you define the day as disappointing and ugly. Suddenly, your friend comments, “What are you talking about, man? Today is beautiful!” Instead of focusing on the weather, he might be referring to the fact that he was having a good day by spending quality time with his buddies on the beach, rain or shine. This statement reflects that we have choices for how we use verbal communication to define our realities. We make choices about what to focus on and how to define what we experience and its impact on how we understand and live in our world.
• Verbal communication helps us organize complex ideas and experiences into meaningful categories. Consider the number of things you experience with your five primary senses every day. It is impossible to comprehend everything we encounter. We use verbal communication to organize seemingly random events into understandable categories to make sense of our experiences. For example, we all organize the people in our lives into categories. We label these people with terms like, friends, acquaintances, romantic partners, family, peers, colleagues, and strangers. We highlight certain qualities, traits, or scripts to organize outwardly haphazard events into meaningful categories to establish meaning for our world.
• Verbal communication helps us think. Without verbal communication, we would not function as thinking beings. The ability most often used to distinguish humans from other animals is our ability to reason and communicate. With language, we are able to reflect on the past, consider the present, and ponder the future. We develop our memories using language. Try recalling your first conscious memories. Chances are, your first conscious memories formed around the time you started using verbal communication. The example we used at the beginning of the chapter highlights what a world would be like for humans without language. In the 2011 Scientific American article, “How Language Shapes Thought,” the author, Lera Boroditsky, claims that people “rely on language even when doing simple things like distinguishing patches of color, counting dots on a screen or orienting in a small room: my colleagues and I have found that limiting people’s ability to access their language faculties fluently–by giving them a competing demanding verbal task such as repeating a news report, for instance–impairs their ability to perform these tasks.” This may be why it is difficult for some people to multitask – especially when one task involves speaking and the other involves thinking.
• Verbal communication helps us shape our attitudes about our world. The way you use language shapes your attitude about the world around you. Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf developed the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis to explain that language determines thought. People who speak different languages, or use language differently, think differently (Whorf; Sapir; Mandelbaum; Maxwell; Perlovsky; Lucy; Simpson; Hussein). The argument suggests that if a native English speaker had the exact same experiences in their life, but grew up speaking Chinese instead of English, their worldview would be different because of the different symbols used to make sense of the world. When you label, describe, or evaluate events in your life, you use the symbols of the language you speak. Your use of these symbols to represent your reality influences your perspective and attitude about the world. So, it makes sense then that the more sophisticated your repertoire of symbols is, the more sophisticated your world view can be for you. While the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is highly respected, there have been many scholarly and philosophical challenges to the viewpoint that language is what shapes our worldview. For example, Agustin Vicente and Fernando Martinez-Manrique did a study regarding the “argument of explicitness,” which has two premises. The first premise is that “the instrument of thought must be explicit” in order for thought and language to be connected; the second is that natural languages – languages that humans can learn cognitively as they develop – are not explicit (Vicente and Martinez-Manrique, 384). The authors conclude that thoughts “demand a kind of completeness and stability of meaning that natural language sentences, being remarkably underdetermined, cannot provide” (Vicente and Martinez-Manrique, 397). It makes sense that something as arbitrary and complicated as the connection between thought and language is still being debated today.

While we have overly-simplified the complexities of verbal communication for you in this chapter, when it comes to its actual use—accounting for the infinite possibilities of symbols, rules, contexts, and meanings—studying how humans use verbal communication is daunting. When you consider the complexities of verbal communication, it is a wonder we can communicate effectively at all. But, verbal communication is not the only channel humans use to communicate. In the next chapter we will examine the other most common channel of communication we use: nonverbal communication.

• Survey of Communication Study. Authored by : Scott T Paynton and Linda K Hahn. Provided by : Humboldt State University. Located at : https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Survey_of_Communication_Study . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

Verbal Communication Essay

Communication is a Latin word which means ‘to share’. It is the sharing of information between different individuals. It includes the sharing of ideas, concepts, imaginations, behaviours and written content. Communication is simply defined as the transfer of information from one place to another. This transfer of information can be shown in different ways. Communication is sending and receiving information between two or more people. The person sending the message is referred to as the sender, while the person receiving the information is called the receiver. The information conveyed can include facts, ideas, concepts, opinions, beliefs, attitudes, instructions and even emotions. Verbal communication is simply sending a message through a …show more content…

Body language is a form of nonverbal communication that can be used to send a message. This is mostly expressions, you can tell when someone is mad or happy by looking at the movement of their hands etc. Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual or group to another. Oral communication can be either formal or informal. Face-to-Face Meetings, In-Person Oral Presentations, Online Meetings, Videoconferencing, Teleconferencing, Phone Calls, Voice Messages, Videos, Blogs, Reports, Brochures, Newsletters, Fliers, Emails and Memos are the most common form of communications used by businesses. Face-to-face: Face-to-face communication helps to establish a personal connection and will help sell the product or service to the customer. These interactions can portray a whole different message than written communication as tone, pitch, and body language is observed. Information is easier to access and delivered immediately with interactions rather than waiting for an email or phone call. Conflicts are also easily resolved this way, as verbal and non-verbal indications are observed and acted upon. Communicating professionally is important as one is representing the company. Speaking clearly and asking questions to understand the needs and wants, letting the recipient respond as one resolves the issue is

Nvq Level 3 Communication Essay

Communication is a process of transferring information from one person or from a group of people to the other. Communication can also be defined as a way and form of passing or receiving a message. People communicate to express or share a concern and allow the passing of message. By not communicating can limit the people’s ability to connect with each other. For instance care worker to care users and other professionals in the care setting environment. People communicate so that they can understand the needs of others and it ensures ways of building trust and resolving conflicts. Communication is a two way process that enables sharing of experience.

Communication And Health, Social Care Or Children ' Settings

Communication is the sending and receiving messages and information between two or more people. The person receiving the information is called the receiver and the person sending the message is referred to as the sender. The information conveyed can include instructions, ideas, facts, concepts, beliefs, opinions and even emotions. Effective communication occurs if the receiver understands the exact information or idea that the sender intended to transmit.

