UNIT – 1 DYNAMICS OF COMMUNICATION

INDEX
UNIT TOPICS COVERED PAGE
NO.
1.1 DEFINITION & PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION 2
WAYS OF COMMUNICATION 5
1.2 KINESICS 6
1.3 PROXEMICS 13
1.3.1 CHRONEMICS 15
1.4 PARALANGUAGE FEATURES 16
1.5.1 IMPORTANCE OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION 18
1.5.2 IMPORTANCE OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION 21
BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION 23
LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION 25
FLOW OF COMMUNICATION 27
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERAL & TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION 28
LANGUAGE AS A TOOL OF COMMUNICATION 29

PREPARED BY
YASHPAL GADHAVI

ASST. PROFFESOR IN ENGLISH

HUMANITIES & SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

OM ENGINEERING COLLEGE

MO.: 990 990 7544

EMAIL : [email protected]

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 1.1 DEFINITION AND PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

INTRODUCTION
Human beings can‘t live in society without communication. We can find that people
involves in several activities like informal conversations, discussions, phone calls,
teleconferencing, gossiping, chatting, net surfing and so on. In short, we need to
communicate in order to interact. Communication has its origin from
Latin “commūnicāre”, meaning "to share" is the activity of meaningful exchange of
information between two or a group.

DEFINITIONS
Vestal (1995) defined communication as “the exchange of meanings between and
among individual through a shared system of symbols (verbal and nonverbal) that
have the same meaning for both the sender and receiver of the message.”

Murphy and Hildebrandt defined communication as “a process of transmitting and

receiving verbal and non-verbal messages that produce a response.”

“Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between

individuals and/or organizations so that an understanding response results”.
– Peter Little

“Communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one

person to another.” - The American Management Association

ELEMENT OF PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

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 Sender
The process of communication starts with a sender, the person who has an idea,
knowledge, thoughts, feelings which are in abstract form. Sender tries to give
these abstract thoughts a physical and concrete shape in the form of commonly
accepted codes.
Encoding
Encoding is the next step in the communication process. Before sending the
message, the sender encodes the message because the message is basically in
abstract form. This encoding process is done in order to give abstract thought
into a concrete shape.
Message
The message itself is oral, written or non verbal. The communications are
affected by the sender’s tone and method. Message has intellectual and
emotional components. With intellect the sender has the ability to present
reason and with emotion to present the motivational appeals.
Medium/Channel
It is a vehicle through which a message is carried from the sender to the receiver.
The mediums of communication are many-written, oral, verbal, non-verbal, mass
media like TV, radio, newspapers, books, etc. It is a complicated task to choose
the appropriate medium. Success and failure depends on the selection of the
right channel.
Noise
Noise is defined as any unplanned interference in the communication
environment, because of that creates a barrier in communication. Noise prevents
the interpretation of the message. Background noise, noise in telephone line,
high volume is the examples of noise.
Receiver
At the end of communication process, the receiver is the recipient of the
message. The receiver gets the message, understands and tries to provide the

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 total meaning of the message as transmitted by the sender. This process is done
with the help of another process called decoding.
Decoding
Decoding is very important part of the process of communication where the
receiver tries to understand the message of the sender. The process of decoding
involves interpretation and analysis of the message. Effective decoding is very
important for successful communication because any misinterpretation of the
message creates confusion and misunderstanding.
Feedback
It is the last stage in the process of communication. It is the action or reaction of
the receiver to the message. It helps the sender know that the message was
received and understood. The response is based on perfect understanding of the
message. The success and failure of communication is decided by feedback only.
Feedback is essential as it is a barometer of effective communication.

Thus in nutshell,
 A common communication environment
 Cooperation between the sender and
Essentials of Effective receiver
Communication are  Selection of correct channel
 Correct encoding and decoding of the
message
 Receipt of the desired response and feedback

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 WAYS OF COMMUNICATION
There are basically two ways or media of communication .

1. Verbal communication
2. Non- Verbal communication

VERBAL COMMUNICATION
When the sender selects appropriate words and language to communicate message,
information, facts, and opinion either verbally or in writing to the receiver using
different channels, it is known as verbal communication. It is divided into two sub types.

