Language allows people to communicate with great precision. The Language and Communication group studies how people use language in specific discourse contexts, to share information with others, and to persuade or otherwise affect them.
My Project
Master degree study in :
Language and communication research
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Language and communication
Preface
Learning how to make new discoveries that will contribute to a better understanding of how natural language is used and processed in real-life situations. Whenever we use language – whether it’s written, spoken or signed – we’re communicating. How does this work, and how and why does miscommunication occur? How does language fit together and how do we learn to understand each other?
This study provides a research devoted to the interdisciplinary study of language and communication. The investigation of language and its communication functions is treated as a concern shared in common by those working in applied linguistics, child development, cultural studies, discourse analysis, intellectual history, legal studies, language evolution, linguistic anthropology, linguistics, philosophy, the politics of language, pragmatics, psychology, rhetoric, semiotics, and socio-linguistics.
when it is used effectively, and why.
For instance, how do
particular text characteristics interact with a reader's cognitive
architecture such that information is conveyed in a coherent,
comprehensible way? How does language interact with people's emotional
and motivational architecture so that it effectively moves or persuades
them?
Program Importance:
The Language and Communication program explores the role of words, grammatical constructions and texts, and their influence on people’s ideas, social relations, actions and exchanges of information. This study enables you to deepen your knowledge of everything from how language interacts with culture and media to how language changes over time and how language enhances cognitive abilities.
A-Communication Research
What is communication?
Communication is a dynamic interactive process that involves the effective transmission of facts, ideas, thoughts, feelings, and valuea. Communication can also be understood as an exchange of meaning and understanding. Meaning is central to communication, and transmission of meaning is the central objective of communication. Communication begins with the sender sending out message cues, which are perceived by the receiver who assigns meaning to them and responds to them as per the need. The word has been derived from Latin words ‘communis’ and ‘communicare’. The meaning of the first word suggests to make common and ‘communicare’ means to share or sharing.
Intercultural Communication Skills
Intercultural communication skills are those required to communicate, or share information, with people from other cultures and social groups.
While language skills may be an important part of intercultural communication, they are by no means the only requirement.
Intercultural communication also requires
an understanding that different cultures have different customs,
standards, social mores, and even thought patterns. Good intercultural communication skills requires a willingness to accept differences these and adapt to them
1- Language. 2-Script: 3-Drawing / Painting/Sculpture.
4-Visual art. 5-Body. 6-Silence. 7-Dress/costume. 8-Surrounding / Environment.
Applications of communication
1-Interpersonal:
Communication helps us in maintaining proper inter-personal relationships. Interpersonal skills are a must in this competitive professional world. This deals with handling people and problems at various situations. This includes understanding, listening, empathizing, convincing, persuading, negotiating, motivating, driving etc.
2-Mass Communication:
We live in a society, we want to convey many important ideas, events, incidents, developments etc. to the world. Mass communication helps us in reaching the maximum at the push of one button. Newspaper, journal, magazines, Internet, Advertisement, T.V. Channels etc.
3-Organizational (intra / inter):
An organization whether profit based or not, cannot exist without communicating within and outside the organization. Organizations depend a lot on meetings, business presentation, discussions, deliberations, reports, interaction, client response etc.
4-Local / Regional/National/International:
To maintain coordination among various stages of governance and various agencies, communication is a must. Various international treaties, pacts, understandings are only possible through communication.
Process of communication:
Communication is an interactive process. The two communication agents involved in the communication process are the sender(s) and the receiver(r).
Communication consists of five steps:
1-Ideation:
Ideation refers to the formation of the idea and we tend select the message to be communicated. We also finalize the language for communication and the length and breadth of it.
2-Encoding:
It is the process of converting the idea into a particular language. Examples: (speaking, writing or non-verbal means) and the form of communication (face to face, telephonic,one-to-one, one-to-many, group communication)
3-Transmission:
It refers to the transfer of message from sender to the receiver through a proper channel.
4-Decoding:
It is the process of converting the message into thoughts by translating the received stimuli into an interpreted meaning in order to understand the message communicated.