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L2- Hsc Technical Certificate Unit Worksheet

Communication is a process by which two or more people exchange ideas, facts, feelings, or impressions in ways that gains common understanding of messages. Communication can be used to bring out changes in attitudes and used to motivate people and establish and maintain relationships, it is also vital for seeking and providing information.

How Has Communication Changed In The Last 20 Years

20 years ago when someone said communication people thought of actually talking face to face with someone, but now that technology and communication have meshed together when someone says communication people think of texting someone on your phone or emailing someone off their computer. Communication by definition is “the imparting or exchanging of information or news,” or

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Btec Business Level 3 Unit 4 P1

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Overview of African-American Culture

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Observing and describing verbal and nonverbal communication Essay

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The Process of Communication Essay

Communication is a process where we share our feelings, ideas, thoughts, suggestion, experience, feedback, opinions, etc. It’s a dialogue in which the sharing of meaningful information are constantly coming in and going out between two or more people in order

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What Is Effective Communication? Skills for Work, School, and Life

Discover how improving your communication skills can benefit your career, education, and personal life.

Communication is a part of everyday life, whether we communicate in person or on the countless digital platforms available to us. But how much of our communication actually reaches the intended audience or person the way we hoped? Effective communication requires us to be clear and complete in what we are trying to express.

Being an effective communicator in our professional and personal lives involves learning the skills to exchange information with clarity, empathy, and understanding. In this article, we’ll define what effective communication looks like, discuss its benefits, and offer ways to improve your communication skills.

What is effective communication?

Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and data so that the message is received and understood with clarity and purpose. When we communicate effectively, both the sender and receiver feel satisfied.

Communication occurs in many forms, including verbal and non-verbal, written, visual, and listening. It can occur in person, on the internet (on forums, social media, and websites), over the phone (through apps, calls, and video), or by mail.

For communication to be effective, it must be clear , correct , complete , concise , and compassionate . We consider these to be the 5 Cs of communication, though they may vary depending on who you’re asking. 

While the effectiveness of communication can be difficult to measure, its impact is hard to deny. According to one study, surveyed companies in the United States and United Kingdom with at least 100,000 employees lost $62.4 million per year on average due to poor communication. On the flip side, companies led by effective communicators had nearly 50 percent higher total returns to shareholders over companies with less effective communicators at the helm [ 1 ].

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Benefits of effective communication

The benefits of communication effectiveness can be witnessed in the workplace, in an educational setting, and in your personal life. Learning how to communicate well can be a boon in each of these areas.

In the workplace, effective communication can help you: 

Manage employees and build teams

Grow your organization more rapidly and retain employees

Benefit from enhanced creativity and innovation

Become a better public speaker

Build strong relationships and attract more opportunities for you or your organization

Read more: Why Is Workplace Communication Important? + How to Improve It

In your personal life, effective communication can lead to:

Improved social, emotional, and mental health

Deeper connections with people you care about

New bonds based on trust and transparency

Better problem–solving and conflict resolution skills

Say it with your body

In face-to-face conversation, body language plays an important role. Communication is 55 percent non-verbal, 38 percent vocal (tone and inflection), and 7 percent words, according to Albert Mehrabian, a researcher who pioneered studies on body language [ 2 ]. Up to 93 percent of communication, then, does not involve what you are actually saying. 

Positive body language is open—your posture is upright and receptive, your palms are open, you lean in when speaking or listening, and nod encouragingly. Negative body language can include biting your lip nervously, looking bored, crossing your arms, putting your hands on your hips, or tapping your foot impatiently.

How to improve your communication skills

Communication, like any other skill, is one you can improve upon with practice. Here are a few ways to start improving your communication skills, whether at home or on the job.

1. Consider your audience.

Who are you communicating with? Make sure you are aware of your audience—those you intend to communicate with may differ from those who actually receive your messages. Knowing your audience can be key to delivering the right messages effectively. Their age, race, ethnicity, gender, marital status, income, education level, subject knowledge, and professional experience can all affect how they’ll receive your message. 

If you’re advertising a fast food restaurant, for example, you might want to deliver your message to an audience that’s likely to be hungry. This could be a billboard on the side of a busy highway that shows a giant cheeseburger and informs drivers that the closest location is just two miles away. 

Or suppose you’re announcing your engagement to your family. You might host a gathering afterwards to celebrate, send them photos of the engagement in a group chat, surprise them in conversation over dinner, or tag your family members in your announcement on social media. Your chosen form of communication will depend on your family dynamics.

2. Practice active listening.

Active listening is the practice of giving your full attention in a communication exchange. 

Some techniques include paying attention to body language, giving encouraging verbal cues, asking questions, and practicing non-judgment. Before executing your communication, be sure to consider your audience and practice active listening to get to the heart of their needs and desires. This way, you can improve your communication as a counselor, social worker, marketer, professor, colleague, or friend. 

Here are some examples of active listening in practice:

If you work in marketing, you might engage in social listening to gather consumer data on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. 

If you are a professor, you might take advantage of end-of-semester feedback forms and act on your students' needs by hosting one-on-one meetings during office hours. Likewise, your students might choose to participate in discussions after your lecture or at least sit attentively and ask questions.

If you are a team leader, you might read Slack messages from your teammates, gauge that they are frustrated with the workload, and respond by resetting priorities for the next few weeks. This communicates to the team that their voices are heard.

If you are a parent, you might have a disagreement with your child about finishing their homework, but if you probe deeper with open communication, they may confess that their teacher made a discouraging comment that left them unmotivated.

Read more: What Is Active Listening and How Can You Improve This Key Skill?

3. Make your message as clear as possible.

Once you have successfully identified your audience and listened to their intentions, needs, and desires, you may have something to communicate. To do this effectively, turn to the 5 Cs of communication to ensure your message is:

Compassionate

Prepare to communicate in a way that achieves most of these characteristics.

4. Use the right medium or platform.

Using the right medium or platform to communicate matters. Effective communication requires you to consider whether you need to meet in person or if Zoom would suffice. Is your message casual enough to use WhatsApp, or would a formal email be more efficient and thorough? If you are catching up with a friend, do you two prefer to talk on the phone or via old-fashioned letters? Whatever you choose should be intuitive and appropriate for you and your current situation.

