Introduction to Language

Language is the most important phenomenon in the world. From birth to death, all our activities are
regulated by language. The human knowledge and culture is stored and transmitted in language.
Thinking is only possible through language. In our dreams, we make use of language. Language
dominates every aspect of human life. In fact, it is a yardstick to separate us from other beings.
Language is a means of communication. With the help of language, we can express our thoughts and
feelings to others. Without language, society would be impossible.

It is the chief source of communication of ideas. Ideas can be communicated by other means, such
as, dance, music, physical gesture and symbol. It is a very common and an easy source of
communication. It is the basis of human civilization. It does not come into being overnight; it evolves
over a period of time.

DEFINITIONS OF LANGUAGE:

1. Oxford English Dictionary defines language as “Words and the methods of combining them
for the expression of thoughts”

2. According to Allen, “Language is a means of communicating thoughts.”

3. According to Bolinger, “Language is species specific.”

4. According to H.A. Gleason, “Language is one of the most important and characteristic
forms of human behavior.”

5. According to Ben Jonson, “Language most shows a man, speak that I may see thee.”

6. Leonard Bloomfield says, “Each community is formed by the activity of language.”

NATURE OF LANGUAGE / The characteristics of language

1. Language is learnt: Learning of language is not an automatic process. It is a behaviour but

not like walking and crawling that comes to child in natural way. Language comes by imitation and
practice. Language is not possible without effort.

2. Language is related to the culture of society: Every language is related to culture of society
to which it belongs. The culture of the people naturally influences the language. Every language is the
product of society. We cannot separate language from the culture in which that language exists. It
has meaning only in relation to that society and culture.
Culture affects language, giving rise to words, influencing their use, and providing
context. Language, in turn, supports culture, promoting social bonds and allowing for shared
information. In this lesson, we explore the relationship between language and culture.

3. Language is species specific: Language is species specific. Only human beings have got the
gift of language. Of course, the other species do communicate but only human beings can make use
of language.

4. Language is species uniformed: Language is species uniformed. All human children are
capable of acquiring any language natively if they are provided the right kind of environment.

5. Language is a system: Each language is a unique system. The system of language consists of
sounds, structures and vocabulary. A person who wants to learn a new language will have to learn
new sounds, new structures and new vocabulary. The sound system of language differs from
language to language depending upon the culture to which a language belongs. Each language has
its own system of vocabulary. Thus each language is systematic.

6. Language is a system of systems: Each language is a system of systems. There are

phonological and syntactical systems in all languages. There are several sub systems with in a
language. The phonology of a language forms its own system as the various sounds function in a
systematic way.

The sounds of a language appear in some fixed combinations. Example, no word starts with „bz‟ „lr‟ or
„zl‟ combination.

English words have an initial consonant cluster of three consonants. Example: spring - /spriŋ/, string-
/striŋ/

English has a final tetra phonemic consonant cluster in English. Example: texts - /teksts/

Words do not begin with a /ŋ/ sound or end in a /h/ sound.

Syntactical: Words combine to form sentences according to certain conventions of the language.

„Ravi is playing with a ball.‟ Is acceptable.

„With ball playing is Ravi.‟ Is not acceptable

7. Language is a system of symbols: Each language works through symbols. Different words
used in a language are the symbols. They stand for certain things. The language will function well if
its symbols are known both to the speaker and the person for whom they are being used.
For example the world cup has three sounds (k/^/ p) It is a symbol because a meaning is attached to
it. The same three sounds can be read as (p/^/k) Puc, but this not a symbol of English language as no
meaning is attached to it.

8. Symbols of language are vocal: Different symbols are used in a language. These symbols are
primarily vocal. Only speech provides all essential signals of a language. There are other kinds of
symbols which cannot be called vocal symbols. For example, gestures and signal flags are visual
symbols and ringing of the bells and beating of a drum are auditory symbols. They do not form any
language. In language the sounds are produced through vocal organs. Reading and writing are no
doubt important. But speech is the basic form of language. A language without speech is unthinkable.

9. Language is a skill subject: Learning of a language is a skill subject. It is skill like swimming
and cycling. We cannot learn swimming or cycling just by studying rules. We can learn it by practice.
In the same way, we can learn a language y constant practice of that language. So a lot of repetition
for major linguistic skills like listening, speaking, reading and writing is required.

10. Language is for communication: Language is the best means of communication and self-
expressions. Human beings express their ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions through language.
In this way language is a means to connect past present and future.

11. Governed by a particular set of rules: Each language is governed by a particular set or rules.
For example English is S.V.O. language. In forming sentence, we put subject, then verb and after
verb we put object.

For example

He killed a snake.

Subject Verb Object

On the other hand, Hindi is S.O.V. language. First we put subject, he object and after object, we put
verb.

