Chapter 1:

Communication, Processes, Principles,

and Ethics

Lesson 1:
The Nature of Language and Communication
Communication is inevitable. Our need for self-expression
leads us to communicate not only our thoughts but also our
feelings. Communication maybe done verbally or non-
verbally. A simple yawn from a member of the audience in
a public speaking engagement is non-verbal message sent
to the speaker. On the other hand, phone call inquiring
about a certain product is an example of a verbal message.
(Wakat, et al, 2018).

Communication is indeed part of our everyday living. The

very fact that we need to communicate when we are
hungry for us to be able to have something to eat is a proof
that communication skill is a skill, we need to develop in
order to survive.

Hence, at the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify the nature, elements, and types of communication.
2. explain the communication process.
3. discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different communication types in various communication
settings.

MOTIVATION:

What comes into your mind when you hear the word COMMUNICATION? Complete the word web by providing
words which can be associated with the word Communication. Write your answers on the blank ovals.

1._______

2. ______ 3. _____

COMMUNICATION

4.
5. ______
_______

6. ______

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 INCULCATING CONCEPTS:

• The system of word or signs that people use to express

thoughts and feelings to each other; any one of the systems
of human language that are used and understood by
particular group of people (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

• Linguists agree that a language can be called a language if it

has a system of rules (also known as grammar), a system of
sound (phonology), and a vocabulary (lexicon). These are the
requirements for identifying a means of communication as a
language. (Madrunio & Martin, 2018).

While growing up, people acquire the languages used by those in the
community. This is the process of language acquisition. The
languages acquired while growing up are known as mother tongue,
which may also be referred to as first language.

People discover later that other languages are needed for various
reasons. These other languages may be referred to as second
languages. People learn these languages by studying formally in
school or informally on their own. This is the process of language
learning.

Sometimes, we talk to people with a different speech community. They spell

words differently, pronounce words differently and they have different
ways of expressing the same concepts. Will we be able to communicate with
them? The answer is yes. Though it will be a challenge for us, we try to
understand each other and eventually communicate as we slowly learn each
other’s languages. What is happening here is called language contact. The
result of such contact may be a new form of language. It is possible that
when we communicate with others whose language is different from ours, we produce a new language form that is
understandable to both of us. Our own language may also change as we constantly interact and communicate with
those with a different language. Thus, language change is the result of language contact.

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 WHAT IS

• Communication is understood as the process of meaning-making through a channel or a medium. It comes

from the Latin “communicare”, meaning to share or to make ideas common, (Wakat, et al, 2018).

• Depending on what is being considered, communication

as a term takes on different contexts resulting in people
having different views on communication types. Since
communication is generally defined as the exchange of
thoughts, ideas, concepts, and views between or among
two or more people, various contexts come into play.

Context is the circumstance or environment in which

communication takes place. Such circumstance may
include the physical or actual setting, the value positions
of a speaker/listener, focuses on certain communication
processes and even groupings of people that constitute a
communication situation (Madrunio & Martin, 2018).

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION (Wakat, et al, 2018).

1. Source- The sender carefully crafts the message. The sender may be anyone: an author of a book, a public
speaker in a special occasion or eve a traffic enforcer.

2. Message- the message is the reason behind any interaction. It is the meaning shared between the sender
and the receiver. Messages take many forms. They could mean poems, songs, essays, news articles, road
signs, and even symbols.

3. Channel- the channel is the means by which

a message is conveyed. When we answer a
phone call, the phone is the channel. On the
other hand, when your parents receive a
notification of your absences in school, the
channel is a letter.

4. Receiver- The receiver is the person who

receives the transmitted message. The
receiver may be a part of an audience in a
public speaking event, a reader of a letter or
a driver who reads road signs. The receiver
is expected to listen or read carefully, to be
aware of different kinds of sender to jot
down information when needed, to provide
response and to ask questions for clarification.

5. Feedback- A feedback is essential to confirm recipient understanding. Feedback, like messages, are
expected in varied forms. A simple nod for a question of verification I considered a feedback. Thus,
feedback may be written, spoken or acted out.

6. Environment- The place, the feeling, the mood, the mindset and the condition of both the sender and
receiver are called environment. The environment may involve the physical set-up of location where
communication takes place, the space occupied by both sender and the receiver, including the objects
surrounding he sender and the receiver.

7. Context- This involves the expectations of the sender to the receiver and the common or shared
understanding through the environmental signals.

8. Interference- This is also known as barrier or block that prevents effective communication to take place.

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Kinds of Interference
a. Physical barriers include competing stimulus, weather and climate, health and ignorance of the medium.
b. Psychological barriers are thoughts that hamper the message to be interpreted collectively by the receiver.
c. Cultural and linguistic barriers pertain to the language and its cultural environment. Words may mean
another in different cultures.
d. Mechanical barriers are those raised by the channels employed for interpersonal, group or mass
communication. These include cellphones, laptops and other gadgets used in communication.