You might assess the priority level and the type of communication needed. In a marketing campaign, is there a visual component on Instagram or is it a spoken podcast ad? Will the platform be a Facebook post, product placement in a film, or a printed poster hung in cafes? For a university lecture, do students prefer to be online or meet in person? Will there be a discussion afterward, and would it be fruitful to conduct it in a pub, cafe, or in a field outdoors? 

By considering your audience, practicing active listening, clarifying your communication, and choosing the right medium or environment, you are well on your way to exercising communication effectiveness.

Effective communication starts here

Start building better communication with Improving your Communication Skills from the University of Pennsylvania, Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills from the University of Michigan, or Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation from the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Article sources

PRovoke Media. " The Cost Of Poor Communications , https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/article/the-cost-of-poor-communications." Accessed January 17, 2024.

The University of Texas Permian Basin. " How Much of Communication Is Nonverbal? , https://online.utpb.edu/about-us/articles/communication/how-much-of-communication-is-nonverbal/." Accessed January 17, 2024.

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Essay on Communication in 100, 200 and 300 Words: The Essence of Survival

• Updated on  
• Oct 20, 2023

Do you know how important it is to communicate with others? Communication is the primary means through which individuals share information, ideas and thoughts. Communication fosters strong relationships. In this essence, writing an essay on communication becomes important where you highlight the importance of communication, how it affects our everyday lives and what skills are required to become a communication professional . Let’s explore all these questions with some essays on communication.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Communication in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Communication in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on Communication in 300 Words

Also Read: Essay on Freedom Fighters

Essay on Communication in 100 Words

Communication is the cornerstone of human interaction and is crucial to sharing ideas, thoughts and information. By communicating, people foster relationships, which is vital for personal and professional growth. Effective communication facilitates understanding, resolves conflicts, and promotes collaboration. Whether verbal or nonverbal, it forms the basis of successful teamwork, decision-making, and social integration.

Clear communication is key to a harmonious society, nurturing empathy, and building trust. It encourages brainstorming, creative thinking, and the development of new solutions to complex problems. Its impact is profound, shaping the way we interact, learn, and evolve, making it an indispensable tool for human connection and progress. 

Essay on Communication in 200 Words

What makes communication important is that it serves as the bedrock for exchanging ideas, information, and emotions. It is the essence of human interaction, enabling us to convey our thoughts, beliefs, and intentions to others. Effective communication is essential in every aspect of life, whether in personal relationships, professional environments, or social interactions.

Effective communication can form the basis of trust and mutual understanding and understanding. In personal relationships, communication fosters understanding and empathy, allowing individuals to express their feelings and needs, while also listening to and acknowledging others. 

In the professional realm. Communication allows the smooth functioning of organizations. With communication, individuals can disseminate information, set clear expectations and encourage collaboration among team members. Moreover, effective communication in the workplace enhances productivity and promotes a positive work culture.

The uses and benefits of communication are not limited to just personal and professional realms. In social environments also, communication allows diverse groups to understand each other’s cultures, beliefs, and values, promoting inclusivity and harmony in society.

You can call communication a fundamental pillar of human existence, as it helps in shaping our relationships, work environments, and societal interactions. Its effective practice is essential for nurturing empathy, building trust, and fostering a more connected and understanding world.

Also Read: Essay on the Importance of English Language

Essay on Communication in 300 Words

How crucial communication is can be explained by the fact that it allows the smooth transfer of ideas, thoughts, feelings and information. Communication is the lifeblood of human interaction, playing a crucial role in the exchange of ideas, information, and emotions. It serves as the cornerstone of relationships, both personal and professional, and is integral to the functioning of society as a whole. 

In personal relationships, it is essential to have effective communication for clear understanding and empathy. It allows individuals to express their thoughts, feelings, and needs, while also providing a platform for active listening and mutual support. Strong communication fosters trust and intimacy, enabling individuals to build meaningful and lasting connections with others.

Without communication, you might struggle for organizational success in the professional world. Clear and effective communication within a team or workplace ensures that tasks are understood, roles are defined, and goals are aligned. It enables efficient collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making, contributing to a positive and productive work environment. Moreover, effective communication between employers and employees promotes a sense of transparency and fosters a healthy work culture.

In a broader sense, communication is vital for social integration and cultural understanding. It bridges the gaps between diverse groups, facilitating the exchange of values, beliefs, and perspectives. Effective communication fosters inclusivity and respect for cultural differences, contributing to a more harmonious and cohesive community.

However, communication is not just about sharing information and ideas. It also encompasses nonverbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, all of which play a significant role in conveying meaning and emotions. It is the glue that binds individuals and communities together, fostering understanding, empathy, and collaboration. Practicing clear and empathetic communication is vital for creating a more connected, inclusive, and harmonious world.

Related Articles:

Communication is the process of exchanging ideas, information, thoughts and feelings between individuals or groups through the use of verbal and nonverbal methods.

To write an essay on communication, you need to describe what communication is, what the importance of communication in our lives and how it can help us know different aspects of life.

To become an effective communicator, you must become an active listener and understand what others have to say. You must learn to express your thoughts clearly and concisely. You also need to ensure your body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice perfectly align with your ideas.

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Comparison of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Communication is an instrumental tool which facilitates effective interaction among individuals. Although it is vital in improving interpersonal relationships, most people take it for granted and fail to enhance their communication skills. It can be either verbal or nonverbal, and the type used to exchange information or ideas is influenced by various factors, including the parties involved as well as the environment. Verbal communication involves the conveyance of a message using oral or written words. Conversely, nonverbal communication uses body language to send a particular message. While verbal and nonverbal communications involve transferring and receiving information and are not connected to the brain, they are significantly different in such features as structure, miscommunication, continuousness, and distance and time.

