Oral Communication in Context Handout No.

VERBAL AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

In communication, the message may be either verbal (spoken or written) or nonverbal (body
language, physical appearance, gestures, facial expression, vocal tone, etc.). Messages may also come
from the context—or place and time—of the communication. For instance, if you choose to make a
critical comment to someone, the place and the time you choose to make that comment will make a
big impact on how it will be received.
Perhaps, you have encountered instances when the person you were talking to misunderstood
what you said. Sometimes, what you meant may not be the message communicated or may be different
from what you intended to say. How you say it — the tone of your voice, the space, the emphasis you
give each word and the intonation you use may affect the way your listener takes your message.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Verbal communication, as mentioned above, is the spoken or written message used by a person to
express himself. The term verbal, which also means “oral” should not be taken as its other meaning.
Because this course is focused on oral communication, let us discuss the two important components
needed in speaking.

Voice
Voice is one of the most important elements in oral communication.
It is the sound that is produced when speaking, singing, etc. An effective
voice is one which is heard without strain or effort. To have a desirable voice
that is pleasant to hear or to listen at, it is important to be acquainted with
how the voice is produced.
There are four processes involved in voice production.

Respiration or compression is simple breathing. Before we

speak, we inhale air. This is called inhalation or expiration. When we
speak, we exhale air, a process which is called exhalation. Inhaling
is the process when the air passes through the wind pipe (trachea)
and into the lungs. Exhaling is the process of emitting or releasing air from the lungs through the
nose and the mouth.

Vibration or phonation is the production of the voice sounds. It is the rapid opening of the
vocal folds that lie horizontally in the larynx for sounds. When the air hits the windpipe, it passes
through the larynx or the voice box which can be found in the upper part of the windpipe. The
vibration of the vocal folds produces the sound.

Resonation is the process of enriching or amplifying of sound. The parts of the body called
resonators allow the sounds to echo — the throat, sinuses, chest activity. One way of checking
how the voice changes in sound is to block the resonators. For example, pinching your nose then
speaking.

Pronunciation is the process of articulation of the sound or the shaping of the sound into
an intelligible speech. This is the last phase of the voice production. It involves changing the shape
and dimension of the oral cavity in the mouth, which produces sounds in speech or singing.
Properly pronounced syllables, formed by consonants and vowels, automatically make these
changes. The sounds then become the auditory symbols of the spoken language. In speaking, a
person communicates his ideas and emotions in the form of words transmitted to his or her listeners
by means of voice. As s/he speaks, these distinct qualities are involved:

1. Pitch. This is the highness or lowness of the voice. It is the relative vibration of the
frequency of the human voice that contributes to the total meaning of speech (Merriam-

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 Webster Dictionary). If a person’s vocal cords are thick or lax, the sound produced is low.
Whereas, if the vocal cords are thin and dense, the person produces a high sound. In
varying the pitch, a speaker will be able to enhance the melody of his voice that will be
instrumental in holding his/her audience’s attention.
2. Loudness. This quality of the voice refers to its volume. The loudness of voice depends on
the speaker’s purpose or the speech situation. The primary function of volume is to make
words audible just loud enough for the audience to hear a speaker’s speech well.
3. Duration. This is the length of time a sound is produced. The duration involves the pauses
a speaker takes between words, phrases or group of words (thought groups or units). The
pauses will aid in the comprehension of the audience, at the same time, giving the
speaker a chance to breathe.
4. Quality. This characteristic refers to the tone of the human voice. A speaker’s quality of
the voice changes depending on certain situations like joy, surprise, anger, etc.

THE ENGLISH SOUNDS

As second language speakers of English, we might find it difficult to accurately pronounce all the
sounds of the English language. This is because compared to the Filipino language, English is not always
pronounced as it is written. You will be surprised that some of its letters are pronounced in different ways.
This lesson will guide you in distinguishing the different sounds of English.

The Vowel Sounds

A vowel is a sound pronounced with an open vocal tract so that the tongue does not touch the
lips, teeth or the roof of the mouth. It is a sound produced when the outgoing breath is uninterrupted
because there is no attempt to block it (Padilla, 2011). It is a voiced speech sound which is nearly free
from audible friction sounds (Atienza, 1997).

A voiced sound is a buzzing sound produced when the vocal cords vibrate. If you want to check
if the sound is voiced or voiceless, feel your throat as you produce the sound. Since all vowels are voiced
sounds, you will feel a vibration in your throat when you produce the sound of each vowel.

