Filamer Christian University

College of Teacher Education

LECTURE NOTES IN PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

Course Description
Purposive Communication is about writing-speaking and presenting to different audiences and for various
purposes. Purposes Communication is a three-unit course that develops students’ communicative competence
and enhances their cultural and intercultural awareness through multimodal tasks that provide them
opportunities for communicating effectively and appropriately to a multicultural audience in a local or global
context.

It equips students with tools for critical evaluation of a variety of text and focuses on the power of language and
the impact of images to emphasize the importance of conveying messages responsibly. The knowledge, skills,
and insights that students gain from this course may be used in their other academic endeavors, their chosen
disciplines, and their future careers as they compose and produce relevant oral, written, audio-visual and/or
web-based pout for various purposes.

What is a Language
Together with the creation of human life is the creation of a wonderful and dynamic human capacity –
language.
While it may be true that animals communicate, only human beings are truly capable of producing language.

Linguists agree that a language can only be called a language if it has a system of rules (also known as
grammar), a sound system (phonology), and a vocabulary (lexicon). These are the requirements for identifying
a means of communication as a language.

A monkey will produce sounds and gestures, but will not be able to organize the sounds into a meaningful
system with rules. What the monkey is producing is not a language in the strictest sense of the word.

Human beings on the other hand, are able to communicate their desire to share food through several ways that
are understandable to other human beings. They may utter a word (food), raise a question (Want some food),
or give a statement (I’d like to share this food with you)

When people use language they can understand each other because they belong to the same speech
community. They can understand each other because in their speech community, people share the same
set of rules in the language system. 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
tongues, which may also be referred to as first languages. People discover later on 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.

What happens if people visit another speech community that is different from their own?

American & British speak English. However, they spell English words differently. They pronounce words
differently. They have different ways of expressing the same concepts. It can be said that the Americans and
the British belong to two speech communities which do not have exactly the same set of rules for their
languages. This is why there are differences in their languages.

What happens if you, for example, who speaks a mother tongue and English, go to work in China where the
residents speaks Putonghua (Mandarin) and a little bit of English? Will you be able to communicate with the
Chinese?

Yes! Though it will be a challenge for you and your Chinese friends to try to understand each other, eventually
you will be able to communicate as you 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 in your
attempts to communicate with each other, you and your Chinese friend will produce a new language form that
is understandable to both of you. Your own languages may also change as you constantly interact and
communicate with each other. Thus, language change is the result of language contact.

Language is indeed a complex human capacity. It is therefore important to be aware of its features and
behavior to be able to use language more effectively and productively in communicating with others.
What is Communication

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 circumstances may
include the physical or actual setting, the value positions of a speaker/listener, and the relevance or
appropriateness of a message conveyed. It focuses on certain communication processes and even groupings
of people that constitute a communication situation.

Communication may then be classified according:

1. Context,
2. Communication mode
3. purpose and style

VERBAL – N0N - VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Effective communication calls for the blending of these two types. One cannot be separated from the other. For
instance, a salesperson who demonstrate a product, can only be effective if they know how to properly
punctuate what they say with proper gestures and facial expression.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ACCORDING TO CONTEXT

Interacting In this sub-section, context in communications is referred to as a composite of people interaction

with each other. Communications may also be classified according to context:
(1) intrapersonal (2) interpersonal (3) extended (4) organizational communications and (5) intercultural
communications.

INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
The Latin prefix intra – means within or inside.
Intrapersonal communication then means talking to oneself. 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.

Do you find it normal to yourself?

Some say it is, some say is not. The gauge, however, rests on the frequency of the occurrence and how you
handle such. For instance, if you find yourself talking, there is really no need for you to answer back. You talk
to your self because you think that there is to boost your confidence, when you are nervous to speak in front of
an audience, apprise yourself that you performed a good job, or console yourself that you did a task poorly.

As opposed to intra, the Latin prefix inter – means between, among, and together. An interactive
exchange takes place as interpersonal communication takes place.

However, as it occurs, a transection does not necessary take place since in can only be a simple interaction
such as greetings, getting to know a person, or ordinary conversations that happen between or among the
interactions. This may occur in dyads or small groups, also known as group communication

A communication situation is interpersonal if it is meant to establish or deepen one’s relationship with

others. However, if the objective is to achieve something at the end of the conversation, it becomes
transactional.

