BEGAE 182 – English Communication Skills- BLOCK 01

BL0CK 01 Understanding Communication

A Short Introduction to BEGAE-182.

• Ability enhancement course for UG students.
• Emphasizes the development of four basic skills of communication.
  • Listening.
  • Speaking.
  • Reading’.
  • Writing.

Without these four skills, nobody can be an effective communicator in any language including English.

UNIT 01: THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION.

This unit discusses the following topics:

• What is communication?
• Process of communication.
• Sources of communication.
• Barriers of communication.
• Differences between GD and other speech events.

What is communication?

• Communication is a process of exchanging ideas, information, and emotions from one person to another or from one place to another place.
• The mode of communication can be verbal or non-verbal.
  • Verbal Communication- Communication by using words.
  • Non-verbal communication- Communication Without using words. Facial expressions, body language, tone, signs, symbols, etc. are also included in the communication.

The process of communication.

• Communication is a continuous process.
• Communication is a Step by step action between sender and receiver or speaker and listener.
• The following elements contributed to the process of communication such as:
  • Sender.
  • Message.
  • Encoding.
  • Channel.
  • Reciever.
  • Decoding.
  • Setting.

Elements of Communication

1. Sender or Speaker.
   • Sender is the one who generates or produces and conveys the message to the listener or receiver.
   • Sender is the one who converts messages into codes.
   • Sender has different names: encoder, writer, and speaker.

2. Message.

• message can be ideas, information, emotions, etc.
• It is generated or produced by the speaker.

3. Encoding

• Encoding is the process of converting ideas and information into different codes.
• words, pictures, signs, and symbols can be codes.

4. The Channel.

• A channel is a medium through which the message passes.
• A channel can be a letter, telephone, Email, etc

5. Receiver.

• The receiver is the one who decodes and receives the message and gives feedback for the message.
• The receiver has different names such as decoder and listener.

6. Decoding

• Decoding is the process of converting, words, pictures, or symbols into the form of information, ideas and emotions.
• The receiver is the one who decodes words, images, and symbols into the information, ideas, and emotion.
• This is the reverse process of encoding.

7. The Setting.

• A setting is a physical and social context or situation.
• Speaker creates and transfers information and ideas based on the context or setting.

Functions of  Communication.

There are seven basic functions of communication. Those are given below.

1. Emotive Function: To express inner states and emotions: Eg:- to express happiness, sadness, surprise, anger, etc.

Wow! You got a perfect score on your English exam.

2. The Directive Function: To direct others to do something. Commonly found in command and request.

E.g. Close the door, please. Don’t smoke in this area.

3. The Phatic Function: To serve social Function, doesn’t offer valuable information

Uses to start a conversation, greet someone, or say Goodbye rather than for informative function.

E.g. Hello, Hai, How are you?

4. Poetic Function: poetic function means Aesthetic function- it means beautifying literary works by using rhythm, rhyme scheme, alliteration, repetition, etc.

5. The Referential Function: It is used to give new information and To describe a situation, object, or mental situation.

E.g. This is our new project, this is an expensive car.

6. The Metalinguistic Function: To explain or clarify some concept of the language itself. To bring awareness about semantics, syntax, phonetics, etc.

Eg:- Grammar books and dictionaries perform the metalinguistic function.

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

There are many barriers or obstacles to communication. Let us discuss one by one

1. Code.

• Code means language.
• Language can be a barrier between the addresser (speaker) and the addressee (listener).
• The addressee may not know the language of the addresser.
• In such a situation, communication would not be successful.

2. The Language Differences

• Language variation also can be a barrier to communication.
• Variations or changes in pronunciation, intonation, accent, etc. also lead to confusion between sender and receiver.

3. Cultural Difference

• The meaning of words, signs, and symbols varies based on cultural differences.
• As a result, communication may not be successful when two people from different cultural backgrounds talk to each other.

4. Unfamiliar Concepts

• The unfamiliar concept also can be a barrier to effective communication.
• Technical terms and jargon words from a particular field may not understand by all people.

5. Lack of Background Information

• If we have sufficient background knowledge on any topic that helps us to understand very easily.
• At the same time, if we don’t have background knowledge, the topic may make any sense.

6. Affective factors

• Affective factors are also known as personal factors
• Anxiety, fear, attitude, lack of interest, and lack of motivation also can be communication barriers.

