2.1 Introduction to Verbal Communication

Communication is the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules. The act of communication among human beings has been subject to consistent evolution and upgradation from time to time. In the pre-historic times, people used to communicate with their fellow beings through grunts, barks, and roars just like animals. But gradually they developed an elaborate set of sounds to express their feelings and convey their messages. Now it is a systematic use of language that differentiates human beings from animals. Only human beings have been blessed with the gift of language.

The different languages used by human beings do differ from the other codes used by them to communicate among themselves. Human language has the property of recursiveness and creativity which suggests that there are signals within signals but each signal has its own significance. In any language, with a definite set of graphic symbols and their corresponding phonological symbols it is possible to form and communicate infinite number of messages.

2.1.1 Role of Language in Verbal Communication

Because of the various functions it can perform, language has a great role in communication. Whatever codes we use to convey our message within a fixed frame of reference in a given language, they serve different functions. The basic functions of language can be grouped into three categories: descriptive, expressive, and social.

1) Descriptive function

Under descriptive function, we can include travel writing (description of places), biography, autobiography and writing about other people, diary and personal letters, technical and scientific works. We can also include the verbal description of people, places, and things under this head. While attempting descriptive writing or speaking, it is essential that the writer or speaker has obtained all necessary information about the object of writing or speaking.

2) Expressive function

Under expressive function, we have interjections, exclamations, use of special words and phrases for emphasis. Using interjections, we can express satisfaction, excitement, surprise, pain, hurt, and disgust. In order to lay emphasis, we either use a word with a stress or use an extra word/phrase to add emphasis (e.g. You have never been fair to us at all.) We also use question tags, rhetorical questions, auxiliary “do, ” fronted negation (Starting a sentence with a negative word, e.g. Never have I seen a fool like you.) to put emphasis on a statement or a particular idea.

3) Social function

Under social function of language we can include functions like greeting, bidding farewell, giving a command or an order, asking a question, making a request, advising, offering a suggestion, expressing agreement or disagreement, accepting or declining an invitation, expressing wishes, thanks, apologies, regrets, condolences, sending seasonal greetings, offering help, giving instructions, expressing obligation, expressing the necessity for doing something, and expressing certainty. Under each function, we have multiple sub-functions. For example, under the function “request, ” we have “request for permission, ” “request for help, ” “formal request, ” “informal request, ” etc. When we choose a particular language function, we need to use the code that is appropriate for that function. The words, structures, and sentences used to perform a particular function do differ from the words, structures, and sentences used to perform a different function. While expressing a polite request, for instance, we use “could” or “would” whereas for formal requests we use “may” and for making informal requests we use either “can” or “will.”

The word order in an assertive sentence is different from an interrogative or an imperative sentence. In an assertive sentence we follow the normal sentence pattern (e.g. Rahim is a sincere boy.) but in an interrogative sentence we have an inverse order (e.g. Is Rahim a sincere boy? ) and in an imperative sentence we do not have a visible subject (e.g. Do this work at this moment? ). Likewise, for sentences expressing suggestions we have quite different structures (e.g. Why don't you go to the police station? How about joining a new party next week? Let's have picnic on this weekend. You'd better consult a doctor.)

One more important point is noted in regard to the use of language for communication. The language we use should be simple enough for the receiver to understand the message intended but at the same time it should not be jerky. Too many small sentences in a passage also spoil its beauty. If we use long and complex sentences with a lot of ideas packed into one sentence, the receiver/addressee will be confused and the message will not be properly transmitted. Therefore the best way is to maintain balance between the two. Small sentences connected with suitable connectors impart clarity, conciseness, and grace to a passage and make it worth reading/listening.

While performing a particular language function, we actually have a purpose in our mind. In order to see the purpose translated into action, we need to use the words, structures, and sentences that are grammatically correct, socially acceptable, and meaningful. Moreover, we must try to understand whether the receiver has the same competence as us to receive the message, process it, understand the import inherent in it, and wherever possible, provide the necessary feedback to the sender regarding the effectiveness of the message being transmitted.

2.1.2 Receptive and Productive Language Skills

Within a linguistic community, one is said to be a successful communicator if he or she has mastered the basic language skills, the receptive and productive skills required to make effective use of a language for performing different activities and satisfying various purposes. Under receptive skills we have the listening and reading skills whereas under productive skills we have speaking and writing skills. To be a good communicator, one should be able to have a balanced knowledge of both the receptive and productive skills. Unless we are able to listen to people with patience, we will not be able to be good speakers. In order to speak well, we must listen how individual words are pronounced, how sentences are pronounced with proper pauses, and what tonal modulations are adopted in long speeches. These skills help us speak the words and sentences with proper accent, stress, and intonation, and make our speech intelligible to others. Not only this, listening to great people also helps us pick out the important ideas in the talk and filter out the irrelevant ones. Similarly, if we are not able to read well, we will not be able to write well. All good writers are voracious readers. Reading new books help us get new ideas, understand unique and attractive ways of presenting old ideas and integrating the new and old to bring out the best.