Verbal communication develops differently in various cultures and is structured while nonverbal communication is not. Verbal communication is regulated by grammar rules to ensure that the conveyed message is clear (Wahyuni 80). This aspect of specific pattern of communication is vital since it guarantees a similar understanding of a particular message among the individuals using the same language. Conversely, nonverbal communication lacks a definite array of conveying a message. It has no guiding rules, and one can interpret the sent information according to their wish. Nevertheless, nonverbal communication has an instrumental role in supporting verbal communication to enhance meaning of sent information.

The chances of miscommunication in verbal communications are significantly lower than in nonverbal communication. Notably, every word used in verbal communication has a specific meaning, minimizing the possibility of being misinterpreted. The intended message significance is preserved even when words are translated into other languages. Conversely, there are numerous facial expressions which people can make using muscles in their faces. The lexes depend on how someone responds to a particular stimulus. Additionally, there are types of nonverbal communications whose meaning varies from one culture to another (Wahyuni 82). For instance, avoiding direct eye contact when speaking to an older person is a sign of respect in some cultures, but it can be interpreted as a person being shy. Therefore, the likelihoods of misinterpreting nonverbal communication are high, mainly when cultural background differs.

The chances of miscommunication depending on situations and places are also lower in verbal communication than in nonverbal communication. Whereas one receives immediate feedback when using verbal communication, it is impossible in nonverbal communication because it takes some time to show the emotions (Wahyuni 82). Indeed, an individual has to process the meaning of a message conveyed verbally before responding nonverbally. The tone of verbal communication minimizes the possibility of miscommunication in different situations, even when someone is playacting. However, miscommunication can be inevitable in various places, such as Asia and the United States because of varying cultures. Nevertheless, misunderstanding of nonverbal communication does not occur in all situations. Thus, verbal communication is easily influenced by social as well as cultural factors.

Distance is insignificant in verbal communication, and it takes a short period of time to convey a message, contrary to nonverbal communication. People use different means of sending information such as phone calls, letters, and chats to transmit messages. The distance does not matter even though one has to choose the medium wisely to guarantee effective communication. However, long-distance inhibits nonverbal communication, requiring individuals’ face-to-face interaction to show and receive a particular message. Additionally, it is time consuming compared to verbal communication. One can take time to receive and interpret nonverbal messages before giving appropriate feedback. Therefore, verbal communication is faster, efficient, and convenient regardless of location of involved parties.

Contrary to nonverbal communication, verbal communication has limited continuousness because it is easier for someone to interrupt. It has a starting point when one initiates communication and stops when it is terminated or interrupted. Different factors such as sound and visible movements can interrupt verbal communication. On the other hand, nonverbal communication continues without inference once it is initiated. Nonverbal cues are evident even when individuals have stopped talking. For instance, people smile or laugh after they comment on something good. Therefore, nonverbal communication can endure external elements that interfere with transmission of information.

Despite the differences between nonverbal and verbal communication, their role and usage consistency are similar. Both forms of communication involve sending and receiving messages, regardless of the medium used to transmit information. In most cases, individuals use verbal and nonverbal communication in parallel to guarantee the useful meaning of the anticipated outcomes (Bhat and Kingsley 39). Nonverbal communication has various functions such as reinforcement, regulation, accentuation, and substitution. Moreover, both verbal and nonverbal communication are not inherent because they are learned. People learn how to pronounce words, write well-structured sentences, and use their faces and other parts of the body to convey a meaningful message. Further, they have no direct connection to the brain of individuals. Undeniably, the brain only receives, processes and interprets messages, and generates appropriate feedback. Thus, verbal and nonverbal communications complement each other to enhance the meaning of conveyed messages.

In conclusion, verbal and nonverbal communication differ in structure, miscommunication, continuousness, and distance and time. Verbal communication is regulated by grammar rules, has minimum miscommunication possibilities, is not inhibited by distance, takes a short time, and is quickly interrupted, contrary to nonverbal communication. However, common features associated with verbal and nonverbal communication are that they are not inherent or directly connected to individual’s brain and involve transferring and receiving of information. Additionally, they are used in parallel in most cases, with nonverbal playing the role of reinforcement or accentuation of particular message.

Works Cited

Bhat, B. Vishnu, and Manoj Kumar Kingsley. “Effective Non-Verbal Communication.” Effective Medical Communication , edited by Subhash Chandra Parija and Balachandra V. Adkoli, Springer, 2020, pp. 39–47.

Wahyuni, Akhtim. “The Power of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Learning”. Proceedings of the 1St International Conference on Intellectuals’ Global Responsibility (ICIGR 2017) , vol. 125, 2018, pp. 80-83. Web.

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Essay about Verbal Communication

Verbal Communication Verbal communication refers to the use of sounds and language to relay a message. It serves as a vehicle for expressing desires, ideas and concepts and is vital to the processes of learning and teaching. Verbal communication acts as the primary tool for expression between two or more people. Read more: LIVESTRONG.com TONE A tone of voice can tell us how the speaker is feeling. If they deliver something in an unpleasant or rude way, then they could be annoyed, or angry, maybe even upset with you, but if they say it in a cheerful way, then they are obviously quite calm. How does tone affect our Communication skills? If you make it sound as if you're annoyed at someone, they are going to get nervous around you. Tone is like an attitude, but is spoken. You need to present your tone in an appropriate manner, or people are going to take the things you say the wrong way. PITCH Pitch is how high or low your voice is. Normally a man's pitch is lower than a woman's, because women have shorter vocal cords. How does pitch interpret different meanings to our speech? If you walk into a room and your voice's pitch is quite high, people quite often assume that you're a bit excited, but if your pitch is low, you might come across as depressed and down in the blues. PACE Pace is how fast or slow you speak. Speaking fast, but with a quiet tone and often messing up words, comes across as you being shy and nervous, but speaking neutral can make the person you're talking with more confident in you. Why does pace make a difference to the way we speak? We need to get our pace correct for the right situation, if you come across as nervous, the people speaking with you won't feel very safe in your care. Try to speak with a normal pace in most situations, or if talking to and old person, or maybe someone with disabilities, you should speak slower and pronounce your words more clearer, and louder so they understand better. FORMAL AND INFORMAL Formal is the 'correct' way of speaking. Most of the time you would speak formally to others, it is the way of addressing people you don't know. Most adults and pensioners prefer, and understand, using formal language rather than informal language. Informal is more of a way of addressing friends and family, or just generally people you know. More teenagers prefer using 'slang' which is a form of informal language, so would come as a more appropriate use to them rather that adults. Speaking in the correct way in the right situation Overall, you should try and not to come across as shy. If you act uncomfortable or nervous, people aren't going to trust you. Would you prefer to be Show More