Isne saaMp maara

Subject Object Verb

12. Symbols of language are Arbitrary: Here by arbitrary symbols we mean that there is no visual
relationship between the language item and the object for which it stands. A female adult human
being is called „woman‟ in English, „stree‟ in Hindi, „aurat‟ in „Urudu‟, „zen‟ in Persian, „Femine‟ in
French, „Tinvi‟ in Punjabi. None of them is better than the other. In fact, selection of these words in
the language mentioned here is purely arbitrary.
13. Language is unique: Each language is unique because it has its own style of functioning. The
sounds, vocabulary and structures of every language have their own specialty.

14. Interchangeability: An important characteristic of human language is that is permits speaker to

become a listener and vice versa without impairing the function of language

Introduction to Communication

Communication is as old as human civilization. Man used to communicate with his fellow beings by
means of sounds, signals, gestures when there was no language developed. If there was no
communication, human society could not have been as it is today. It is communication which has
transformed mankind into the most developed rational and prosperous group on the earth.

What is Communication?

Communication is the activity of conveying information. The word communication has been derived
from the Latin word „communis‟, meaning to share. It basically involves a sender, a message and a
receiver.
Communication is giving, receiving or exchanging ideas, data, information, signals or messages
through appropriate media, enabling individuals or groups to persuade, to seek information, to give
information or to express emotions.

Communication is usually a two-way process. It is not just giving information or signaling someone; it
also involves the comprehension of the information or the
signal by the receiver. When the act of giving information
or sending message reaches the recipient and gets
comprehended by him/her and the receiver sends
feedback as desired by the sender, the process of
communication is said to be complete. Communication,
therefore, involves more than one person.

Communication is a continuous and dynamic process

involving more than one person. It is a cyclic process
denoting continuous flow of information. It essentially
involves sender, message and recipient. The sender
conceives ideas and encodes them into suitable medium (facts, figures, pictures), sends them
through appropriate channel (email, phone, speech) to the recipient. The recipient decodes the
message, understands it and encodes feedback and sends it to the sender. The process continues.

The Process of Communication / The communication Cycle/ The componenets of

Communication

The word „process‟ indicates that it is an activity that is connected with a serries of steps which are
deliberately undertaken to reach a specific goal. A communicationn comprises of:
 1.Sender:
Communication starts with the sender,
who is the initiator of the message. After
generating an idea, the sender encodes it
in a way that can be comprehended by the
receiver. Encoding refers to the process by
which the sender translates his thoughts
into a series of verbal and non-verbal
actions that he feels will communicate the
message to the intended receiver. The
sender can be an any individual –
watchman, attender, manager, CEO etc.

2. Transmission:
The information that the sender wants to communicate is transmitted over a channel through which
the message travels to the receiver. A channel connects the sender to the receiver. Channels for
communication may include a memorandum, a computer, a telephone, a telegram, or a television.

The choice of a channel depends on the communication situation. For instance, when dealing with
confidential information, direct face-to-face interaction or a sealed letter are more effective channels
than a telephone conversation.

3. Noise:
Noise is anything that has a disturbing influence on the message. Since noise hinders
communication, the sender should choose a channel that is free from noise. Noise may occur at the
sender‟s end, during transmission, or at the receiver‟s end.

Examples of noise include:

i. Ambiguous symbols that lead to faulty encoding

ii. A poor telephone connection

iii. An inattentive receiver

iv. Faulty decoding (attaching the wrong meaning to the message)

v. Gestures and postures that may distort the message

4. Receiver:
The receiver is the person to whom the message is transmitted. In order to decode the message, the
receiver has to be ready to receive the message. That is the receiver should not be preoccupied with
other thoughts that might cause him to pay insufficient attention to the message. Decoding refers to
the process of translation of symbols encoded by the sender into ideas that can be understood.

Communication can be considered effective only when both the sender and the receiver attach
similar meanings to the symbols that compose the message. For example, a message in technical
jargon requires a recipient who understands such terms. Communication is not complete unless it is
understood by both the sender and the receiver.

5. Feedback:

A message generated by the receiver in response to the sender‟s original message is known as
feedback. Feedback is necessary to ensure that the message has been effectively encoded,
transmitted, decoded and understood.

It helps a sender evaluate the effectiveness of his message, so that he can modify his subsequent
messages. Feedback also confirms whether there has been any change in the behavior of the
individual or in the organization as a result of communication.

The communication model discussed above provides the basic framework of the communication
process, identifies the key elements (sender, transmission, receiver, noise and feedback), and shows
their relationships.

Barriers to Effective Communication

The process of communication has multiple barriers. The intended communique will often be disturbed
and distorted leading to a condition of misunderstanding and failure of communication.

