Understanding Communicative Functions

Communicative Functions

• Communication comes from the Latin words 'communis' (noun) and 'communicare' (verb).
• Communication involves sharing ideas, facts, information, opinions, knowledge, and emotions.
• Communication is the process where information is transmitted to get a response.
• Alternatively, communication represents the exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions between people.
• Communication involves transferring information so that the receiver understands.
• It also stands for the interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information through speech, writing, or signs.
• More broadly, it is the sum of actions one takes to create understanding, and involves systematic telling, listening, and understanding.

Importance of Communication

• Integral to human existence

• Fundamental to life

• Shapes the world's organization

• Essential for the world to function

• Often understood as the exchange of ideas, thoughts, emotions, knowledge and information.

• Modern technology has enhanced communication.

• Communication is becoming faster, more effective, and easier.

• Intelligibility is essential.

• Effective communication achieves the desired result or response.

• Feelings, attitudes, emotions, and thoughts are conveyed consciously or unconsciously via body language, etiquette, gestures, and tone.

• Core to success in any field

• Communication skills are desirable to employers.

Communication Process

• Involves senders, messages (words, images, gestures, etc.), receivers, and understanding with appropriate response.

Purpose and Significance

• Facilitates the Transfer of ideas and information
• Enables coordination between people
• Supports smooth business operations and transactions
• Fosters personal, professional, and social relationships

Types of Communication

• Persuasion
• Conflict Resolution

Verbal Communication

• Uses language and can be spoken or written

Oral Communication

• Uses spoken words, like face-to-face or phone conversations and video calls, and is the most basic and effective type.
• Benefits include instant feedback, clarity
• Listener can comment and ask questions
• Builds relationships

Written Communication

• Uses written words, including letters, documents, reports, and electronic messages and should be practiced as a creative activity.
• It is formal, offers wider reach
• It is permanent or lasts longer

Non-Verbal Communication

• Communication without words, including gestures, signs, facial expressions, and body language
• Message conveyed through posture, stance, gaze, tone, and voice modulation
• Non-Verbal makes up 55% of total communication
• It is spontaneous, subtle, and intuitive

Paralanguage

• Important communication form that interprets implied meanings.
• It makes up 38% of communication and uses tone, style, stress and intonation

Formal Communication

• Happens through official channels
• Used to share information within and between organizations
• Types include vertical and horizontal
• Follows procedures, guidelines, rules, and regulations
• Generally written
• Happens in business and workplaces

Informal Communication

• Communication without set official channels
• Without rules
• Used to maintain personal and professional relations
• Generally oral
• Not always reliable
• Frequent outside workplaces, like friends and family
• Incorporates colloquial speech (slang)
• Is faster than formal

Core Communication Skills

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing, known as LSRW, used to crucial in all professions

Listening

• Receptive or passive skill.
• Requires patience and attention
• Listener should avoid interrupting
• Listener comprehends speeches, integrate information and learns language skills like pronunciation and intonation
• Builds interpersonal relations

Speaking

• Productive skill that makes one express themself clearly
• Enables persuasion and leadership
• Paralinguistic features influence voice quality, tone, body language, and expression

Reading

• Receptive, essential, helps to understand written words
• Improve comprehension, fluency, knowledge, improve language skills and vocabulary

Writing

• Writing is creative
• Involves language, grammar and structure
• Requires practice, clarity and boosts career

Barriers of Communication

• Communication helps develop relationships and can also impact relationships among family members or management in any organisation
• Influences instruction, performance and problem solving
• Communication should be direct, complex, confusing or frustrating which is the barriers

Physiological Barriers

• From human limits, such as memory, attention, and senses and may result from ill-health, poor sight to hearing
• Poor Listening Skills, listening is hard
• A speaker's rate is 125 words per minute
• A typical listener can process 400-600 words per minute
• Listeners use the spare processing time to wander off the topic
• Solution is to be an active listener
• A person's expression, e.g frown, shaking head discourages the speaker

Information Overload

• Manage information as misinterpretation or loss
• Selective listening
• People don’t listen but only hear
• Inattention may lead to disappointment
• The emotion affects communication and body language
• Receiver understands sender is angry and can infer

Poor Retention

• Memories can be limited
• Person cannot always hear of not interested

Physical and Environmental Distractions

• Physical distractions that gets in the way such as a phone, uncomfortable place etc
• An environment can be difficult
• Common to common in hospital environment

Psychological Barriers

• The barrier influences people's state of mind
• Bad mood or stress impacts

Social Barriers

• Barriers includes follow of group
• Factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status may create communication barriers

Cultural Barriers

• Culture affects our thinking and communication patterns.
• When groups have different values or norms
• Cultural differences can create barriers

Semantic Barriers

• Involve language, jargon, and slang, and different language create a natural communication barrier
• Jargon can confuse to a patient
• Language ability impacts communication and misunderstanding result in confusion

Past Experience

• A bad experience can cause avoidance
• Discouraging feedback can create limits

Organizational Barriers

• Unclear planning, information overload, timing, technology, and status can cause barriers

Technological Failure.

• Caused due to technical issues

Unclear Message

• Can results from improper grammar or undefined terms as a barrier

Stereotypes

• Beliefs and generalization qualities can cause barriers
• Assumption results in misunderstanding by ignoring the message

Greeting and Introduction

• Note: A tip to make the best impression is to introduce yourself, be brief, be clear and say where you work or background information

Greeting: Formal Expressions

• Good morning, How are you? etc

Greetings: Informal Expressions

• Hello / Good to see you after a long time etc

Permission (Seeking): Formal Expressions.

• Could I have your permission to...? etc.

Permission (Seeking): Informal Expressions

• Mind if I?

Permission (Granting): Formal Situations.

• Yes, you may! etc.

Permission (Granting): Informal Situations

• Ok! etc

Permission (Refusal):

• No, I don't think so.

Asking and Giving Directions

• Note:
• Use formal and informal phrases that you know
• There is not a difference whether the speaker are strangers or people you may know
• Short simple instructions when giving directions and check for understanding

Giving Directions

• Use terms such as turn and go straight

Common questions to ask when asking for directions

• Try asking " is it far or Is it close?"

Asking questions when seeking directions

• Try asking "Where is chemist?"

Interrupting a Conversation

• Note:
• Interrupt only when necessary and otherwise
• Use polite language
• Beginning with an apology etc when interrupting someone

Accepting and Declining Invitations

• Note:
• When inviting give the time, then the date and finally the venue
• Accepting and declining thank the inviter

Common expressions for invitations and declinements

• We're having a
• I'll be happy for you

Making / Responding to Complaints

• Some common expressions used in formal and informal situations to make complaints and to respond to them
• “I'm sorry for the inconvenience”

Congratulating

• Say Congratulations on ... not for
• Use formal to casual word to express
• Add additional words such as to be happy for someone

Sympathizing

• Note:
• Use words to express sympathy to offer help
• Thank someone or if they are understanding
• Complete the expression with own unique words.
• "I feel sorry for the experience!"