ORAL COMMUNICATION
Oral communication, while primarily refers to spoken communication. It
includes speeches, presentations, discussions, and aspects of interpersonal
communication. It can also use visual aids and non-verbal symbols to support the
understanding of meaning.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Written communication has great significance in today’s business world. Writing

is more unique and formal than speech. Effective writing involves careful choice
of words, their organization in correct order in sentences.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Nonverbal communication takes place without the use of words. The sender uses the
body language, facial expression, hand movements, eye movements, etc. to convey the
feelings, emotions, and other information to the receiver.

Components/types of Non-verbal Communication

Kinesics Para language Proxemics Chronemics

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 1.2 KINESICS (BODY MOVEMENTS)
Kinesics is a nonverbal form of communication is the use of body language to send a
message. Kinesics is a name given to the body’s physical movements. In other words,
it is the way the body communicates without words, means through various
movements and parts. Nodding your head, blinking your eyes, shrugging shoulder,
waving hands and other such physical activities are all forms of communication. If
you extend your hand with a big smile on your face along with saying ‘congrats’ , your
appreciation has more impact than just saying some words.

Kinesics involves:

 Physical Appearance  Hap-tics / Touch

 Gestures  Graph / Charts / Maps
 Posture  Sign & Symbols
 Eye Contact  Colors
 Facial Expression  Silence

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
It plays a very important role in oral communication. People give their attention
to those communicators, who are neat & good looking in their appearance.
People associate dress and appearance to attitude and behaviour to the
communicator. Our appearance decides the success or failure of our
communication.

Good Appearances Bad Appearances

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 GESTURES

A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible bodily actions

communicate particular messages, either in place of speech or together and in
parallel with spoken words. Gesture can be understood as movement of the body
parts especially hand or head. Gesture plays a very important role in
communication. It is Impossible to communicate effectively without using proper
Gestures. Without gestures, oral communication becomes handicap. Gestures are
not universal, what may mean one thing for us can mean something entirely
different for another culture. For example, nodding one's head in Canada means
'yes', while nodding one's head in Bulgaria means 'no'.
Examples of Gestures
 Pointing a finger at indicates a person or thing or caution or warning.

 Open palms indicates honesty, frankness, sincerity and commitment.

 Hands Behind head indicates uncertainty, conflict, and confusion.

 Head shake in horizontal direction indicates disagreement and disbelief.

 Head nod Head node up and down shows agreement.

 Palm down gesture communicates confidence and assertiveness.

 Throat Clear gesture communicates anxiety and doubt.

 Shoulder Shrugging indicates sign of resignation, uncertainty,

submissiveness.

Pointing Figure Hands behind Head Open Palms

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 POSTURES

Posture is the way we hold ourselves when we stand, sit or talk. A person's
basic posture can carry diverse information about his/her state of being,
confidence, submissiveness and reactions to certain situations. In our
everyday life, we encounter several postures that have many different meanings.
Examples of Postures
 Erect Posture indicates Confidence, Self-reliance, and commitment.
 Bent posture indicates lack of confidence, stress, lack of exercise
 In an interview, sitting properly in the chair without dangling will prove
to the interviewer that the person is in control and is not afraid of the
interview.
 Sitting with your legs crossed, and knees bent convey comfortableness.
 A person could stand with a leg extended slightly frontward, hands in pocket,
and arms bent slightly. This could be a symbol of relaxing.

EYE CONTACT

Although eye contact and facial expressions are often linked together, the eyes
could transmit a message of their own. Eye contact portrays someone's
involvement and attention. Attention is a function of eye contact that can be both
negatively and positively affect by a person's gaze. The latter can show
confidence, anger, fear, etc. It is strongly influenced by social behavior. In the
western civilizations, eye contact is most often defined as a sign of confidence.

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 Examples of Eye Contact

 Direct eye contact with the audience is essential for every speaker. It
communicates confidence, sincerity, and integrity.

 Stare: Constantly staring at someone may show embarrassment and

surprise.

 Sideways is the indication to pay equal attention to both side of audience

 To avoid eye contact indicates Lie, fear, loss of Confidence and trust.

 In Asia (including Middle East), keeping eye contact with someone of

authority implies rudeness and can be mistaken as a provoking mean of
communication.

 In Western societies, eye contact can imply empathy and comes across as a
type of emotional connection.

 In some Asian countries, avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect.

Direct Eye Contact Avoiding Eye Contact Stare

FACIAL EXPRESSION

Facial expression communicates feelings and emotions more vividly than any
other thing.
Examples of Postures

 Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits happiness, friendliness, warmth,

and liking.