Any parameter that limits the purpose or channel of communication between the transmitter and the
receiver is a barrier to communication. A communication barrier may limit or reduce the ease at which we
communicate and hence the name barrier. Although the barriers to effective communication may be
different for different situations, the following are some of the main barriers:

The Barriers to effective communication could be of many types like linguistic, psychological, emotional,
physical, and cultural etc.
Linguistic Barriers
The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit
effective communication. Language is the most
commonly employed tool of communication. The fact that
each major region has its own language is one of
the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even
a thick dialect may render the communication ineffective.

As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions

changes within a few kilometers. Even in the same workplace, different employees will have different
linguistic skills. As a result, the communication channels that span across the organization would be
affected by this

Psychological Barriers
There are various mental and psychological
issues that may be barriers to effective
communication. Some people have stage fear,
speech disorders, phobia, depression etc. All of
these conditions are very difficult to manage
sometimes and will most certainly limit the ease
of communication.

Emotional Barriers
The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and
comfort with which they can communicate. A person who is
emotionally mature will be able to communicate effectively.
On the other hand, people who let their emotions take over
will face certain difficulties.

A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for

effective communication. Emotions like anger, frustration,
humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a person and thus limit the effectiveness of their
communication.
 Physical Barriers to Communication

They are the most obvious barriers to effective communication.

These barriers are mostly easily removable in principle at least.
They include barriers like noise, closed doors, faulty equipment
used for communication, closed cabins, etc. Sometimes, in a large
office, the physical separation between various employees
combined with faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to
effective communication.

Physiological Barriers
Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also
prevent effective communication between the various channels
of an organization. The shrillness of voice, dyslexia, etc. are
some examples of physiological barriers to effective
communication. However, these are not crucial because they
can easily be compensated and removed.

Cultural Barriers of Communication

As the world is getting more and more

globalized, any large office may have people
from several parts of the world. Different cultures
have a different meaning for several basic values
of society. Dressing, Religions or lack of them,
food, drinks, pets, and the general behaviour will
change drastically from one culture to another.

Hence it is a must that we must take these

different cultures into account while
communication. This is what we call being
culturally appropriate. In many multinational
companies, special courses are offered at the
orientation stages that let people know about
other cultures and how to be courteous and tolerant of others.
Organisational Structure Barriers

As we saw there are many methods of

communication at an organizational level. Each of
these methods has its own problems and
constraints that may become barriers to effective
communication. Most of these barriers arise
because of misinformation or lack of appropriate
transparency available to the employees.

Attitude Barriers
Certain people like to be left alone. They are
the introverts or just people who are not very social. Others
like to be social or sometimes extra clingy! Both these
cases could become a barrier to communication. Some
people have attitude issues, like huge ego and
inconsiderate behaviours.

These employees can cause severe strains in the

communication channels that they are present in. Certain
personality traits like shyness, anger, social anxiety may
be removable through courses and proper training.
However, problems like egocentric behaviour and
selfishness may not be correctable.

Perception Barriers
Different people perceive the same things differently.
This is a fact which we must consider during
the communication process. Knowledge of the
perception levels of the audience is crucial to
effective communication. All the messages or
communique must be easy and clear. There
shouldn‟t be any room for a diversified
interpretational set.
 Technological Barriers & Socio-religious Barriers
Other barriers include the technological barriers. The
technology is developing fast and as a result, it becomes
difficult to keep up with the newest developments. Hence
sometimes the technological advance may become a
barrier. In addition to this, the cost of technology is
sometimes very high.

Most of the organizations will not be able to afford a

decent tech for the purpose of communication. Hence,
this becomes a very crucial barrier. Other barriers are
socio-religious barriers. In a patriarchal society, a woman or a transgender may face many difficulties
and barriers while communicating.

