VERBAL

COMMUNICATION
What is Verbal Communication?
Verbal communication can be defined as
communicating your thoughts through
words.
Such thoughts may be ideas, opinions,
directions, dissatisfaction, objections, your
emotions and pleasures.
For example, whenever you conduct a
meeting, have a conversation over the
phone, talk to a friend, or any other form of
conversation that you perform with others
using words. In this article you will learn
how to acquire better verbal
communication.
Why is good verbal communication so important?
When it comes to business, verbal communication is very
important for the reason being that you are dealing with a
variety of people through out the day. In some cases you
may deal with people who have different culture, ages and
with different levels of experience 
Now take for example the way you converse with a family
member or friend around your same age, you interact with
them with a lot of confidence, there is without doubt that
verbal communication is expressed with much ease, and
perhaps you may speak differently from the way you speak
with a person related to business.
Imagine if you expressed yourself the same
way with a customer who has different
culture, is much older than you and have
many years of experience in his field. Most
likely your thoughts will be difficult to
express. Thus it is necessary to have proper
skill when using verbal communication
while dealing with different people. 
 

How to acquire better verbal communication

You must be flexible with people depending on the
circumstances. Express your thoughts by using words that
are more comprehendible to the audience.
It is suggested to build skills by attending a college course
related to business communication.
Try to use the opportunity to overcome the fear of talking
to a big crowd and a stranger while you are in class.
Working in a job-field that involves working with
strangers, such job can be a form of practice to gain
confidence in yourself and help reduce shyness and
intimidation
 Talk to older relatives and friends, about a topic that
involves expressing emotions and strong opinions or a
discussion that may concern experiences.
Support your opinions with facts since it makes verbal
communication much easier to express when it comes
to expressing an idea.
Such suggestions if applied may result to improve
your verbal communication.
 VERBAL ELEMENTS
Use exact words and pronunciation.
Keep most sentences short.
Use active voice.
Address your listeners directly.
Avoid mistakes.
Speak in enthusiastic and vivid voice.
Be more alert and aware to your choice.
Speak loudly to be heard ,neither soft nor shouting.
 Non-Verbal Communication
When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of
oratory he answered, "'action"; and which was the second,
he replied, "action"; and which was third he still answered,
"action." People tend to believe actions more than words!
Tortoriello, Blott, and DeWine have defined non-verbal
communication as:
". . . the exchange of messages primarily through non-linguistic
means, including: kinesics (body language), facial expressions
and eye contact, tactile communication, space and territory,
environment, paralanguage (vocal but non-linguistic cues),
and the use of silence and time."
Non-verbal communication
includes facial expressions, eye contact,
tone of voice, body posture and
motions, and positioning within
groups. It may also include the way we
wear our clothes or the silence we keep.
 Categories and Features
G. W. Porter divides non-verbal communication into four broad
categories:
Physical. This is the personal type of communication. It includes
facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell,
and body motions.
Aesthetic. This is the type of communication that takes place
through creative expressions: playing instrumental music,
dancing, painting and sculpturing.
Signs. This is the mechanical type of communication, which
includes the use of signal flags, the 21-gun salute, horns, and
sirens.
Symbolic. This is the type of communication that makes use of
religious, status, or ego-building symbols.
 Static Features
Distance. The distance one stands from another
frequently conveys a non-verbal message. In some
cultures it is a sign of attraction, while in others it may
reflect status or the intensity of the exchange.
Orientation. People may present themselves in
various ways: face-to-face, side-to-side, or even back-
to-back. For example, cooperating people are likely to
sit side-by-side while competitors frequently face one
another.
Posture. Obviously one can be lying down,
seated, or standing. These are not the elements
of posture that convey messages. Are we
slouched or erect ? Are our legs crossed or our
arms folded ? Such postures convey a degree of
formality and the degree of relaxation in the
communication exchange.
Physical Contact. Shaking hands, touching,
holding, embracing, pushing, or patting on the
back all convey messages. They reflect an
element of intimacy or a feeling of (or lack of)
attraction.
 Dynamic Features

Facial Expressions. Facial Expressions. A

smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and
sneer all convey information. Facial
expressions continually change during
interaction and are monitored constantly by
the recipient. There is evidence that the
meaning of these expressions may be similar
across cultures.
Gestures. One of the most frequently observed,
but least understood, cues is a hand movement.
Most people use hand movements regularly when
talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist)
have universal meanings, most of the others are
individually learned.

Looking. A major feature of social

communication is eye contact. It can convey
emotion, signal when to talk or finish, or aversion.
The frequency of contact may suggest either
interest or boredom.