Communicative English

I Semester B.Com/BBA/BCA
Part B: Comprehension level (5 Marks)

1. Illustrate with diagram the process of communication.

Communication is the process of transmitting information from one person to
another. It is the act of sharing of ideas, facts, opinions, thoughts, messages or
emotions to other people, in and out the organization, with the use of the channel to
create mutual understanding and confidence.

• Sender: The sender encodes the message and sends it through a channel.

• Encode : Sender formulates the idea using language symbols and decides whom and how to
transmit the message

• Message: The idea, fact or opinion that the sender wants to communicate.

• The channel : The medium of transmit the message using verbal/non-verbal or visual form

• Decode: Receiver analysis, translates and interprets the message

• The receiver : Target audience of the message who decodes it, and acts on it.

• Noise : distrations, disturbance cause hindrance in the flow of message

• Response: reply

• Feedback: The transmission of the receiver’s response to the sender is called feedback. The
feedback is essential as it is a barometer of effective communication.
 2. Distinguish between general and technical communication with examples.

General communication Technical communication

Contains a general message Contains a technical message

Informal in style and approach Mostly formal

No set pattern of communication Follows a set pattern

Mostly oral Both oral and written

Not always for a specific audience Always for a specific audience

Doesn’t involve the use of technical Frequently involves jargon, graphics, etc.
vocabulary or graphics, etc.

3. Discuss the characteristics of Language.

Language is artificial: Language is created by people. It doesn’t exist in isolation or outside the minds
of people. It is created by human as they need it. Every symbol is attached to a particular thought or
thing. There is no organic connection between a symbol and its meaning. Humans attach meanings
to words as they need to and modify these meanings according to changing needs. This is why we
say language is artificial.

Language is restricted: When we think and translate our thoughts into language, some meaning is
lost in the process. No symbol or word can transmit the exact reality. That is one reason you
sometimes find yourself saying that you can not find words to express your feelings. This is because
language is restricted. In other words, it has limitations. To overcome this limiting quality of
language, people enliven their words with non-verbal cues to explain things better.

Language is abstract: We say language is abstract because it represents generalized ideas of things
or thoughts. The idea which the word represents is different every time. For example, ‘dress’ can
represent from frock to a sari. Even if you are more specific and use the word ‘business suit’, you are
still employing an abstraction, as a business suit can come in a variety of size and colours. To be
abstract is to generalize, and to generalize is to leave out many details.

Language is arbitrary: There is no direct relationship between a word and the idea or object it
represents. People speaking a particular language accept the fact that certain symbols or sounds will
represent a particular thing. For example, a ‘table’ could have been called by any other name, but
these people speaking English accepted that a piece of furniture with four legged and a wooden
plank used for keeping things will be called ‘table’.

Language is creative: Language is indeed very creative and you can marvel at its ability to generate
so many words every day. Every year innumerable words are added to the dictionary. These words
can be added by different processes: Ex: netiquette = net + etiquette; edutainment =education +
entertainment, etc. Word formations such as verb forms, noun forms, adjective and adverb forms
from any one of its forms.

Language is repetitive: Whatever language you use, it has the capacity for redundancy or repetition.
This may either improve or impede effective communication. Look closely for example at this simple
sentence: A couple of girls are riding their bicycles . How many signals in it indicate the presence of
more than one person? The first two are the plural nouns: girls and bicycles . The third is the
agreement of the verbs are riding. The fourth and fifth are couple and their. We can accept that in
this example, repetition of information makes the meaning clear .

On the other hand, excessive and unnecessary repetition, or redundancy, may lead to verbosity or
wordiness without contributing to the meaning. For example, when you say ‘All of you meet
together to see me in the afternoon at 3 pm’, you are using an excessive number of words to no
purpose. Even if you leave out ‘All of you’ and ‘afternoon’, no confusion would arise. When
redundancy is a problem, dispense with the words that are unnecessary.