Unlike the Filipino language which consists of five vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u), the English language
has about fourteen to fifteen. This is the reason why Filipinos find it difficult to pronounce some of the English
words that make use of the other vowel sounds that are not present in the Filipino language. Filipinos
therefore, need to learn how to produce vowel sounds that are likely to be mispronounced well like [ I ]
and [ i ], two vowel sounds which are normally interchanged especially for dialect speakers, even if the
meaning of the word does not change.

To make it easier for non-native speakers of English like the Filipinos to learn the other vowel sounds
of the English language, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is used. Below are the English vowels
and the equivalent IPA symbol for the sound and its transcription.

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The Consonant Sounds
Consonant sounds are produced by completely or partially stopping the breath. These sounds are
used before or after a vowel or a diphthong, a combination of vowel sounds with a continuous gliding
motion. Consonants are sounds that are produced when air passes through an articulator and point of
articulation that touch or nearly touch each other which provide clarity of diction.
Consonant sounds can be voiceless or voiced — voiceless when there is no vibration of the vocal
cords; voiced when there is. For example, try the letters “s” and “z.” Do you feel a vibrating sound in your
throat as you produce the sound of the letter “s?” What about “z?” You should feel no vibration when
you produce the sound of the letter “s” because it is a voiceless consonant. There will be a vibration for
the consonant “z” because it is a voiced consonant.
Consonant sounds can be classified according to the organs used for production and manner of
articulation. The place of articulation refers to the articulators involved in the sound production such as
the lips, teeth, tongue, alveolar ridge, hard and soft palate, velum, nasal cavity, and glottis. The manner
of articulation or production describes how the sound is made or produced by the articulators.

PLACE OF ARTICULATION
1. Bilabial — refers to the production of the consonant sounds with the use of the upper and lower
lips pressed together or almost touching one another.
2. Labio-dental — refers to the lips and teeth where the lower lip is touching the upper teeth to
articulate the sound.
3. Lingua-dental — the sound produced with the tongue contacting the teeth.
4. Lingua-alveolar — refers to the sound made when the tongue touches the alveolar ridge or the
roof of the mouth.
5. Lingua-palatal — are sounds that are produced as the tongue makes contact with the hard
palate.

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 6. Lingua-velar — the sound made as the tongue is raised and touches the soft palate.
7. Glottal — refers to the glottis, the opening between the vocal cords in the larynx, and of which
sound is produced by closing the glottis or the opening of the vocal cords.

MANNER OF ARTICULATION
1. Plosives or stops — are consonant sounds produced by a momentary blocking of the airflow and
the sudden release of the blocked air. The following sounds are plosives or
stops: [p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g].
2. Fricatives — are consonant sounds produced by forcing air through the narrow channel made by
placing two articulators close together. The following sounds are fricatives: [f], [y], [s],
[z], [h], [1]. [s].
3. Nasals — refer to the production of sounds with a lowered velum in the mouth and allowing air to
escape freely through the nose like [m], [n], [ŋ].
4. Laterals — are consonant sounds produced when the tongue is raised to the roof of the mouth
that the air flows or passes out of both the sides of the tongue.
5. Glides — are the sounds produced from constricting the vocal tract but not really obstructing it.
Examples of these consonant sounds are [hw], [w], [j].
6. Affricates — are those that are formed by stopping the flow of air and then releasing it, so that a
friction-sound is produced. [ tʃ ], [d3].

WORD STRESS

Observing good rhythm is one prerequisite in achieving a smooth oral communication. Rhythm is
an ordered recurrent alternation of strong and weak stresses or the recurrence of stressed and unstressed
syllables in a word or components.
Stress is the emphasis or force given to a syllable or syllables in a word or phrase as it is pronounced.
Stress is usually symbolized by { ‘ } being placed on the syllable intended to be emphasized or pronounced
more audibly than the rest of the syllables in the word or phrase.
Although stress can be classified into major (primary and secondary) and minor (tertiary and
weak), the primary stress is considered the stress that is always present in a word, except for monosyllabic

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words. This is the strongest stress and once one knows which syllable or component receives it, he is sure
to be able to pronounce the word correctly.

There are words that when given a different stress or emphasis on the different syllables will convey
a different meaning. Consider the word object — if it is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable
as in OBject, the word means a thing. If it is the second syllable to get the emphasis as in obJECT, the word
means not to agree to/with. Notice too, that in cases like this, the word that received the primary stress
on the first syllable is a noun, and the word that received the primary stress on the second syllable is a
verb.

Read the following words with the correct stress.