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  Blank face: The Neutral, relaxed and expression indicates ‘Do not disturb
me attitude’.
 Lip compression; sign indicates disgust, frustration.
 Frown : This expression communicates anger, disgust, and disapproval
 Face drop indicates Defeat Nervousness, etc.
Few examples of emotions that can be expressed via facial expressions:

 Happiness  Fear
 Sadness  Confusion
 Anger  Excitement
 Surprise  Desire
 Disgust  Contempt

Blank Face Lip Compression Frown Face drop

SILENCE

 Silence is one of the most important form of non-verbal Communication.

Silence is more eloquent than words.
 People use silence as a half consent, it indicates acceptanc

HAP-TICS/TOUCH

Haptics is a science which studies ‘ touch’ as the form of non-verbal

communication

 Hand shake; Greeting A Pat on back: Indicates Praise

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 GRAPHS/CHARTS/MAPS

Graphical Communication is considered as Non-Verbal Communication Graphs,

charts, maps plays an important role in scientific and technical communication

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 1.3 - PROXEMICS (SPACE/DISTANCE)

In communication, there are four types of “distance” which people use to communicate
on a face-to-face basis. These include:
1. Intimate distance (just-18 inches.)
2. Personal distance (18 inches to 4 feet.)
3. Social distance (4-12 ft.)
4. Public distance (>12 ft.)

INTIMATE ZONE (0 TO 1.5 FEET)

It is that which is used for very confidential communications. This zone of distance
is characterized by 0 to 1.5 feet of space between two individuals. An example of
intimate distance is two people hugging, holding hands, or standing side-by-side.
People in intimate distance share a unique level of comfort with one another. Those
who are not comfortable with someone who approaches them in the intimate zone
will experience a great deal of social discomfort or awkwardness.

PERSONAL ZONE (1.5 TO 4 FEET)

This zone stretches from 18 inches to 4 feet. Your close friends, colleagues, peers
fall in this category. Instead of whispering, normal talk takes place. It brings
spontaneous and un programmed communication.

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 SOCIAL SPACE (4 TO 12 FEET)

Social events take place in this radius of 4 feet to 12 feet. In this layer, relationships
are more formal. You should be smart enough to conduct it with less emotion and
more planning. If number of people is less than you can maintain eye contact.

PUBLIC ZONE (12 TO 30 FEET OR MORE )

This zone starts from 12 feet and may extend to 30 feet or to the rage of eyesight
and hearing. Events that take place in this zone are formal.

In brief, Proxemics is the way people use space to communicate nonverbally. This
space may be close or far away depending on how comfortable one maybe and their
culture. Along with proxemics is the use of territoriality. Territory is valued by many
and can become the cause of a battle among individuals. It is easy to see the Powhatan
Indian Tribe cherished their space.

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 1.3.1 - CHRONEMICS (TIME MANAGEMENT)

Chronemics deals with time. It is the study of how how we use time to communicate.
Some of us are preoccupied with time, while others regularly waste it In order to
understand time as an effective tool for communication, you should understand the
impact it has. When you are late for an appointment, people react negatively. When you
are early, you are considered aggressive. So always be on the time.

Status affords us greater power to control both our own time and others’ time. The
more status a person has, the longer others with less status will wait to see him or her.

There are two dominant time pattern

MONOCHRONIC TIME
 This time system means that things are done one at a time and time is segmented
into small units. Under this system time is scheduled, arranged and managed.
 People in Monochromic time culture pay attention to clock time and do one thing
at a time. They tend to separate task.
 Monochronic People are concerned about not disturbing others; follow rules of
privacy and consideration.
 Time is a tangible commodity
 Members of individualistic cultures tend to follow the Monochronic time pattern
like Germany, Canada, Switzerland, United States, and Scandinavia.
 Monochronic committed to the job.
POLYCHROMIC TIME
 A polychronic time system is a system where several things can be done at once,
and a more fluid approach is taken to scheduling time.
 Unlike Americans and most northern and western European cultures, Latin
American and Arabic cultures use the polychronic system of time.
 People in polychronic time pay attention to relational time and may be involved
in many simultaneous activities.