The receptive skills and the productive skills are interdependent. It is a general assumption among people that unless one is not a good speaker of a language, he or she cannot be a good communicator. But speaking skills are just one fourth of the set of skills required for the use of language for both personal and professional communication. Listening skills, reading skills, and writing skills are equally important. In order to communicate properly, one should be able to use the language automatically in response to the needs of various contexts. This linguistic behavior of ours is conditioned by the context where we are communicating with others to connect to them. While talking/writing to our own people, relatives, and friends, we follow the rules of language but we are relaxed and do not bother to be polite. On the other hand, while talking/writing to officers, teachers, and other people on official occasions, we try to be as formal and polite as possible so as not to offend the person we communicate with. The former situation is informal and the latter is formal.

When a language is spoken over a large geographical area, it acquires regional variations to cater to the needs of people living in that particular area. These regional varieties of languages, known as dialects, share the original syntactic features of the language but as regard semantic and phonological rules, they show variations. The same word may have different names and may be pronounced in different ways in different dialects. This variation is the most distinct on the phonological level. That is the reason why people using a particular dialect are not understood by people with a different dialect. This variation occurs not only on the level of dialect, it can also happen on the level of individuals because no two people speak the same language in the same way. The regional variations occur at the level of dialect and individual variations occur on the level of idiolect.

The language spoken by people of a particular profession is often marked by the presence of words and phrases peculiar to that language. A computer engineer, for example, may use the word “booting” which an ordinary user of the language may not be able to understand. Similarly, an engineer may use the term “oxidation” to explain the rusting of iron implements. This special use of the language to meet the requirements of a specific profession is called a register. Registers vary from each other as well as the standard language in terms of the profession-specific vocabulary items and some fixed expressions that are frequently used in that particular type of register. Of course, variations in regard to the rules of grammar often appear, but they are quite infrequent. Our knowledge of the dialects and registers used by the target group help us improve our communication with them.

2.1.3 Need for Using Bias-free Language

Being sensitive to the context is not the whole thing. One also needs to be aware of the biases he or she might be susceptible to. When the act of communication is being transacted within a community, there is little chance of the message being misinterpreted or misunderstood. On the other hand, in case of inter-community or inter-cultural communication, there might be interruption in the transmission of the message due to socio-cultural biases like class/caste-based bias, racial/ethnic bias, disability bias, and gender bias. Being citizens of the open and globalized world, we should be sensitive to the issues which affect the lives of common people. Both in spoken and written communication we should avoid words and expressions that may hurt people belonging to a certain gender, caste, class, religion, race, or ethnicity. It is always wise to use neutral language which does not favor a particular community at the cost of another. Instead of saying “salesman” or “saleswoman, ” it is better for us to use“salesperson” which includes people of both genders. Likewise, it is better to use the phrase“all communities” than to use “people belonging to the scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, general and other backward categories.” Nowadays, a new trend has started coming up. Now we have started using the word “actor” to mean both “actor” and “actress.” It is heinous to call people by the disabilities they suffer from. If we call someone blind, we directly attack his or her disability and remind him or her of the pain that he or she has been suffering from. But if we call the same person “visually challenged, ” we just hint at his or her disability but with a lot of respect, in a more polite and mild tone. In the same manner, we can use “hearing impaired” for the “deaf” people, “speech-impaired” for the dumb people, and “differently-abled” for the “physically handicapped” people.

2.1.4 Types of Verbal Communication

By verbal communication, we mean the type of communication which is rooted in language. Verbal communication among human beings is possible both on the spoken level and the written level. Both at the spoken and written level, communication is possible through different formats.

Francis J. Bergin finds oral communication more effective because it has several important features. It has to be candid, clear, complete, concise, concrete, correct, and courteous. It is useful because it saves time and money and is more forceful than other forms of communication. With oral communication, it is possible to convey different shades of meaning, listeners can get immediate clarification from speakers, and speakers can get immediate feedback from listeners. It can be effective in both face-to-face communication and public interactions or public speaking.

The disadvantages of oral communication often reduce its effectiveness. It is not possible to connect distant people without the aid of technical devices. It is not possible to transmit long messages through oral communication. If it is not being recorded on any technical device like tape recorder or video recorder, it is not easy to reproduce the oral communication between two persons as evidence. That is why it does not have legal validity as people can keep on changing their oral versions from time to time. In case of any misunderstanding due to wrong communication, it is not possible to fix responsibility.

Group Work

Work in groups and discuss the question with your group members: In your opinion, what are the skills in verbal communication?

Exercises

1. Tell whether the following statements are true or false.

1) There is no defined line between a language and a dialect.

2) The receptive skills and the productive skills are interdependent.

3) In the pre-historic times, people used to communicate with their fellow beings just like now.

4) The different languages used by human beings are the same as the other codes used by them to communicate among themselves.

5) The language we use should be as simple as possible.

2. Fill in the blanks with the key points.

1) The basic functions of language can be grouped into three categories: ________ function,________ function, and ________ function.

2) ________ connected with suitable connectors impart clarity, conciseness, and grace to a passage and make it worth reading/listening.

3) Verbal communication among human beings is possible both on ________.

4) The disadvantages of oral communication often ________.

3. Finish the following task with your own understanding.

According to your own experience and the knowledge you have learned, talk about your understandings about the definition of communication.