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INTONATION
When the voice goes up and down as the speaker changes his thoughts or emotions, he is said to
be producing a melody or tune of speech. In speech, this tone or melody is called the intonation.
The English language has its own intonation pattern. Other languages have their own, too. But a
common mistake committed by a Filipino speaker is when he speaks English using the Filipino tune. In
doing so, the meaning intended may become different from what is meant. To avoid this error, a speaker
should learn the English intonation system.

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NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Not many people know that about 90 percent of the message we communicate is nonverbal,
and that only 10 percent is actual words. This means that when we talk, we make use of nonverbal
communication. It is thru this method that a listener or receiver of the message is able to know what the
speaker really means in his message.

Normally, what is verbally said is combined with gestures, facial expressions, body movements,
eye contact, etc. This range of features, called nonverbal communication is a system that is often used
to aid the listener in his interpretation of the sender’s message. It is the unspoken communication that
goes on in every face-to-face encounter with another person.

As the saying goes, whatever goes on inside, goes outside. We may try to hide what we really
mean, but our actions speak louder than what we say. This nonverbal impact comes particularly from the
face, eyes, body, clothing, gestures, and even touch. But one thing that we have to be careful about is
the assumption that we might make based on how a person displays his nonverbal signal. For example,
you are conversing with a friend who appears to be listening intently, but with arms crossed. Crossed arms
can be interpreted in various ways. It may mean that the person is not interested in what he is hearing, or
is not in agreement by what the other person is saying. Aside from these interpretations, crossing the arms
may also mean that a person is cold. Other persons are more comfortable crossing their arms especially
when talking standing. What are we supposed to do then? In situations where you need to make sure
you understand the message correctly, check the other parts of his body. For example, check his face. Is
he smiling while listening to you, or is he frowning or looking serious? Considering the other nonverbal
signals displayed will aid you in your assumption of another person’s real emotion.

To make sure that you send and get the message right, let us study the different nonverbal
methods that can aid you in communicating.

Kinesics
The word kinesics comes from the root word kinesis, which means “movement,” and refers to the
study of hand, arm, body, and face movements. Specifically, this section will outline the use of gestures,
head movements and posture, eye contact, and facial expressions as nonverbal communication.

Gestures are movements with some parts of the body such as the head, shoulders, arms to convey
meaning and emphasis. There are three types of gestures: adaptors, emblem, and illustrators (Andersen,
1999).
1. Adaptors are touching movements and behaviors that indicate internal states typically related
to arousal or anxiety (p.36). These adaptors result from situations where the speaker feels
uneasiness or anxiety and cannot control his general surroundings. The student’s clicking of
the pen while listening to his teacher’s discussion is an example of this type. Tossing the hair,
scratching the head, pinching own nose, biting one’s lips are also examples of this. Sometimes,
you see people drinking soft drinks using a straw, but because of boredom, they flip and play
with the straw.

2. Emblems are gestures that are conventional and have meanings on their own. These gestures
involve the movements of the hands and arms so extensively that the listeners easily recognize
the gesture at once as they see it. Due to extensive use, this type of gesture has already
acquired universal acceptance but may also differ depending on the country or culture. For
example, a thumbs-up sign will generally mean okay for most people. But for Americans, a
thumbs-up finger may mean that the person wants to hitchhike. Moreover, emblems can be
still or in motion. The circling of the index finger around the side of the head says one is crazy.

3. Illustrators are the most common type of gestures. These are less conventional and are more
individualized gestures that are employed when a speaker is describing something like the
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 size, shape, height, curves, etc. For example, a speaker talks about seeing a watermelon on
his way to work. The speaker can make use of his hands to make his audience imagine the
size of the watermelon he saw.

Movement is a speaker’s way of attracting his audience. The speaker must be aware that the
audience is observing his ways — from the time he walks into the stage after being introduced, to the
time he delivers his speech, to the time he finishes it. From there, he gains their impression of him. He must
walk confidently until he reaches the platform and not to rush in his speech. He should take his time to
get a good view of his listeners before he starts. He should incorporate movement, and should avoid
being stationary, or he is sure to induce drowsiness in his audience. How much movement a speaker
should have depends on the occasion, the surroundings, and the type of speech he is to deliver. But it is
best to remember that moderation is always the key to anything.
Another rich source of nonverbal confirmation or denial of our verbal message is the body. By
means of the body, conclusions about other people are reached, even before we have really talked to
the person. For example, a person who crosses his arms when conversing with another person is likely to
be considered as closed minded or defiant, because arms that are crossed are interpreted as a sign of
defensiveness.
Posture, which will be discussed in the next paragraph, can qualify as a good example for body
as a source of nonverbal message. Take slouching as an example. A slouched posture can be taken or
interpreted as a person’s submission or defeat, while an erect body as superiority or authority. A person’s
back slightly turned away from a person he is talking to can be a sign that the former does not like or
agree with the latter. Others would interpret such as rejection of that person. A student who is scratching
his head when asked a question by a teacher displays the student’s unpreparedness.