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Sample Essay On Verbal Communication

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Communication , Context , Culture , Face , Body Language , United States , America , Cultures

Published: 07/14/2021

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Verbal communication refers to spoken or speech communication for exchange of information between individuals and groups. The different forms of verbal communication are face-to-face encounters, live radio and television conversations and audio discussions on telephone, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and other media. I would like to specifically talk about face-to-face communication style in USA. However, it should be emphasized that face-to-face spoken communication could not be isolated with non-verbal communication such as eye contact, greeting, dress appearance, body language, clothing, distance, postures and gestures. For instance, the aspect of reinforcement is also evaluated through words of encouragement and motivation during a spoken communication session.

Spoken communication in USA should be more direct and open because it is a low-context culture where people expect clarity of opinions, information and meeting purpose instead of assuming the other person to infer. Secondly, there is no discrimination among genders; therefore, it is expected that males and females could openly interact as compared to several high context cultures where spoken communication between opposite sexes is not acceptable such as in Asia, Middle East and other conservative cultures. Third, the spoken communication moves ahead positively when both parties exchange information in a calm voice tone while maintaining direct eye contact simultaneously in USA. The non-verbal cues such as body language, dress, gestures and postures also create an impression on other people during the verbal communication especially negotiations because they indicate credibility, maturity level, preparedness, interest and reliability. For instance, the American verbal style is expressive even in public places as compared to high-context societies where public remains humble and modest. Next, the art of listening is extremely important during verbal communication because a good speaker is also expected to showcase oneself a good listener. Intolerance for other person’s speech and discussion badly affect oral communication in both low and high-context cultures.

Undoubtedly, I would prefer and embrace the primary cultural aspects that shape etiquettes for verbal communication in USA because it fosters freedom of speech and expression to both sexes. For example, the negotiation team in USA allows participation of both sexes because of low-context culture as compared to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Japan and other high-context cultures where female representation is zero. Next, the male members avoid face-to-face speech and eye contact with female members of society because it is considered as a social taboo in high-context environments. The support for U.S. verbal communication style is absolutely permissible; however, the researcher also truly respects the cultural differences and communication patterns of other regions as true obligation in a globalized socio-economic environment.

For instance, the Americans regard “Time is Money” that also impacts spoken communication and makes it more direct and objective-related irrespective of any relationship between two individuals. In contrast, the high-context cultures are more relationship and people-oriented; therefore, the individuals also dedicate most of their time on discussions about country, economy, politics, arts, literature, family, education, personal life experiences, customs and traditions. The focused objective-based verbal communication takes place only after the two parties have developed reasonable personal understanding and ascertained that they have mutual respect so could trust each other for further interactions and business relationship. Finally, the global communication patterns have been changing because of greater cross-cultural training that has created a reasonable mid-point between high-context and low-context individuals in verbal communication.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Nonverbal Communication — Verbal And Nonverbal Communication

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

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What is Verbal Communication?

Verbal communication is how we send information or a message to someone else through the words we speak aloud. We use it every day. But with our growing use of smart devices and emails, our verbal communication skills are in decline.

Who hasn’t sent an email to a colleague sitting right next to them? Hands up if you have sent a text that was misunderstood rather than making a quick phone call.

Verbal communication is vital when it comes to getting our point across. It helps to maintain relationships and form new ones. We use it personally and professionally, so we must get it right.

In this blog, we answer the question: what is verbal communication? Starting today, you will also learn why it’s essential and how you can improve your verbal communication skills.

Verbal communication involves the exchange of thoughts, feelings and ideas using spoken words. Its effectiveness depends upon various aspects, including the choice of words, tone and clarity of speech.

It is a two-way process in which the speaker transmits information while the listener comprehends and interprets the message.

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Verbal communication is oral communication. It’s when we speak aloud. And it’s a two-way process. Meaning it takes both a sender (the person talking) and a receiver (the person listening/receiving the message).

Nonverbal communication can include facial expressions, hand gestures and body language. We often mix verbal and nonverbal communication when we’re trying to express ourselves or convey a message to others.

We can communicate verbally with others over the phone, online on a Zoom call or via FaceTime. But with all the technology and gadgets in the world, nothing beats having face-to-face conversations.

Communication Skills Training

Our Communication Skills Training courses provide employers, managers and their employees with the fundamental aspects of effective communication for the success of businesses, organisations and individuals. It helps employers build constructive relationships with their workforce.

Why Are Verbal Communication Skills Important in the Workplace?

A lack of verbal communication skills can prevent you from having positive and meaningful interactions with others in the workplace. This is because effective verbal communication guarantees everyone is on the same page. It eliminates confusion and misunderstanding.

And remember, it’s a two-way process. So, you and the person receiving your message must understand each other.

Effective verbal communication in the workplace can:

• Prevent and reduce accidents
• Boost staff morale
• Increase productivity
• Increase results

Five Types of Verbal Communication

The type of verbal communication used refers to where and with whom we communicate. Here are five examples:

1. Intrapersonal Verbal Communication

Intrapersonal communication is our internal dialogue. We all do this. Often without realising it, we talk to ourselves or have conversations with others in our head. This type of verbal communication is also referred to as inner speech, self-talk, internal discourse and inner experience.

2. Interpersonal Verbal Communication

Interpersonal verbal communication involves two parties. Like speaking one-on-one with a friend or colleague. It evolves using spoken words, listening when the other person is talking, understanding what is being said and responding accordingly.

3. Group Verbal Communication

This is where more than three people are involved in a conversation. There may be more people this time but the same rules apply as with interpersonal communication. Each person has a chance to speak, while others listen and respond at the right time.