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 1.4 PARA LANGUAGE (VOCAL FEATURES)
Paralinguistic communication is the study of voice and how words are said.
Paralinguistic signals and cues refer to every element and nuance (tone) of your speech.
Paralinguistic are the aspects of spoken communication that do not involve words. Here
are some common paralinguistic vocal cues and examples:

RATE /SPEED

Rate is the number of words which you speak per minute. It varies from person to
person. If a person speaks too slowly than he is likely to be considered a dull
speaker even though his speech is highly interesting. Similarly a fast speaker also
causes discomfort because the listener does not get time to grasp the thought.

RHYTHM

International languages have unique rhythms. It is important to note this because

the global language for business today is still English. For example, a person from
France speaks at a different speed and rhythm than someone from Singapore. A
French person will generally speak English using a rhythmical pace similar to their
native French language.

VOLUME

Volume is the loudness or the softness of the voice. Your voice should always
project but need not always be loud. If the place you are speaking in is large and
open, the volume should be high, and if place is small and enclosed than the volume
should be slow. If your volume is too high you may should boorish (rough/ill-
mannered), whereas if it’s too low you may convey an impression of timidity, which
has no place in timidity.

PITCH

Pitch refers to the number of vibrations per second of your voice. The rise and the
fall of the voice convey various emotions. ‘Thanks you’ is such a phrase. You can find
out the difference when you utter it indifferently or sincerely.

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 INTONATION

Intonation refers to the rising and falling pitch of the voice when somebody says a
word or a syllable. By learning and adopting an intonation pattern, you will be able
to express your intentions very clearly.

QUALITY

Quality is a characteristic that differentiate one voice from another. Is a person’s

voice small, feminine, or shaky; thin, throaty, or aloof; tense, flat, grating, nasal,
harsh, or shrill? All of these represent different vocal combinations of rate, pitch,
and volume.

INTENSITY

Finally, how emphatic are the statements? For example if someone says, "I want you
to do it now!" The intense delivery can be a direct indicator of the speaker's passion
and commitment or lack of it. The tone also reveals emotions behind the words
being spoken.

PAUSES

A pause is a short silence flanked by words. A pause in speaking lets the listener
reflect on the message. It helps you glide from one thought to another one.

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 1.5.1 - IMPORTANCE OF INTERPERSONAL IN ORGANIZATION
Interpersonal communication is very important for conducting successful job
performance in the organizations. The existence of an organization depends upon a
number of things like unity of command, delegation of authority,responsibility,
teamwork and leadership, each one entails a strong support of interpersonal
communication. Interpersonal communication, therefore, becomes the lifeblood of an
organization.
WHAT IS INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION?
Interpersonal communication is the procedure by which people swap information,
feelings and impart through verbal and non-verbal messages. Interpersonal
communication is not only apprehensive about ‘what’ is pronounced, but ‘how’ it is
pronounced, e.g., the nonverbal messages sent, such as tone of voice and facial
expressions.
CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Communication from one person to another.
Communication which is face-to-face.
Both the form and the content of the communication reflect the personal
characteristics of the individuals as well as their social roles and relationships.
IMPORTANCE OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Help employees develop and foster strong working relationships with each other
and with their clients.
Contribute to increase team and organizational productivity.
Create an overall positive work environment.
Here is a list of eight of the must-have interpersonal skills for every professional in the
workplace:
EXERCISING SELF-AWARENESS
In general terms, self-awareness means that a person is able to consciously know
what they’re feeling and why they’re feeling it. It is comprised of four primary
components:
1. Self-awareness

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 2. Emotions
3. Empathy
4. Relationship building
Being aware of your own feelings and emotions can help you be cognizant of the
messages you convey to others. A lack of employee self-awareness can be
harmful to the success and productivity of an organization.
BEING COGNIZANT OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Are you conscious about the nonverbal messages you are sending throughout the
work day? Nonverbal communication is an often overlooked bridge between
yourself and others, including your colleagues, supervisor, partners, and clients.
However, nonverbal cues can either make relationships stronger or damage
them depending on how they’re used and the context of the situation
BEING RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS
It’s well known that respect can go a long way in fostering positive relationships
and work environments. A respectful treatment of all employees as the top factor
contributing to employee job satisfaction.
Showing respect in the workplace can be done in any number of ways, including:
 Showing appreciation for employees’ efforts and time;
 Listening to what others have to say rather than listening only to respond;
 Being respectful of others’ ideas and opinions, even when they differ from
yours;
 Not disparaging, insulting, or attacking others; and
 Not taking credit for others’ work; even if you build or improve upon
someone else’s work, be sure to acknowledge their initial contributions.