Below is a list of examples of body language and their interpretation.

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 Posture is the way one holds up himself when standing or sitting. A speaker’s way of conducting
himself on a platform is an important part of his presentation. His objective is to be comfortable and
relaxed, but he should make sure that he does not appear slouchy or stiff. You may have seen some
people who sway to the sides while speaking. If you are one with this tendency, it would be helpful if you
place your feet from six (6) to twelve (12) inches apart, with your weight resting on the balls of your feet.
Or, you may choose to stand with your left foot forward (or right foot whichever foot is comfortable for
you) to attain a good balance and to prevent swaying while speaking. Remember that a good
impression of the speaker is created when he has a good stance.

Paralinguistics (vocalic)
This nonverbal communication is separated from the actual language uttered or used and is
focused on how a statement is said. The tone of the voice, the intonation, the pitch, the loudness and
softness of the voice, and even the inflection used are the factors that are to be considered in this
nonverbal signal and that give dimensions and meaning to the words uttered. An example of this is the
raising of the voice at the end of the sentence to indicate a question or an exclamation point to show
sudden gush of emotions like surprise, anger or joy.

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 Oculesics

Oculesics or eye contact is another nonverbal way of communicating. Though eye contact is
considered under the category of kinesics, it may also be considered as oculesics, a term derived from
the Latin word “oculus” meaning “eye.” In a conversation, eye contact is important. It is through this
nonverbal method that a listener sees how sincere a speaker is. This is one reason why mothers would tell
their children to look at them straight in the eyes when the children are believed to be lying. As the saying
goes, “the eyes are the window to the soul.” The eyes therefore, could not hide secrets from a good
observer. How would you feel if the person you are talking with is not even looking at you? Won’t it make
you feel that he is not interested in talking to you? Likewise, a speaker who is not able to look straight into
his audience’s eyes is believed to be lacking confidence or is not sincere in what he is saying.

Proxemics

Proxemics refers to the space one uses when communicating. It is defined as the “interrelated
theories and observations, and theories of man’s use of space as specialized elaboration of culture. The
amount of distance between two or among people talking or communicating is influenced by social
norms, cultural expectations, level of familiarity, situational factors, and personality characteristics.
Proxemics was a term coined in 1963 by Edward Hall, an anthropologist who stressed that space plays a
big factor on a person’s social or interpersonal relationship. He asserted that by the amount of space we
keep between ourselves and the people we are conversing with, we are able to convey something even
without the use of words. For example, you boarded a jeepney going to school. Aside from you, there
are only four more passengers on board — two passengers were seated in front of you, with about one
and a half meters distance between them, while the other two, a male and female were seated with
only about a few inches away from each other. What can you conclude from the sitting arrangement?
Do you think the two passengers in front of you knew each other? What about the other two who were
closely seated? Even if they do not speak to each other during the trip, anybody would conclude that
they were travelling together and knew each other. The space tells it all. If the male and female
passengers do not know each other, they will not be seated that close, especially that there were only
five passengers onboard the jeepney. It would have been a different story if the jeepney was half full,
that the male and female passengers were closely seated. And the more it would have been a different
conclusion you could give, if the vhicle was full, and the passengers would have no choice but to stay as
physically close to the other passengers.
1. Intimate distance for embracing, touching or whispering
. Close phase — less than 6 inches (15 cm)
. Far phase — 6 to 18 inches (15 to 46 cm)
2. Personal distance for interactions among good friends or family
. Close phase — 1.5 to 2.5 feet (46 to 76 cm)
. Far phase — 2.5 to 4 feet (76 to 122 cm)
3. Social distance for interactions among acquaintances
. Close phase — 4 to 7 feet (1.2 to 2.1 rn)
. Far phase — 7 to 12 feet (2.1 to 3.7 m)
4. Public distance used for public speaking
• Close phase — 12 to 25 feet (3.7 to 7.6 m)
. Far phase — 25 feet (7.6 rn) or more.