Language is recursive: Recursiveness(recurrence or repetition) is the characteristic of language

which enables you to generate any number of sentences using the same basic grammatical
templates. It also allows you to express any idea, thought, or feelings using the same finite
vocabulary. For example, consider the following statement: This man who is wearing a
crumpled suit, which he borrowed from me to wear to his interview, which was on Wednesday,
which was the day it was raining………

If you use your imagination, you can see that this sentence can continue to any length if you keep on
adding qualifying clauses for every noun. This is because the recursive quality of language here
enables you to keep repeating the relative clause pattern.

So, we can conclude that these basic characteristics of language make it an effective means
of communication.

4. Explain language as a tool of communication.

It is a well-established fact that effective communication is made possible with the help of
language. Basic knowledge of the language will certainly help you to understand the intricacies
of writing and speaking clearly. So, we know some of the basic features of language:

1. Word is the first thing for a language

2. Languages employs a combination of words to communicate ideas in a meaningful way.

3. By changing the word order in a sentence, you can change its meaning, and even make it
meaningless.

► Language is directly dependent on people and cannot exist in isolation.

► It arouse out of the human need to communicate.

► Primitive man communicated only with sign language and cries.

► Much later, as human beings became more interdependent and complex, language came
into being.
 ► Of course, though it is accepted that language is universal, it cannot be denied that it is also
specific to the individual.

► When you use it, you reflect your personality and your thoughts

5. Define Proxemics. Discuss with examples the four zones of proxemics

Proxemics is the study of physical space in interpersonal relations. Space is related to
behavioural norms. The way people use space tells you a lot about them. Space is divided
into four distinct zones:

► Intimate – This zone starts with personal touch and extends just to 18 inches (one and a half
feet). Members of the family, lovers, spouses, relatives and parents fall under the zone.
► Personal – This zone stretches from 18 inches (one and a half feet) to 4 feet. Your close
friends, colleagues, peers, etc. fall in this tier.
► Social – Social events take place in this radius of 4 feet to 12 feet. In this layer relationships
are more official. You tend to become more formal. People are more cautious in their
movements. You should be smart enough to conduct it with less emotion and more
planning.
► Public – This zone starts from 12 feet and may extend to 30 feet or to the range of eyesight
and hearing. This takes place in public events where the detachment is very high. The
public speaker use microphone to address the audience.

6. Reducing ‘noise’ or distractions can significantly increase your chances of

successfully communicating your point. It ensures your message does not get
misinterpreted or ignored, and the receiver takes it seriously instead. To
effectively eliminate noise, senders should consider the receiver’s personal beliefs
and their physical environment. List the four types of noise you need to eliminate
for smooth communication.
1. Psychological noise

This type of noise interferes with communication between the sender and receiver because of
personal barriers. Managing psychological noise is a sign of respect. It helps build trust and
encourages people to speak up Some examples of psychological noise are:

Preconceived beliefs
Biases and prejudice
Stereotypes
Sarcasm

2. Physical noise

Physical noise describes external distractions in your workplace. Noise from colleagues speaking
loudly or listening to music exemplifies how our surroundings can hamper us from understanding or
decoding a message.

3. Environmental noise

Environmental noise makes it difficult to hear or concentrate on a message, for example, noise from
a construction site or passing traffic. Noise can affect our emotions and, therefore, the way we
perceive a message. That is why it is important to keep distractions to a minimum.
4. Semantic noise

Semantic noise is interference on the sender's end. This could be because of technical issues or poor
communication skills. To communicate a message clearly, it is important to avoid jargon, abstract
ideas and ambiguous language when writing. Similarly, speaking clearly in a relaxed and confident
tone can communicate your point more effectively.

When choosing a technological channel of communication, it is best to check the file size of your
attachment and the audio quality of your video before sending it to the receiver.

7) Chronemics is the study of how human beings communicate through their use of time.

► Chronemics is the study of how human beings communicate through their use of time. In
order to use time as an effective communication tool, you should understand the impact it
has and then act accordingly.