4. Public Verbal Communication

Public verbal communication can be anything from speaking aloud at a school assembly to being a keynote speaker at a conference. It’s communicating to an audience of people, who have come to hear what you have to say. This form of verbal communication takes some people completely out of their comfort zone. But, developing this communication skill can also open new opportunities.

5. Mass Verbal Communication

This is all about talking to the masses. So, think about a TV show with a panel of experts, or a podcast where thousands of listeners tune in at the same time. Mass verbal communication involves a small group of speakers, who work as a team to share views and ideas with their audience.

Five Ways to Improve Your Verbal Communication Skills

You can start improving your verbal communications skills today by using one, some or all of these tips:

1. Be Clear on What You Want to Say

If you have a big meeting, presentation, interview or a complex subject to discuss with someone, it helps to know what you want to say in advance. Grab a pen and paper and write down the topics, keywords and ideas you want to discuss. You may even find brainstorming useful.

If you’re unsure that you have the right tone, ask a friend or colleague to review things.

2. Take Your Audience into Consideration

We adapt how we communicate with others for a variety of reasons. Our opening communication, which is basically the first impression we give to the other party, needs to be on point. Considering our audience allows us to pitch the conversation at the right level.

• Who are you verbally communicating with?
• Is it a colleague?
• Are they on the same level as you?
• Are they an employee of yours?
• Do they manage you?
• Are they older or younger than you?

It also helps to decide on the right tone and even the environment for the discussion.

Before a conversation, consider the receiver and how best they’ll receive your words.

3. Don't Forget About Nonverbal Communication

Body language is just as powerful, if not more so, than our words. While our mouths may say one thing, our bodies may say something completely different.

Folded arms, fidgeting and not maintaining eye contact can show we may lack confidence in our words. It can portray nervousness, boredom and even aggression.

Maintaining eye contact and a neutral posture, smiling when greeting someone and being mindful of your facial expressions are all ways to make the receiver feel comfortable in your presence.

Verbal communication and public speaking can make people feel anxious. If this is you, it’s perfectly normal. Not everyone is comfortable speaking to an audience. But, it may sometimes be necessary, especially in our professional lives.

If verbal communication makes you break out in a cold sweat, try a breathing exercise before you have to speak. Breathwork does the following:

• Balances blood pressure
• Increases mental focus
• Reduces feelings of anxiety
• Regulates the heart rate
• Releases stress hormones from the body

5. Engage in Active Listening

Active listening is crucial to being an excellent verbal communicator. After all, how do you know how best to respond to someone if you don’t listen to them?

Active listening means giving full attention to the person or people speaking to you. You need to digest and process what they say before you answer. This may involve taking a few seconds to compute things before responding.

Suppose you need clarification on what they have said. In that case, asking them to repeat or explain something will help you verbally communicate your answer better.

Train Yourself to Become a Better Communicator

Everyone can benefit from learning how to communicate better. Communication is vital for getting along with others. Ensuring you have the right verbal communication skills will boost your success in forming and maintaining personal and professional interactions and relationships.

Our Communication Skills training course is perfect for anyone ready to improve. You will learn about the barriers in communication, understand how to communicate with others effectively and why listening skills are also vital.

About the author(s)

Beverly Coleman

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• Essay On Importance Of Communication

Importance of Communication Essay

500+ words importance of communication essay.

For every human being, communication is one of the essential parts of our lives. People build relationships in their personal and professional lives based on communication. Effective communication works as a foundation for respect and trust to grow. It helps in better understanding a person and the context of the conversation. People always believe that their way of communication is better than others. To communicate effectively, individuals should understand the motion behind the said information. We know that communication is effortless, but miscommunication between two or more individuals sometimes leads to conflicts and distress. Building relationships at home, work, and social affairs will be easier if you know the right way to communicate effectively. It is required to have better communication skills such as non-verbal communication, listening and managing stress can improve the relationship between individuals.

Meaning of Communication

Communication is essential for all of us, whether humans or animals. Communication is a part of written and spoken language, and altogether it completes the communication process. Both use different languages to communicate because it’s hard to survive in this world without communication.

Good communication skills are all about exchanging ideas and thoughts to convey information. It is a two-way conversation that includes vocalisation as well as a gesture. One of the crucial purposes of communication is to express ideas, needs or thoughts, and one’s beliefs with clarity for a mutually accepted solution.

Communication skills cannot be underestimated. Before languages were invented, people communicated with their hand gestures, body language, etc. We all require better communication skills at every step of our life. Personal and professional life will get hampered if you lack practical communication.

Importance of Effective Communication

People understand the importance of communication, but sometimes they cannot communicate through communication. It happens due to a lack of better communication skills. Below, we have discussed a few ways to communicate effectively.

• Interruption: It becomes very annoying when someone disrupts you while talking. It looks pretty unethical to disrupt someone while talking constantly, and the conversation can take a different turn. So, while talking, let the other person complete their talk before you start talking.
• Listen patiently: Listen patiently when someone tries to make a healthy conversation. It is one of the ways to do effective communication, as it gives a clear understanding of what the person is trying to say.
• View your body language: Body language speaks about your personality. Some people make uncomfortable gestures through their body language. So, you should keep your body language friendly and warm rather than keeping it arrogant.
• Do not go over your point: Communication is all about expressing thoughts so that the other person can understand. It is not that you are trying to prove something correct and the other person incorrect. Some people try to win the conservation, which leads to struggles and arguments.
• Watch your words: Before telling someone something, make sure you know what you are saying. We often say things that we should not do out of anger or anxiety. Remember, once spoken, words can not be withdrawn. Thus, it is suggested that you do not say something that you can regret later.
• Practice: If there is a professional meeting where you need to communicate about your product or work, it is recommended to practise already. Practise in front of the mirror or with a friend only. Choose how your conversation will begin, all the points you cover, and how you will end it.

As many people may feel comfortable communicating, communication is an art developed through practice and evaluation; every good communicator passes through a process to learn communication and practice skills, review themselves, and decrease where they can be.