Physical Psychological Cultural/ Linguistic Environmental/

•Cognitive impairment /Personal •Language difference Social
•Physical challenges •Practices and Beliefs •Activity level
•Attitudes
•Sensory impairment •Religion •Comfort level
•Labelling
•Speech impairment •Noise
•Preconceptions
•Physical arrangement
•Prejudices
•Time
•Resistance to change

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO MODE

A message may be conveyed via these types: verbal—non-verbal and visual. Though communication is often
thought of as verbal, the non-verbal mode is equally essential as it enhances one’s message.

1. Verbal or oral communication uses spoken words to

communicate a message. When most people think of verbal
communication, they think of speaking, but listening is an equally
important skill for this type of communication to be successful.
Verbal communication is applicable to a wide range of situations,
ranging from informal office discussions to public speeches made
to thousands of people.

2. Non-verbal communication is the counterpart of verbal communication. It includes other forms of

transmission not represented by word symbols like
paralanguage (tone of voice, halting speech and others), body
language, object language, tactile or touch communication, time
and space.

Effective communication calls for the blending of these two types.

One cannot be separated from the other.

3. Visual communication, on the other hand, is the

type of communication that uses visuals to convey
information and/or messages. Some examples are
signs, symbols, imagery, maps, graphs, charts,
diagrams, pictographs, photos, drawings or
illustrations, and even various forms of electronic
communication. Some examples of electronic
communication symbols or images are the emojis,
emoticons, and animations among others to convey
the writer’s emotions or clarify the intent of the
message sender. These are achieved through digital
mode or text.

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TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO CONTEXT

Context in communication is referred to as a composite of people interacting with each other. Communication may
also be classified according to context:

1. INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

The Latin prefix intra-means within or inside. Intrapersonal

communication then is a communicator's internal use of
language or thought. It can be useful to envision intrapersonal
communication occurring in the mind of the individual in a
model which contains a sender, receiver, and feedback loop.
Some label it as self or inner talk, inner monologue, or inner
dialogue. Psychologists call it with other names such as self-
verbalization or self-statement.

Steps to attain interpersonal communication.

1) Self-awareness - knowing your strength and weaknesses.
2) Self-discovery - knowing that you were born special and all individuals are unique.
3) Self-knowledge - knowing that you have talents/ traits different from anybody.
4) Self-acceptance - knowing and accepting your limitations.
5) Self-involvement - knowing that you are now ready to face and embrace the world
because you already know who you are.

2. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

As opposed to intra, the Latin prefix inter means between, among, and
together. Interpersonal communication is the process by which people
exchange information, feelings, and meaning through verbal and non-verbal
messages: it is face-to-face communication. An interactive exchange takes
place as interpersonal communication takes place.

As it occurs, a transaction does not necessarily take place since it can be a

simple interaction such as greetings, getting to know a person, or ordinary
conversations that happen between or among the interactants. This may occur
in dyads or small groups, also known as group communication.

However, if the objective is to achieve something at the end of the

conversation, it becomes transactional.

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Classification of Interpersonal Communication

a. Dyadic/Diadic - The term 'Dyadic communication', in general

refers to an interaction between two persons. Even if two groups
are present in a situation, it is only two communicators that play a
fundamental role. It is a person-to-person transaction and one of
the commonest forms of speech communications.

Reasons why people engage in dyadic communication.

1) To gain information
2) To gain employment
3) To highlight a person’s achievement

b. Small group discussion- the sole purpose of small group discussion is for the group to have cooperation or
unity.

Common characteristics in small group discussion

1. Rabble- rouser- is a clever speaker who can persuade a group of people to behave violently or
aggressively, often for the speaker's own political advantage. Feeds and stirs people’s emotions.
2. Poppycock or garbage talker – a person who would talk nonsense and would frequently ask off
tangent questions.
3. Surly jester- a person that out of boredom would
crack jokes in the middle of discussion.
4. Eternal minstrel – a person that has a good
command of the language and would monopolize the
discussion not giving others the chance to talk or
participate.
5. Silent angel – a person that knows the topic being
discussed but would just keep quiet.
6. Acerbic biter- a person that would make faces in
front of the speaker or to anybody that would participate
in the discussion.

Styles in interpersonal communication

a. Controlling style - is a form of one-way communication that is used to direct others and gain their
compliance.
b. Egalitarian style- the egalitarian style is a form two-way communication that involves sharing information
rather than directing behavior. It is used to stimulate others to express their ideas and opinions in order to
reach a mutual understanding.
c. Structuring style- is used to establish schedules or impose organization.
d. Dynamic style- is a high-energy approach that uses inspirational pleas to motivate another person to take
action. This style can be effective in crisis situations, but it is generally ineffective when the receivers do not
have enough knowledge or experience to take the required action.
e. Relinquishing style- is deferential rather than directive. It is highly receptive to the ideas of others, to the
point of shifting responsibility for communication to the receiver.

3. EXTENDED COMMUNICATION
Extended communication involves the use of
electronic media. Before, it only called for the use
of television and radio but nowadays, the
description of extended communication may be
expanded as to include tele, audio, or phone
conferencing; video conferencing; Skype calls, and
other technological means.