► In the professional world, time is a valuable commodity. When you are late for an
appointment, people react negatively. If you arrive early, you are considered either over-
eager or aggressive. So always be on time. Through time, you communicate both subtly and
explicitly.

Section C (10 Marks)

1. Paralinguistic is nonverbal vocal cues that conveys the meaning based on the nuances of
voice. Discuss what meaning is interpreted from each nuance of voice.

Paralinguistic is nonverbal vocal cues that conveys the meaning based on the nuances of voice,
namely : quality, volume, rate, pitch, articulation, pronunciation, and pauses

1) Quality: Each one of us has a unique voice and its quality depends upon its resonating
mechanism. While the quality of one’s voice cannot be changed, it can be trained for
optimum impact. It may be : rich and resonant, soft and alluring, thin and nasal, hoarse and
husky, or harsh and irritating. Very few people are naturally blessed with deep and resonant
quality; everybody can improve upon the quality of the voice and develop it to its fullest
potential.
2) Volume: Volume is the loudness or the softness of the voice. If the place you are speaking in
is large and open, the volume should be high, and if the place is small and enclosed, the
volume should be low. If your volume is too high you may sound boorish and insensitive,
whereas if it is too low you may convey an impression of timidity, which has no place in the
business world. It also gives the impression that you are not well prepared and lack the
confidence to express yourself. Reading children’s stories, giving each character a unique
way of speaking, to develop vocal variety. Reciting tongue twisters such as she sells sea
shells on the seashore also improves diction.
3) Pace/Rate: Rate is the number of words which you speak per minute. It varies from person
and from 80 to 250 words per minute. The normal rate is from 120 to 150 words. Cultivate
your pace so as to fit in this reasonable limit. If a person speaks too slowly and
monotonously, he is most likely to be considered a dull speaker even though the contents of
his speech may be highly interesting. Similarly, a fast speaker also causes discomfort because
the listeners do not get time to grasp the thoughts and switch from one thought to another.
 Under these circumstances, listeners may just stop listening to you and their attention may
go astray. So, vary your speaking pace, use pauses to create emphasis; A well-paced
message suggests enthusiasm, self-assurance and awareness of audience.
4) Pitch: Pitch refers to the number of vibrations per second of your voice. The rise and fall of
the voice conveys various emotions. Inflections give warmth, lustre, vitality, and exuberance
to your speech. Lowness of pitch can indicate sadness, shock, dullness, guilt. Etc. If you are
excited, joyous, ecstatic, triumphant, and even angry, then your pitch automatically
becomes high. A well-balanced pitch results in a clear and effective tone. It helps you avoid
being monotonous. Intonation refers to the rising and falling pitch of the voice when
somebody says a word or syllable. By learning and adopting an appropriate intonation
pattern, you will be able to express your intention very clearly.
5) Articulation: Speakers should be careful not to slop, slur, chop, truncate, or omit sounds
between words or sentences. If all the sounds are not uttered properly, the flow of
understanding gets interrupted and deters the listener from grasping the meaning of the
message resulting in negative impression listener would have. Develop in yourself the ability
to speak distinctly; produce the sounds in a crisp and lucid manner without causing any
obfuscation.
6) Pronunciation : If articulation means speaking out all the sounds distinctly, then
pronunciation requires us to speak out sounds in way that is generally accepted. The best
way is to follow British Received Pronunciation (RP). One should be careful enough to
pronounce individual sounds along with word stress according to the set norms. Wherever
there is confusion, always consult a good dictionary and try to pronounce it accordingly.
Word common error correct pronunciation
Arctic ar-tic arc-tic
Gesture ges-ture jes-ture
Gigantic jai-jan-tik jai-gan-tik
7) Voice Modulation : While intonation refer to the tonal variations, modulation pertains to
the way we regulate, vary, or adjust the tone, pitch and volume of the sound or speaking
voice. Modulation of voice brings flexibility and vitality to your voice, and you can express
emotions, sentiments like impatience, careful planning, despondency, suspicion etc. in the
best possible way. If you do not pay special attention to the modulation of your voice, then
your voice becomes flat and you emerge as a languid speaker with no command over your
voice. If you are a novice in professional presentations, it is better to initially underline the
words that you may like to stress during your presentation. This will help you to avoid
sounding dull and monotonous.
8) Pauses :
A pause is a short silence flanked by words. A pause in speaking lets the listener reflect on
the message and digest it accordingly. It helps you glide from one thought to another one.
It embellishes your speech because it is a natural process to give a break. Be spontaneous.
A pause helps not only the listener but the speaker as well. Do not prolong the pauses
upauses make the speech sound evasive and untruthful, they dilute the conviction of your
point. If you keep inserting repetitive phrases such as ‘I mean’, ‘well’, ‘like’, ‘ok’, ‘got it’
‘actually’ etc. Then these phrases sweep away the good impression you have created. Use
pauses thoughtfully, and time them well as they exhibit assurance, confidence, and self-
control. Use pauses at the end of certain thought units to let the audience fully absorb the
information.
 2. Although no word is used in non-verbal communication, it can effectively communicate
many human feelings more accurately than verbal methods of communication. Explain
with examples the common types of nonverbal communication.