7. Physical environment

• Noise and other environmental disturbances and physical distance between addresser and addressee lead to poor communication.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

Communication can be categorized into three different groups.

I. Communication– based on the expression	II. Communication– based on the flow of information	III. Communication– based on the relationship
Written, spoken, and gestural	Internal and external	Formal and informal

I. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION- BASED ON EXPRESSION.

We express information, feelings, and thoughts in three forms- written, oral and gestural.

Written communication	Oral communication	Gestural Communication
Written form Letters, circulars, reports, house journals, and magazines	Spoken form Telephone conversations, lectures, meetings	Communication by body language. E.g. Eye contact, head nodding, facial expression.

II. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION- BASED ON THE FLOW OF INFORMATION

• Based on the flow of information communication has been divided into two types internal and external communication.
  • In the case of internal communication, communication takes place within the organization, institution, or company.
  • In the case of external communication, information passes to the outside company, agency, or institution.
  • For example:- A business firm or company communicates with an advertising agency.

III. Communication– based on the relationship

Based on the relationships communication can be divided into two types- formal communication and informal communication.

FORMAL COMMUNICATION	INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
•It exchanges only official information	•It exchanges unofficial messages/or information
•It takes place through formal/ official routes and channels.	•It takes place unofficially between two or more people.
•It is more reliable.	•Less reliable, it may carry incomplete and incorrect information
•It is based on rigid rules and regulations.	•No such rules and regulations, passing information are important.
•It is a planned one and consumes more time.	•It is a spontaneous one, therefore it doesn’t consume more time.
•This communication takes place in the form of orders, decisions, instructions, etc	•It is an expression of reactions and ideas and is usually done orally.

WRITTEN Vs ORAL COMMUNICATION.

Verbal communication is divided into two types- written communication and oral communication. Verbal communication means communication by using words.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.	ORAL COMMUNICATION.
Make use of symbols.	Make use of sounds
Slow process.	Speedy process.
Legally valid.	Legally not valid.
Immediate feedback is not possible.	Immediate feedback is possible.
No fear of interruption by the audience.	The possibility of interruption by the listener.
Well organized.	It is not well organized because it is the spontaneous one.

Conversation

• It is an interactive communication between two or more people that is called conversation.
• All participants can contribute alike. No specified time, place, and agenda.
• That can be from any place or time.

Characteristics and conventions of conversation.

1. Be polite and cooperative.

• The conversation is the act of exchanging information between two.
• Therefore it is very important to corporate and respect each other for a successful conversation.

2. Adjacency pair.

Adjacency pair is a unit of conversation produced by two speakers. In a conversation, there will be different units like greeting, question-answer, complementing, etc.

             A:  Hi

                           Adjacency pair

             B:  Hi

3. Closing and openings.

• This is not a good practice to open and close a conversation abruptly or immidiatly.
• Usually, we open or start a conversation with a greeting, request, question-answer, statement, or response.
• Instead of an abrupt ending, you can end the conversation with future plan or by making a positive impact on their exchange.

4. Topic development.

• Topic development is another aspect of a conversation.
• There will be strategies for selecting, introducing, developing the topic, and changing the topic.
• The meaningful and coherent conversation always follows and respects certain norms and rules.

5. Turn-taking.

• A conversation is an act involving two or more people.
• Each participant has to take their opportunity or turn to talk.
• Turn-taking means each participant has to talk when his turn comes
• This is governed by turn-taking norms which would say who talks, when, how long, etc.

. 6. Repair.

• Repair is a process by which the speaker realizes the error and repeats what has been said with some corrections.
• The repair may be initiated by either speaker or listener.
• This is one of the important conventions of meaningful communication.

 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONVERSATION AND OTHER SPEECH EVENT

Conversation is an interaction between two and both participants have to contribute alike. At the same time, other speech events are different from conversations. Because both participants cannot contribute alike.

CONVERSATION	OTHER SPEECH EVENTS LIKE LECTURE
It has no specific setting, no specified agenda, and no pre-decided time.	Has specified time and setting. That can be classroom, hall, company, etc.
Reciprocal.	•Non-reciprocal.
Adjacency pairs.	No adjacency pairs.
Turn-taking.	No turn-taking.
Immediate verbal feedback.	No immediate feedback.
Interactive.	Can be interactive but controlled by the lecturer