How to overcome barriers of communication

1. Use of Plain Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of
ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided.
2. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise
is the main communication barrier which must be
overcome on priority basis. It is essential to identify the
source of noise and then eliminate that source.
3. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully.
There is a difference between “listening” and “hearing”.
Active listening means hearing with proper
understanding of the message that is heard. By asking
questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her
message is understood or not by the receiver in the
same terms as intended by the speaker.
4. Emotional State: During communication one should not show their emotions as the receiver
might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is
in a bad mood the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good.
5. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The
number of hierarchical levels should be optimum (favourable). There should be an ideal extent of
control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the
communication.
6. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They
should not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their
subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively.
7. Give Constructive (Productive) Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of
the feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered constructively. Constructive feedback
will lead to effective communication between the superior and subordinate.
8. Ensure Proper Feedback: The purpose of feedback is to find out whether the receiver has
properly understood the meaning of the information received. In face-to- face communication, the
reaction on the face of the receiver can be understood. But in case of written communication or
some other sort of communications some proper method of feedback should be adopted by the
sender.
9. Proper Media Selection: In an organization, the manager should properly select the medium
of communication. Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or
meetings. Use of written means of communication should be encouraged for delivering complex
messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of
communication such as : Memos, Notices etc.
10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the
managers should ensure that the individuals are meeting their targets timely without skipping the
formal channels of communication. There should not be much pressure on employees to meet
their targets.
11. Have Clarity In Your Thoughts: You should be very clear about your objective and what you
want to convey. Arrange your thoughts in a proper order and then communicate accordingly.
Systematic communication and clarity in thought get adequately received and appreciated.
Aimless talks can be misleading so you should always try to show that there is an aim or
motive behind your talk.
12. Understand the needs of your audience: You should be emotional and sensitive towards the
needs of your receiver. Understand his behavior, nature, culture, and religion, however, it does
not mean you cannot express your feelings or thought, but it simply means that you are
showing respect to his religious beliefs or thoughts and then stating your point of view. Most
importantly the message should also be structured as per his level or ability. If you are
conveying the message to a layman then avoid using technical words and if you are
addressing corporate elite, the language should have professional sophistication and maturity.
13. Seek the Advice of others before Communicating: If you are going for a high prolific
meeting, seek the advice from your seniors and colleagues on the level and kind of talk that
should be given. The main advantage of this practice is simple, you can get many ideas which
can build your motivation and knowledge and you can then use the same to meet your
purpose.
14. Take adequate care of your Tone, Language and way you are speaking: Messages should
be framed in a simple and polite tone which attracts the listeners. Care should be taken to
keep the sentences short and simple. Technical words should be used only where they are
required the most. The most important of all the interest of the receiver should be kept in mind
and the things that conveyed should attract the users else you might find your audience or
listening yawning while you are speaking.
15. Have a Feedback from the receiver: Avoid asking listener, “Have you understood,” ask them
instead their views about what you have said and the aspects they had grasped from your
message. This is a most polite and best way to have your listener involve in a conversation.
This would help you to have a better understanding of their aptitude and the interest he or she
is showing towards the subject.
16. Retain Consistency about the Message: The message conveyed should conjure with the
organizational goals and policies. Whenever you are replacing any old message instead of the
new one, you should clearly mention about it and clear all the doubts.
17. Keep a Routine check on the communication system: You should analyze the weaknesses
in the communication system. All the efforts should be made to know whether you should
focus on the formal or informal way to communicate. The situation needs to be analyzed to
decide on the appropriate way of communication and whether audience loves to talk informally
or in a formal way.
18. Make use of the body language: During the process of communication make sure you make
the most appropriate use of your body language, Avoid showing too much of emotions as the
receiver might misapprehend the message. Try to always keep a smiling face while talking and
make eye to eye contact with the listener but make sure not to keep your eyes gazed at the
person for more than five seconds and avoid too much of fluttering of eyes which indicate you
are not confident. Sit in an upright position and feel relaxed.
Tips for Effective Communication

1.Accuracy: Means correct in all details and reaching the intended target. The most important factor
in communication is whether the information given in a communication process is accurate.
Inaccurate information is given due to two reasons:

a) Lack of information on the part of the sender

b) Deliberate misinformation

Deliberate misinformation is malicious and there is little we can do if someone hides the truth. We
must take care not to engage in such misinformation. It not only harm someone else but if caught
our selfrespect will be compromised and people will not take us seriously.

Lack of information is a common problem. If the subject or topic is not known well, we should not
speak or write. We may use a lot of words to hide our ignorance, but the readers or the listeners
will be confused and the communication will be fruitless. Question yourself constantly to check if
we now what we are writing about.

2.Brevity: Means economy in word usage, pruning away useless words. We should avoid repetition
and redundancy . Use fewer words with more impact and purpose. But it shouldn‟t be so brief that
the important content is removed.

Look at the following sentences:

Example: Maria lives in a city called Bangalore, in a place called Indira Nagar.

Maria lives in Indira Nagar in Banagalore.

3. Clarity: Means the ability to state our thoughts without any ambiguity. It is unnecessary to use a
polysyllabic word where a monosyllabic word will do. Needless use of long words or abstract words
results in doubt or obscurity.

4.Simplicity: Simple things are easy to understand, accept and argue. Make things easy to
understand by careful simplification. If things are complex, take time to find ways of communicating
the ideas in ways that the other person will.

Technical words, complex structures may make something seem important but it also makes it more
difficult to understand. A shorter sentence requires the person to spend less time remembering what
was said and decoding the structure.

5. Appropriateness: The language that you use should be appropriate to the environment or occasion.
It is the extent to which an utterance is perceived as suitable for a particular purpose and a
particular audience in a particular social context.

Similarly the channels used should be proper for the occasion.