5-Feedback:
The feedback is given by the receiver, but when the receiver is giving the feedback he/she becomes the sender and the sender becomes the receiver. That’s why it is also known as the reverse flow of communication.
Factors that influence Communication:
1-Sender & receiver.
2-Code.
3-Channel: a) Auditory channel. b) Visual channel.
4-Topic: The topic is the idea converted into a message. The topic should suit both the sender and receiver.
5-Message:In verbal communication It can be words/group of words or sentences/group of sentences.In non-verbal communication the message becomes signal sent by means of signs, symbols, gestures, postures etc.
6-Context: It is the setting in which the communication takes place. The context is dependent on factors like time of communication, place, sender/receiver, channel, code and topic etc.
7-Feedback.
8-Noise: Any interference in the message sent and the message received leads to the production of ‘noise’.
8-Barriers:
1-Physical barriers and emotional barriers. Physical barriers include medium, crowd, physical object, distance, noise etc.
2-Emotional barriers include intra personal behavior, inter personal behavior, categorical thinking, wrong assumptions etc.
9-Filters:
E.g. Social status, skill, orthodox thinking, content, culture, gender etc.
The importance of audience and purpose
Audience:
Before one begins the process of communication one must ask few questions to oneself. ‘Why am I communicating?’, ‘With whom I am going to communicate?’
Purpose:
Communication is instrumental or directly satisfies certain needs like physical, emotional, social, psychological etc...
1-To inform. 2-To entertain. 3-To regulate. 4-To instruct.
5-To influence. 6-To motivate. 7-To persuade. 8-To inquire.
Failure of communication:
1-Information gap principle:
E.g. difference in perception, preconceived notion (bias), unwanted topic, physical discomforts, disinterest in the subject, drab topic etc...
2-Information overload:
Here, we must understand that information is not knowledge. This is a world of ‘information technology.’ We tend to get many information with the click of a button through internet. But all the information received by the internet are not handy or useful.
Verbal and non-verbal communication (Body Language)
Verbal Communication:It can be either spoken (where we use sounds to represent a particular symbol) or written (we use script to represent symbols).
Qualities of Oral Communication:
1-Integrity. 2-Voice. 3-Tone. 4-Delivery. 5-Quality of the topic. 6-Enunciation and Pronunciation. 7-Accent or Diction.
Techniques to improve Oral Communication:
i) Maintain proper eye contact.
ii) Do not draw attention to your own drawbacks:
(never confess / apologize).
iii) Try to understand the audience (the audience may not have knowledge of the subject).
iv)Prepare the topic before you speak and define the purpose of speech.
v) Collect relevant materials to substantiate your talk.
vi) Organize your topic properly and outline the main points.
General rules to become a good speaker in English:
1- Make speaking a practice, except critics, voluntarily participate in discussions, read books and newspapers regularly, be an active listener.
2-Listen to radio programs in English and watch T.V shows in English.
3-Tape your speech and continuously rectify your mistake, practice continuously and speak with conviction.
Types of Oral Communication:
Formal and Informal:
1-Formal communication
It is otherwise known as official communication. In case of formal communication we use formal language. Formal communication is used for serious purposes. E.g. Debate, discussions, lectures, interview, seminars, speech, Group work, meetings, presentations, public speaking, press briefing etc.
2-Informal communication
It includes all the communication that we do either in a professional set up or in social set up without any serious purpose attached to it.
E.g. casual greetings or private conversations, chatting, gossiping etc.
Merits of Oral Communication:
i) Saves time
ii) Economical
iii) Powerful method of persuasion and control
iv) Professional Advantage (Marketing, presentation etc.)
v) Tone, pitch can convey the seriousness of the message.
vi) Immediate feedback is possible.
vii) Develops rapport and helps in making friends.
viii) Instrumental in public relations.
ix) Group communication is possible.
Drawbacks of Oral Communication:
i) Distance can be problem in communication.
ii) In case of lengthy message it becomes boring and difficult.
iii) Long retention of the message is difficult.
iv) No legal validity.
v) Feedback is sometimes biased and creates misunderstanding.
vi) Barriers and filters create a lot of problem in the process.