Haptics

Haptics refers to the nonverbal signal transmitted through touch, which is an important part of
communicating. People may not be able to notice it, but haptics is used in one’s daily communication
with others because it aids in giving emphasis to what one needs to say. At times, a touch is all it takes to
send a person’s message across. A touch on a person’s hand when he is experiencing a problem is

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already sending a clear message. A touch on a loved one’s face shows affection. A mother’s touch
according to several studies gives her baby a sense of comfort. A man who touches the hand of a woman
may mean that he likes her or may be interpreted as support that everything will be alright. However, we
should realize that this touch can also be interpreted differently. If the man touches or holds the hand of
a woman who does not know the man, a different message is sent--- that the man is rude and is taking
advantage of the woman. A simple touch therefore may mean a hundred messages and messages
whose interpretation will be dependent on a person’s social norm and cultural background.
What can you conclude if you see a man holding a woman’s forearm while crossing the street?
Touching or holding a woman’s forearm while walking may mean respect in the Philippines or even in the
US, but not in other parts of the world. If the action of touching is to help an elderly woman while walking,
of course it will not matter if the person doing the touching is a man. One must be careful therefore, when
communicating through touch with people of different cultures. One must realize that what is accepted
in a particular country or culture may not pass to be acceptable in another. The questions to remember
therefore when touching will be: Who to touch?, When to touch? and How to touch?

Chronemics

Chronemics refers to time. It is a nonverbal signal which is not directly stated, but communicates
a characteristic of a person. For example, an American businessman scheduled a meeting at 9:00 in the
morning with two Asian associates for a possible business partnership. He was there before the scheduled
time, but the other business partners came late. The first associate came half an hour late and the other
45 minutes late. This situation can send a message to the American not to pursue the business deal with
the Asians. For Americans, time is of prime importance especially with regard to business.

Olfactics

Olfactics or olfactorics refers to the transmission of message through smell even without being
verbally told. A smell can make you remember memories you had when you were a child or with
somebody special. Actually, we can remember what we have smelled longer compared to what we
have seen or heard. Are you not able to tell if somebody is brewing coffee just by smelling the aroma, of
the coffee spread in the air? Or tell who among your family members walked near you even without
checking who it was just by the smell of their perfume? Or be warned if you smell something burning?

Early in 1877, Darwin observed that an infant would turn his head toward his mother when his eyes
are closed and her breast was brought near the infant’s face. From that observation, Darwin suggested
that maybe, it was the odor or smell of the milk that made the infant turn his head. But he also added
that it may have been the odor of the mother or her body heat that made the infant react that way.
Whatever it is that really brought the infant to respond to this stimulus proved that odor or smell can send
a message — that milk was available or that its mother was present — and that the sense of smell can be
used to receive and interpret a message.

Chromatics
Chromatics refers to the communication of messages thru colors. In interpreting messages using
this nonverbal method, it is important to consider culture because one color may mean different in one
country compared to another. For example, in the past, black is a color of mourning. Anyone seen
wearing black is understood to be in grief. Countries like the Philippines and even the US observe this
practice. In India though, it is white that people wear to show they are grieving. Nowadays, black is not
only worn for that purpose. Men and women wear black for formal gatherings, especially evening affairs.
Traditionally, Filipino brides wear white gowns in their wedding, a color which signifies purity and
cleanliness. In other places like Hong Kong, brides wear red, a color that is not worn by Filipino brides for
some reason associated with the color red.

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Gustorics
Gustorics is a nonverbal symbol that refers to taste. It can communicate pleasure, displeasure or
warning. It is pleasure that we get when we enjoy the food we are eating, and displeasure if we do not.
What one perceives as a pleasurable taste may not be perceived by another. For example, you may
love eating spicy foods but your friend might not be able to tolerate the taste.

Positive Body Language:

 Maintaining eye contact with the person to whom you are communicating
 Smiling (if appropriate) but especially as a greeting and when parting
 Sitting squarely in a chair, leaning slightly forward (to indicate that you are paying attention)
 Nodding in agreement
 A firm handshake
 Presenting a calm exterior
 Looking interested

Negative Body Language:

 Not looking at the person with whom you are speaking
 Tapping a foot, fingers, and the like
 Rocking backward and forward
 Scratching
 Continually clearing your throat
 Fiddling your hair, ear lobes, jewelry, jacket, glasses and the like
 Picking at fingers or fingernails
 Yawning or stretching
 Repeatedly looking at your watch or clock in the room
 Standing too close to others
 Inattention to the person who is speaking

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