With the use of electronic media, messages are

transmitted quickly. For instance, with the use of
the Internet, recorded videos may be transmitted
in seconds/ minutes and may be viewed by a greater number of people. With extended communication, your
own thinking, behavior, and attitude may be influenced by other people and you may be persuaded to take the
views you hear. It is important then that you weigh what you hear and assess them against those beliefs that
you hold on to, so you do not get easily swayed by other people’s convictions.

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4. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

The focus is on the role that communication

plays in organizational contexts. A set of rules
or standards for communication protocol
should be made clear so that interaction
patterns are established. On the part of the
individual, you should be equipped with the
needed oral and written communication
skills that the organization expects you to
possess.

Two Types of Organizational Structure:

1. Formal structure - allows communication to take place via designated channels of message flow between
positions in the organization.

Approaches on Formal Organizational Communication.

a) Downward communication
i) is the type that flows from upper to lower
positions, i.e., from the president to a manager or
supervisor, or from a manager to an ordinary
staff. The flow of communication is top-down or
from a supervisor to a subordinate, usually
asking certain individuals to do a certain task.
ii) It can take any form: memos, notices, face to face
interactions, or telephone conversations.
iii) Such communication increases awareness about
the organization among employees.
iv) It flows down the chain of command. When
managers inform, instruct, advise, or request
their subordinates, the communication flows in a
downward pattern.

b) Upward communication
i. on the other hand, is bottom-up in which
subordinates send communication to
their superiors/ bosses bearing their
view/feedback on organizational
policies, issues related to their jobs, and
the like.
ii. It keeps managers aware of how
employee feel about their jobs and the
organization in general. It also helps
them to make certain decisions or solving
some problems which concern the
organization.
iii. Suggestion boxes, Employee Attitude
Surveys, Review Reports etc.

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 c) Horizontal/ Lateral communication
i. is lateral in approach as it takes place
among people belonging to the same level
but coming from different departments
or units to facilitate performance of tasks
through proper coordination.
ii. Such communication is often necessary to
facilitate coordination, save time and
bridge the communication gap among
various departments.
iii. It is very vital for the growth of an
organization as it builds cooperation
among the employees as well as various
branches.

d) Crosswise approach
i. is diagonal in nature as employees from
different units or departments flows in all
directions and cuts across functions &
levels in an organization.
ii. When a sales manager communicates
directly with the VP (Production) who is
not only in a different division but also at a
higher level.
iii. Though It deviates from the normal chain
of command, there is no doubt that its
quick & efficient.

2. Informal communication, on the other hand, comes from unofficial channels of message flow. Also known as
“grapevine”, messages coming from the different levels of organizations are transmitted.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

It is communication between or among people having different linguistic, religious, ethnic, social, and
professional backgrounds. Even gender difference affects communication. Individuals having different
orientations communicate and interpret messages differently. This particularly happens with non-verbal
communication.

Each organization has its own culture.

This is referred to as organizational
culture. Organizational culture is of
utmost significance since it will dictate the
kind of behavior that employees should
possess as well as the extent of
commitment expected from them by the
organization. They all share in the values,
practices, vision, and mission of the
organization.

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TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO PURPOSE AND STYLE

The types of communication in relation to purpose and style are formal and informal. However, rather than
focusing on the transmission of message and message flow, the focus here is on the communication setting and the
mode of delivery.

• Formal communication employs formal language delivery orally or in written form. Lectures, public
talks/speeches. research and project proposals, reports, and business letters among others are all
considered formal situations and writings. Note that while lectures and speeches are delivered orally, the
texts have been thought out carefully and written well before they are delivered. To inform, to entertain,
and to persuade are the main objectives of the type of communication.

• Informal communication certainly does not employ formal language. It involves personal and ordinary
conversations with friends, family members, or acquaintances about anything under sun. The mode may be
oral as in face-to-face, ordinary or everyday talks and phone calls, or written as in the case of e-mail
messages, personal notes, letters, or text messages. The purpose is simply to socialize and enhance
relationships.

APPLICATION:

Create a one-act role-playing script employing the different types of communication. Enclose the appropriate non-
verbal communication (gestures, hand movement, facial expressions, etc.) in the parentheses that best support the
lines (verbal communication). Please see the example script below for reference.

Actor 1: Hi! (Waving his hand) Are you the new exchange student from America?
Actor 2: Yes, I am. By the way, I’m Johnson (Extending his right hand for a handshake).
Actor 1: Nice to meet you Johnson. I am Mathew. (Both are shaking hands).
The Bell rings…
Actor 1: It’s already time for our first class. Nice to meet you again, Johnson. (tapping the shoulders of Johnson).
See you around.
Actor 2: Sure! (Replying with a smile).
(Note: Please lengthen your work for a more vivid depiction of your chosen scenario)
Be creative. These criteria shall apply.
Criteria:
Content (Depiction of Types of Communication) 50%
Creativity and appropriateness of the situation 50%
Total 100%