Communication is essential to share our thoughts and feelings to live a happy life. Better communication makes us feel better about everything surrounding us and makes us suffer less. So, it is necessary to learn the art of communication to put across one point well.

Therefore, communication is a vital aspect of our existence. Effective communication can be achieved by being mindful of different elements of communication. Using appropriate communication in appropriate settings is essential for effective communication.

From our BYJU’S website, students can also access CBSE Essays related to different topics. It will help students to get good marks in their exams.

Frequently asked Questions on the Importance of communication Essay

How important is communication.

Communication of ideas, and thoughts is an important skill to be acquired. Conveying things in an effective manner is necessary for both our personal and professional lives.

What are types of communication?

There are 4 main types of communication are verbal, non verbal, visual and written forms of communication.

What are the factors that act as a barrier for communication?

Language is obviously the biggest barrier for communication between peoples of the world. Then comes the physical barrier. Geographical separation hinders communication. There are other factors like the gender barrier, cultural differences that prevail in the society. Last but not the least, emotional barriers too hinder proper understanding between persons involved in communication.

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Importance of Non-Verbal Communication | Essay Example

Significance of nonverbal communication, features of nonverbal communication, forms of nonverbal communication, samples of nonverbal communication, nonverbal communication concept, nonverbal communication at the workplace, reference list.

Wondering how to write an essay about the importance of non-verbal communication and how it affects workplace relationships? We’ve got your back covered! Check the non-verbal communication essay example below and get some fresh ideas for your writing.

In communication, a reasonable percentage of understanding is derived from non-verbal communication. This kind of communication works always. However, it is not always the case that one speaks before people can derive the thoughts of that person. A lot of these thoughts can simply be derived from gestures, signals, or expressions.

This kind of communication can be very effective if one sends the appropriate signals aimed at the right target (Abramovitch 1977, p. 82). This form of communication can easily be misunderstood if the wrong signals are sent to the recipients. Hands are significant in conveying non-verbal communication as they are used for gesturing. The facial expression and body language also play a big role in this form of communication.

It is possible to know someone’s private feelings simply by looking at that person’s facial expression. For instance if a colleague is not in a good mood, one will simply need to look for the nonverbal communication that that person portrays. For communication to be effective, attention has to be given to that which is communicated non-verbally, good examples being the use of space, gestures and body language.

Non verbal communication may differ according to different cultures and this may be the main cause of misinterpretation. There are cultures that take the nodding of the head vertically as an agreement while others take it as a refusal. There are those who would perceive a minors direct look into the eye as honest while others while perceive it as disrespect.

For one to mask feelings or spontaneous reaction to information, the attention must be paid to the nonverbal behavior. It might be easy for one to control his/her voice or words yet still that person’s body language, facial expression as well as movement can expose his/her real thoughts and feelings.

No matter the position that one holds at the place of work, the ability to interpret non-verbal communication adds to the ability of that individual to share meaning with others. This is because the shared meaning is what constitutes communication (Abramovitch 1977, p. 87).

To understand nonverbal communication, one needs to recognize that different people communicate on different levels. Every gesture usually communicates something and all that is needed is to pay close attention to it. If the verbal and non-verbal communication is not in harmony, it is more likely that the communicator will be lying or is of a different idea from that being communicated. It might therefore be reasonable for the listener not to pay attention to that person’s non-verbal communication.

Non verbal communication might play a significant role during a job interview as the interviewer will be able to deduce the kind of person the candidate is, as well as his/her strengths and weaknesses. During a criminal investigation, the non-verbal signals that are relayed by the person under investigation may be even of greater importance that the verbal statements that that person gives.

It might be easier for the investigators to determine if the person being investigated is lying, is hiding some information or if the person is speaking the truth. This will only be possible if the investigator understands and rightly interprets the non-verbal signals.

When one is issuing a speech the nonverbal communication relayed by the audience might of great importance in helping the speaker know if the audience is paying attention, if the people are bored, exhausted, irritated or when it is time for another speaker to take charge. Listening to them is very important if the speaker needs to be effective. If the nonverbal communication is effectively used while delivering a message for instance through speech, that message will be effective and memorable (Abramovitch 1977, p. 90).

Non-verbal communication is complicated and it may be challenging to understand its signals. This type of communication involves the whole body, the space occupied, the time taken, what is left out and how it is left out. Non-verbal communication flows from one to another and this makes it difficult single out one element and interpret it correctly from the series of other elements. This type of communication is constantly in motion just as human beings are and it does not replicate itself in the same place.

This kind of communication unlike the spoken or written communication is irreversible. For the written communication, the communicator might be in a position to clarify, correct or retract the message that is conveyed. For the oral communication, one is able to give an explanation or restate with the intention of clarifying the point. It is therefore possible to correct oral communication, as much as the original message remains with its impact as well.

It is not possible to separate a single non-verbal action from its context correct it and take it back. In speech, this kind of communication is always occurring and it becomes difficult to tell when a single non verbal message starts or stops and to exactly determine when the next one starts. The communication is only relevant in its context and if it is singled out then it might easily be misinterpreted and misunderstood hence leading to a wrong conclusion being drawn.

One usually expresses himself or herself first through the nonverbal communication always without even consciously thinking about it. This communication portrays ones feelings and thoughts way before the person becomes aware of it.

This kind of communication usually brings out the intentional as well as unintentional messages. It is common for people to concentrate on how someone says something than what that message is really. It is surprising that human beings use more non-verbal communication than the verbal one and in some cases this type of communication may add up or even replace the verbal one (Bull 1987).

Illustrators which are nonverbal gestures are used to communicate the message in an effective way as well as reinforcing the points. This could for instance be a node which confirms acceptance. The response to this may be in the form of an emblem, which may be by using the O.K. sign to signal.

Regulators which are nonverbal messages may also be used for controlling, maintaining or discouraging interaction. One the speaker is irritating the listener could for instance hold up his/her hand and the speaker will interpret it as a request to stop (Benjamin & Craidler 1975, p. 27).Regulators may also be used by the audience listening to a speech. They may for instance look away, make drawings at the book margins or tap their feet, and all these regulators will be representing boredom or disinterest (Kelly 1982).

