Communication Systems: Verbal, Non-Verbal, Visual

Systems of Communication

• There are three systems of communication: verbal, non-verbal, and visual
• These systems are usually combined to express ourselves or interpret others

Traffic Lights as Communication

• Traffic lights exemplify how verbal, non-verbal, and visual cues combine
• Verbal: Someone telling you it's your turn to go
• Non-verbal: People honking their horns
• Visual: The green light as a symbol

Verbal Communication

• Verbal communication is the use of words to communicate
• Verbal communication relies a great deal on the speaker's vocabulary
• Verbal communication's effectiveness depends on the ability to articulate thoughts clearly and the listener's comprehension

Non-Verbal Communication

• Non-verbal communication gives meaning using body language or tone of voice
• Non-verbal communication includes gestures, vocal tones, volumes, and facial expressions
• It is often more meaningful than verbal communication

Reliance on Non-Verbal Communication

• Non-verbal communication is relied on most when conveying something to another person

Visual Communication

• Visual communication encompasses writing and signs/symbols specific to cultures or regions
• Facial expressions are visual communication when expressing emotion
• Visual communication relies heavily on signifiers

Signifiers

• Signifiers = physical forms of a sign (image, color, printed word, sound, facial expression)
• A traffic light is a standard signifier that relays meaning through color

Language and Culture

• Language and culture are symbiotic
• Language reflects culture and culture shapes language
• Culture affects language by relying on shared experiences and history

Aspects of Language

• Language includes words, pronunciations, tone, and dialects shaped by culture
• Culture is influenced by shared experiences, environment, and history
• Language is fluid and reflects culture

Language and Nature

• The natural world significantly affects language
• Ogham is an old European language based on trees

Accents and Dialects

• Accents and dialects are aspects of language that are culturally based
• Accents can signal culture through speech patterns
• Vocabulary and dialect can indicate one's culture

Coded Cultural Language

• Culture makes a group of people unique and affects how people speak
• Variations in language are what give self-expression
• Coded cultural messages are understood by those within a culture

Job of Language

• Language shares facts, creates social bonds, shares experience, and records cultural history
• Language transmits values, laws, and cultural norms, while also influencing personal identity
• Language may include censorship

Body Language

• Body language conveys emotions through movements, expressions, eye contact, and gestures
• A "thumbs up" is considered rude in New Zealand

Body Language in China

• Show respect to elders in China by lowering head and bending slightly
• Status dictates when to shake hands
• Scraping a finger across the face is an insult

Body Language in India

• Illustrators are gestures that accompany words and emblems have their own meaning
• Namaste is an illustrator involving folding the hands during a greeting
• Palms facing outward is a suicide gesture
• Women typically avoid physical contact

Body Language in England

• Shake hands upon greeting/leaving
• Women offer their hand first
• Light handshake only
• Keep personal space and don't put your arm around others

Arabic Language

• Arabic is used globally, and is the language of the Qur'an
• Arabic is significant in Islam, and the language of business
• Arabic is a Semitic language, related to Hebrew, Aramaic, Kurdish, and Berber
• Arabic developed around the 2nd millennium BCE in the Arabian Peninsula

Written Arabic

• Arabic relates to Nabataean which descended from ancient Aramaic in the 2nd century BCE
• Examples have been found written in Nabataean script dating to 328 CE
• The Arabic writing system development is not yet clear

Arabic and the Qur'an

• According to Islamic tradition, God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad (609-632 CE)
• The Qur'an quickly became the most important Arabic text

Classical Arabic

• The Qur'an dialect = Classical Arabic or Fos-ha
• Islamic poetry solidified Classical Arabic, which elevated educated priests
• Fos-ha is the basis of Modern Standard Arabic

Spread of Arabic

• Arabic spread in the 7th century through the writing/distribution of the Qur'an
• It also spread through Arab conquests & trade
• Arabic traders used Islamic maps, navigational tools, and funding to set up ports from Africa to China

Arab Conquests

• The Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates went through the Middle East, West and Central Asia, North Africa, Spain, and Portugal

Classical Arabic and Dialects

• Bureaucrats and priests turned Arabic into a language of culture/arts/sciences
• Classical Arabic was maintained, but local dialects emerged (fusion of Arabic with local languages)
• Major regional dialects include Maghreb Arabic, Egyptian Arabic, Levantine Arabic, and Iraqi Arabic

Arabic Trade

• Arabic trade dominated routes and spread Arabic as a language of trade

Arabic Dialects in Saudi Arabia

• Arabic dialects have unique vocabulary and pronunciation
• Hejazi is spoken in the country's western part
• Najdi is the dialect in the central region

Saudi Accents

• Guttural "ق" (qaaf) can sound different from accents in other regions
• Lebanese accents sound softer and may alter the "ق" while the Saudi dialect sounds stronger

Non-Verbal Communication in Saudi Arabia

• Non-verbal communication has specific meanings in Saudi Arabia
• Eye contact is important for trust; too much can be confrontational
• Personal space smaller than Western cultures

Differing views on Body language

• In China, maintaining direct eye contact can sometimes be seen as challenging authority
• Americans might feel uncomfortable if someone stands too close

Gender Differentation in Language Usage

• Interactions between genders in Saudi Arabia often have specific cultural rules
• Formality and respect are emphasized
• Specific social settings may require different interaction levels

Differences between Saudi and French languages

• French language has gender-specific terms, but the usage pertains more to the language structure itself than social interaction rules as in Saudi culture

Cultural Nuances in Communication

• Hospitality = pivotal cultural trait in Saudi Arabia
• Greetings are elaborate and may include exchanging warm expressions and blessings

Cultural Differences between Saudi and Japanese Greetings

• Japanese culture values politeness and has specific verbal and non-verbal cues, such as bowing
• The verbal complexity of greetings in Japan is structured differently with specific honorifics