Written Communication:
i) Documentation: Applications, letters, circulars, memos, telegrams, forms, questionnaires, manuals, tenders etc.
ii) Books: Novels, stories, poems, articles, essays, puzzles, travelogues .
iii) Research: Samples, projects, inventory, bibliography, surveys, journals reports, thesis, dissertations, hypothesis etc.
iv) Meeting: Agenda, minutes, MOU, agreement, contract etc.
v) Print media: News, magazines, journals etc.
Steps to be followed in written communication:
i) Introduction with relevant background information and brief history.
ii) Development of case/subject.
iii) Conclusion.
iv) Recommendations (if any).
Advantages of Written Communication:
i) Accurate and precise: Any written communication is an outcome of careful study, reading and drafting, editing, re-drafting. To make it authentic collection of information and data is essential.
ii) It can be used repeatedly.
Number of times and number of readers is not binding.
iii) Permanent Record:
It can be stored for ages. Useful for future reference.
iv) Legal Document: Legal validity(legal document)
v) Useful in case of organizational matters.
vi) Wide accessibility: Internet, newspapers, books etc.)
vii) Assigning jobs and responsibilities is easy through written orders.
viii) More use of written communication increases one’s language ability.
ix) The best advantage is : it is easy to remember once you write it.
Drawbacks:
i) Time consuming: Drafting a document takes a lot of time.
ii) Not economical.
iii) No immediate feedback is possible in this type of communication.
iv) Language cannot represent the seriousness of the message. Explanation is needed to apply the emotion.
v) Absence of para language makes it difficult to comprehend the meaning unless one is used to it.
vi) In a country like India, oral communication is more effective than written. Illiteracy, negative attitude, stubbornness, unwillingness etc.
Nonverbal Communication:
Words or sentences are absent in this type of communication. Actions communicate in this type of communication.
Definition 1:
It refers to the transfer of meaning by body language, space, time and para language.
Definition 2:
It is the transmission of messages by some medium other than speech or writing.
Types of nonverbal communication:
i) Conscious:
Winking of an eye, traffic police gestures etc.
ii) Subliminal:
It affects our mind without our knowledge. Police uniform, Modelling, Military attire etc.
iii) Voluntary or involuntary messages:
Communicators are unaware of their body cues. Scratching the back of your head while telling a lie.
Categories: Signs, symbols, drawing/painting/sculpture, punctuations, morse code, semaphore, colour, graphs, paralanguage etc. are different categories of nonverbal communication.
Body Language:
Emblems:Regulators:Adopters: Oculesics: Haptic: Proxemics and Feet
Para language- is also an important part of nonverbal communication.
General communication and Business communication:
General Communication:
i) Deals with sharing.
ii) It takes place in a social setup.
iii) It is a process.
iv) This is emotionally related to the participants in the process.
v) It requires practice to hone the skills of communication.
vi) It is important for human existence.
Business Communication:
i) It is exchange of ideas.
ii) It takes place mostly in a business setup or organization.
iii) It is a product.
iv) This is related to action/activities.
v) This is the application of acquired skills.
vi) It helps in coordination and achievement of desired goals.
B- Language Research
1-The Sounds of English:
This phonology or phonetics study study includes the following:
1-Vowels, diphthongs, consonants, consonant clusters, and stress. 2-Sentence rhythm, and weak forms, contrastive stress (Sentence stress) and intonation: (Falling, rising and falling-rising tones).
3-The uses of the language tones.
4-Varieties of Spoken English: Standard Indian, American and British.
I have studied phonology and linguistics in detail in Egypt and UK universities. They are the same academic studies I have studied in my university.
2-Review of English Grammar:
We should understand the role of grammar in English communication.
1-I have learnt these linguistics as a whole in my 2 universities.
2-I have taught this course as a whole at my schools.
3-English Grammar.
Click the link below to study all about English language Grammar:
The English Language Grammar.
View other resources
4-Learner-centered Teaching.
5-Characteristics of a good teacher.
6-Story Jokes for real communication
7-Film Circles: Scaffolding Speaking For EFL Student
8-Writing for the Reader: A problem- solution approach.
9-Rediscovering Curiosity, Imagination, and Humor in Learning.
Prepared by : G. H. H.