ANS: Eye contact, Facial expressions, Gestures, Posture and body orientation, Body Language,
Space and Distance, Proximity, Para-linguistic, Humor, Touch, Silence, Personal Appearance,
Symbol, Visual Communication.

1. Gesture is the movement made by hands, arms, shoulders, head, and torso. Gesture can
use hand movements to emphasize our words, signal defensiveness and openness, and
convey our feelings without words. Examples include upturned palms (openness), expansive
hand gestures (self-assurance), and shrugging (indifference). If you fail to gesture while
speaking, you may be perceived as boring, stiff and un-animated. A lively and animated
teaching style captures students’ attention, makes the material more interesting, facilitates
learning and provides a bit of entertainment. Head nods, a form of gestures, communicate
positive reinforcement to students and indicate that you are listening.
2. Posture generally refers to the way we hold ourselves when we stand, sit or walk. When
you are with friends and family members in informal situation you are probably
spontaneous being unaware of posture and physical movements. But in formal set up one
has to be conscious of their posture. Standing, sitting or walking in a relaxed way is a positive
posture, which will encourage questions and discussion. Also being comfortably upright,
squarely facing an audience, and evenly distributing your weight are all aspects of posture
that communicate professionalism, confidence, attention to detail, and organization. The
way we sit, stand, or walk reveals a lot about us:

Slumped posture – low spirits

Erect posture – high spirits, energy and confidence
Lean forward – open, honest, and interested
Lean backward – defensive or disinterested
Crossed arms – defensive and not ready to listen
Uncrossed arms – willingness to listen
3. Facial Expression: The face is an important communicator. It is commonly said that the face is
the index of the mind. It expresses the type of emotions or feelings such as joy, love, interest,
sorrow, anger, annoyance, confusion, enthusiasm, fear, hatred surprise, and uncertainty. Facial
expressions are indicated through the mouth (open, wide or closed), eyelids (raised or lowered),
nose (wrinkled or relaxed), cheeks (drawn up or back) and the forehead (lowered or raised).
Within the facial area, eyes are especially effective for indicating attention and interest.
However, interpretations of facial expressions differ from culture to culture.
4. Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits:

Happiness.
Friendliness.
Warmth.
Liking.
Affiliation.
Thus, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable, friendly, warm and
approachable. Smiling is often contagious and students will react favorably and learn mmore.
5. Eye contact: The eyes are considered to be the windows of the soul. Looking through the
eyes of a speaker, we can find out the truthfulness of his speech, his intelligence, attitudes
and feelings. Our ability to maintain eye contact has a big effect on our audience. People
who avoid eye contact are easily perceived as being disinterested, insecure or embarrassed.
Prolonged eye contact can make people uncomfortable, however. Furthermore, Eye contact
with audiences increases the speaker’s credibility. Teachers who make eye contact open the
flow of communication and convey interest, concern, warmth, and credibility.