While the former is characterized by less seriousness and formality, the latter is more formal and profound.
Whereas interpersonal talks are meant for maintaining social relationships, transactional talks aim to
accomplish or resolve something at the end of the conversation.
ORGANIZATIONAL
Types of Organization
1. Formal
2. Informal – comes from unofficial channels of message flow, also known as grapevine messages
coming from the different levels of organization are transmitted.

Type of Formal Communication

1. Downward communication – A type of communication that flows from upper to lower position.
2. Upward Communication – A flow of communication from top-bottom or superior to subordinates
3. Horizontal Communication – Lateral approach as it takes among people belonging to the same level
but coming from different departments or units to facilitate performance task through proper
coordination.
4. Crosswise Communication – Crosswise approach is diagonal in nature as employees from different
units or departments working at various level communicate with each other.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

TYPE OF COMMUNICATIO ACCORDING TO PURPOSE AND STYLE

1. Formal – formal language delivered orally or in written form. To inform, to entertain, to persuade are
the main objectives of this type of communication.
2. Informal – certainly does not employ formal language. It involves personal and ordinary conversations
with friends, family members, or acquaintances about anything another the sun.

Communication Processes, Principles and Ethics

Communication is in inevitable. Our need for self expression leads us to communicate not only our thoughts
but also our feelings. Communication may be done verbally or non-verbally. A simple yawn from a member of
the audience in a public speaking engagement is a non-verbal sent to the speaker. On the other hand, a
phone call inquiring about a certain product is an example of a verbal message.

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

from the Latin communicares , meaning to share or to make ideas common. The connection that encompasses
interaction among partakers is at the center of your learning of communication.

The Components of the Communication Process

 1. Source
The sender carefully crafts the meaning. The sender may be anyone: an author of a book, a public
speaker in a speaker occasion or even a traffic enforcer.

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

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 from
school, the channel is a letter. It is the responsibility of both the sender and the receiver to choose the
best channel for the interaction
 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.

 Feedback
In any communication scenario, a feedback is essential to confirm recipient understanding. Feedbacks
like messages, are expressed in varied forms. A simple nod for a question of verification is considered
a feedback. Thus, feedbacks may be written, spoken or acted out.

 Environment
The place, the feeling, the mood, the mindset and the condition of both the sender and the receiver .
The environment ma involve the physical set-up of a location where communication takes place, the
space occupied by both the sender and the receiver, including the objects surrounding the sender and
receiver.

 Context
Context involves the expectations of the sender and the receiver and the common or shared
understanding through the environmental signals.

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

KINDS OF INTERFERENCE
 a. Psychological barriers are thoughts that hamper the message to be interpreted correctly by the
receiver.
 Physical barriers include competing stimulus, weather and climate, health and ignorance of the
medium.
 Linguistic and cultural barriers pertain to the language and its cultural environment. Words may mean
another in different cultures.
 Mechanical barriers are those raised by the channels employed for interpersonal, group or mass
communication. These includes cellphones, laptops, and other gadgets used in communication.

THE NINE PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Michael Osborn (2009) claims that communication must meet certain standards for effective
communication to take place.

1. Clarity
Clarity makes speeches understandable. Fuzzy language is absolutely forbidden as are jargons, cliché
expressions, euphemism and doublespeak language.

2. Concreteness
Concreteness reduces misunderstandings. Messages must be supported by facts such as research data
statistics or figures. To achieve concreteness, abstract words must be avoided.

3. Courtesy
Courtesy builds goodwill. It involves being polite terms of approach and manner of addressing an individual.

4. Correctness
Glaring mistakes in grammar obscures the meaning of a sentence. Also, the misuse of language can damage
your credibility.

5. Consideration
Messages must be geared towards the audience. The sender of a message must be consider the recipient’s
profession, level of education, race, ethnicity, hobbies, interests, passions, advocacies and age when drafting
or delivering a message.

6. Creativity
Creativity in communication means having the ability to craft interesting messages in terms of sentence
structure and word choice.
7. Conciseness
Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Avoid using lengthy expressions and words that may confuse
the recipient.

8. Cultural Sensitivity
Today, with the increasing emphasis on empowering diverse cultures, lifestyle, and races and the pursuit for
gender equality, cultural sensitivity becomes and important standard for effective communication.

9. Captivating
You must strive to make messages interesting to command more attention and better responses.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATION IN COMMUNICATION

 Ethics is a branch of philosophy that focuses on issues of right and wrong in human affairs.

ETHICAL COMMUNICATORS
 Respect audience
 Consider the result of communication
 Value truth
 Use information correctly
 Do not falsify information

ORGANIZATIONAL