SHOWING EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING

Having empathy for others is a crucial part of relationship building in the
workplace because it helps you take into account the thoughts, feelings, and
needs of others. There are different ways that learning and development
professionals can encourage employees to develop and grow these skills through
empathy-building exercises.

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 BEING A CLEAR COMMUNICATOR
Regardless of where you’re from, communication is an important part of life, as
well as a necessary component of any personal or business relationship. When
poor communication takes place, it can place businesses at a significant (and
costly) disadvantage.
ENGAGING IN ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening is pretty self-explanatory. It’s all about actively listening to what
someone else has to say rather than passively hearing their message. Everyone
has their own unique insights, experiences, and perspectives on different
subjects. By actively listening to other viewpoints in the workplace, it helps us as
humans to learn and grow.
BEHAVING APPROPRIATELY
Behaving appropriately should go without saying in the workplace. There are
some universally accepted behaviours that should be exercised by employees,
including:
 Being punctual
 Being friendly and respectful of others
 Showing courtesy
 Being cooperative and easy to work with
 Having a positive attitude
 Dressing appropriately
 Taking personal responsibility and being accountable

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 1.5.2 - IMPORTANCE INTER CULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN
ORGANIZATION

INTRODUCTION
Effective intercultural communication helps to reduce communication obstacles like
language barriers from international business. Effective global communication can be
achieved through learning about other cultures and implementing communication
strategies such as reflective listening and being open-minded. Lack of cultural
sensitivity in business dealings can offend prospective or current clients, alienate
employees who work in other locations across the globe, and have a negative effect on a
company’s bottom line.
DEFINITION
Intercultural communication involves the sharing of information across different
cultures and social groups, including individuals with different religious, social, ethnic,
and educational backgrounds.
IMPORTANCE OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
BUSINESS EXPANSION
The ability to communicate effectively is undeniable challenge in the global
environment. Misunderstandings can also arise when both parties speak the
same language because of different cultural background. Effective intercultural
communication enables a company to explain more briefly to the customers the
differences and superiority of the company’s products and services in
comparison to their competitors.
ELIMINATION OF CONFLICTS
Each person has their own culture which influences their mode of thinking,
feeling and behaviour and these differences can result in conflict. Conflict is
defined as a type of friction, disagreement and even expressed struggle between
at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, limited
resources, and interference from others in accomplishing their goals. Employees

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 in firms come from different cultures and have different personalities. When
such diverse individuals work in a firm to achieve a common goal, it is common
that the disputes between personalities occur, causing interpersonal tension,
anger and frustration.
POSITIVE WORK A TMOSPHERE
Employees are a critical and fundamental resource of any business, small or
large, who want to get the respect of others as well as social recognition.
Motivating language being used by the management is one of the critical
elements to strengthen the self-efficacy of employees and to enhance the
performance of employees. the productivity of a company is influenced by a
negative work atmosphere which will affect the company’s performance and
profits.
OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME TO ACHIEVE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
 Values and beliefs
 Anxiety
 Ignorance
 Ethnocentrism (The feeling that one's group has a mode of living, values,
and patterns of adaptation that are superior to those of other groups.)
 Stereotyping (Assigning a tasks on the basis of same characteristics)

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 BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION
LANGUAGE BARRIERS

When communicating in the same language, the terminology (technical words) used in a

message may act as a barrier. For example, a message that includes a lot of specialist

jargon (difficult words) and abbreviations (short form) will not be understood by a

receiver who is not familiar with the terminology used. Regional language and

expressions may be misinterpreted or even considered problematic.

PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS

The psychological state of the communicators will influence how the message is sent,

received and perceived. For example, the stressed person may act on the message

differently. Anger is another example of a psychological barrier to communication,

when we are angry; we misinterpret what others are saying.

PHYSIOLOGICAL BARRIERS

Physiological barriers may result from the receiver’s physical state. For example, a

receiver with reduced hearing may not grasp entire spoken conversation especially if

there is significant background noise.

PHYSICAL BARRIERS

An example of a physical barrier to communication is geographic distance between the

sender and receiver. Communication is generally easier over shorter distances. The

modern technology helps to reduce the impact of physical barriers.

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SYSTEMATIC BARRIERS

Systematic barriers to communication may exist in organization, company or

institutions because of transparent information channel. The systematic barrier creates

because of unclear information, responsibilities and understanding.

ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS

Attitudinal barriers are behaviours or perceptions that prevent people from

communicating effectively. Attitudinal barriers to communication may result from

personality conflicts, poor management, and resistance to change or a lack of

motivation.

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 LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION
EXTRA PERSONAL COMMUNICATION

It is a communication between human beings and non-human entities. This requires

perfect coordination between sender and receiver. When your pet dog comes to you
wagging its tail; as soon as you return home is an example of extra personal
communication.

INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

This takes place within the individual. For example when you “feel hot”, the
information is sent to brain and you may decide to “turn on the cooler”, responding
the instructions sent from brain to hand. Here relevant organ is sender, electrochemical
impulse is message and brain is receiver. Next the brain assumes the role of sender and
sends the feedback that you should switch on the cooler.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

It is a sharing of information among people. It includes a few participants who are close
to one another i.e. participants are in close physical proximity. Here many sensory
channels are used and immediate feedback can be obtained.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Communication in an organization takes place at different hierarchical levels. It is

extremely necessary for sustenance of any organization. Since a large number of
employees are involved in several activities, the need to communicate becomes greater
in an organization. This communication can further be divided into:

 INTERNAL – OPERATIONAL
o All communication that occurs within organization is classified as
Internal –operational.

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  EXTERNAL – OPERATIONAL
o The work related communication that an organization does with the
people outside the organization is called external-oprational.
 PERSONAL
o All communication in an organization that occurs without purpose as far
as business is concerned is called personal communication.

MASS COMMUNICATION

There are several mass media such as journals, television, newspapers, internet which
mediate such communication to the large audience. In this type of communication it is
necessary that to have mediator to transmit information. For instance, oral
communication through mass media require some equipments such as microphones,
amplifiers, etc. and written form needs print media or visual media.

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 FLOW OF COMMUNICATION

Communication in an organization may be either external or internal. External

communication concerns with correspondence with those outside the organization.
Internal as the name indicates, is concerned with communication within the
organization and can be classified into different groups on the basis of Relationship ,
Form , Direction of flow

DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION

Downward communication flows from a manager down the chain of command. When
he informs, instructs, or advises his subordinates, the communication flows in a
downward pattern. It is used to convey routine information, new policies or procedures,
etc. through memos, notices, interactions, and so on.

UPWARD COMMUNICATION

When subordinates send reports to their superiors, the communication flows upward.
This type of communication keeps managers aware of how employees feel about their
jobs, colleagues and organization. Managers rely on upward communication form
making certain decisions or solving problems.

LATERAL OR HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION

This form of communication takes place among peer groups or hierarchically
equivalent employees. Such communication is often necessary to facilitate coordination,
save time, and bridge the communication gap among various departments.

DIAGONAL OR CROSS-WISE COMMUNICATION

This flows in all directions and cuts across functions and levels in an organization. This
process is quick and efficient. When a sales manager communicates directly with VP
(production), they set an example of diagonal communication. The increased use of
emails encourages cross-wise communication. There is no doubt that it is quick and
efficient.

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DIFFRENCE BETWEEN GENERAL & TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

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

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 LANGUAGE AS A TOOL COMMUNICATION
Effective communication is made possible with the help of language. It requires
reasonably good command over language. Language employs a combination of words to
communicate ideas in a meaningful way. By changing the word order in a sentence, you
can change its meaning, and even make it meaningless.

Language is Artificial: Language is created by people. It does not 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, called a referent which is created by humans.
That’s why language is Artificial.

Language is Restricted: When we 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 cannot find words to express your
feelings. This is because language is restricted. In other words, it has limitations.

Language is Abstract: Language is abstract as it represents generalized ideas of things

or thoughts. The idea which the word represents is different every time. A ‘table’ can be
of different shapes and sizes, and still be called a table. This happens because meanings
get associated with symbols and users keep expanding the range of meanings.

Language is Arbitrary: There is no direct relationship between a word and the idea or
object it represents because language keeps on changing to include new concepts and
words can attach a number of specific and arbitrary meanings.

Language is Creative: Language is very creative and it can create wonder. Every year
number of words can be added; taken from different languages through the following
processes: 1. Borrowing - taking over words from other languages like ‘alcohol’ form
‘Arabic’ 2. Constructing Portmanteau Words – words made by combining the sound and
meaning of two different words (netiquette = net + etiquette) 3. Back Formation –
where a word of one type, usually a noun is reduced to a word of another type, usually a
verb like ‘opt’ from ‘option’

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