Adaptors can also be used in the non-verbal communication and they help one to adapt to the environment hence ensuring that the communicator is secure and comfortable. A good example would be the hairstyle or a behavior that is self adaptive. One may also use object-adaptors to convey a message of disinterest for instance.

They may use an object for a different purpose to show disinterest. A good example may be when the audience starts chewing the backside of their pens to signify disinterest. All in all, non-verbal communications are universal. They be used differently by different people in different places or they may take a different form but they will remain to be non-verbal communications.

Nonverbal communication forms a basis for communicating emotional massages as people rarely express their emotions through the spoken word. Most of the time people express their emotions none verbally. This is contributed to by the fact that some emotions might not be expressed well or fully in the verbal form. It is very easier to deduce deception for a speaker by keenly observing the person’s non-verbal communication.

Such a person may for instance avoid eye contact, awkwardly pause during the conversation, and delay while responding to questions, changing body movement and posture frequently. They person might also smile less and reduce the rate of his/her speech. When such behaviors are noticed in the speaker, the listener(s) may be required to be a bit keener. People’s speech patterns speak a lot concerning the truthfulness in the messages being conveyed.

This type of communication is very significant in the relationship that exists between the speaker and the audience. When people meet for the first time, the first conclusions that are made about the different parties are usually derived from the non-verbal messages that are displayed (Scheflen 1964).

This is usually based on the dressing code, the physical characteristics and the posture. Nonverbal communication therefore affects the first impression made, for better or for worse. Assumed expectation is usually derived from the speaker’s maintenance of personal space, the dressing code as well as the physical characteristics right from the time the speaker meets the audience. As much as these expectations may neither be fair nor accurate, they always exist.

Controlling the verbal and nonverbal communication is important in forming a good rapport with the audience (Ekman & Friesen 1969). Maintaining eye contact with them, using space appropriately and being formal enhances this kind of relationship. Nonverbal communication is usually perceived to be part of the message and it has the capability to contribute to or lead to detraction from the overall goal.

It is believed that whatever is not said is just as significant as what is said. Words just form a section of communication. From a facial expression, it is possible to determine whether someone is happy, surprised, fearful, angered, disgusted, interested or sad. Interpreting nonverbal communication needs no special communication.

It may however require extensive training for one to be self aware of portraying nonverbal communication to others. Agreement between the two forms of communication enhances the establishment of a common understanding. A genuine and positive smile could indicate an agreement with an idea or a person.

The attire that is worn also plays a significant role in bringing out a nonverbal message. What someone puts on is what people call a ‘fashion statement.

A formal dressing code could be adapted while speaking in an official meeting. On the contrary, a casual code could be adapted if the message is targeted to people within an informal setting. Eyes have always been perceived to be windows to the soul. Maintaining an eye contact could be a show of interest or attraction, while disgust is indicated by an upward nose wrinkle and raising of the upper lip.

The element of time keeping also falls under nonverbal communication. When a speaker arrives at a meeting on time, and sticks to the stipulated time, it speaks a lot about that person.

It implies seriousness and commitment on the speaker’s side. It also says a lot about the gravity of the topic under discussion (Scheflen 1964). Culture plays a very significant role in any communication. In the case of nonverbal communication, culture determines what is and what is not allowed. Some cultures give room for lateness while others do not (Argyle & Kendon 1967).

Nonverbal communication just like the verbal one is a section of a society’s backbone. This kind of communication is necessary for helping people to coexist and build their own culture. For any communication study to be effective, one needs to grasp the basic concepts of not only the verbal but the nonverbal communication as well.

Most of the time, these two forms of communication occur together. The non verbal communication is usually composed of three major components which include; the one creating the communication, the communication itself and the recipient (Darwin 1872). There has always been a misconception that sign language falls under the nonverbal communication. This is however not the case as sign language is categorized under the visual language-based communication.

There needs to be a complementary relationship between the verbal and the verbal forms of communication. If not, then the result is confusion, disappointment and mistrust. Whatever is said must be complemented by the actions (Benjamin & Creider 1975).

Nonverbal communication is significant in the clarification and making the verbal communication to be well understood. Facial and hand gestures are used to illustrate whatever is communicated. It offers the cues that assist in ensuring that the message is understood.

This type of communication is important as it portrays one’s perceptions, beliefs and the person’s world view. They expose whatever is in a person. If one pulls back when a hug is offered it may signify that the person has an aversion to the physical touch which could be attributed to his/her past experiences (Argyle & Kendon 1967).

The non verbal communication plays a big role in affirming a message. For instance, verbal communication demonstrating how to use online purchasing tools could be affirmed by the speaker taking a computer and demonstrating the same to the audience. It helps in reinforcing the message.

At the workplace, violating ones personal space is a nonverbal communication that might be offensive. Slumping in a chair could be a sign of fatigue or an indication that the person is sad. Boredom at a meeting could be expressed through yawning while anger could be expressed by folding the hands.

Such clues can be used while encouraging someone positively respond when asked to do something. While at the workplace, it is possible to know the feelings of workers just by observing their body languages or facial expressions. This is significant I determining whether the workers are displeased or please either by the working conditions or the rules and regulations that are in place at the workplace.

Abramovitch, R., 1977. Children’s recognition of situational aspects of facial expression’, Child Development, Vol. 48. No. 4, pp. 77-98.

Argyle, M., & Kendon, A., 1967, The experimental analysis of social performance. in L. Berkowitz (ed.). Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Benjamin, G.R., & Creider, C. A., 1975. Social distinctions in non-verbal behavior.

Semiotica, Vol.14, No. 3, pp. 22-46

Bull, P.E., 1987, Posture and Gesture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Darwin, C., 1872, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. London: Macmillan Publishers.

Ekman P., & Friesen, W., 1969. The repertoire of nonverbal behavior. Semiotica, Vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 66-80.

Kelly, J. A., 1982, Social Skills Training: A Practical Guide for Interventions. London: Macmillan Publisher London.

Scheflen, A. E., 1964. The significance of posture in communication systems. Psychiatry Vol.27, No. 2, pp. 200-205

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