Communication is a process that allows people to exchange information by one of several

methods. There are auditory means, such as speaking or singing, and nonverbal, physical
means, such as body language, sign language, paralanguage, touch or eye contact.
As developed below, communication happens at many levels (even for one single action),
in many different ways, and for all beings, and some machines. Many or all, fields of
study dedicate some attention to communication, so when speaking about communication
it is very important to be sure about what kind of communication one is speaking about,
mainly: what type of things are communicated, between what agents and with what kind
of results.
Communication is the process of sending and receiving information, thoughts and ideas.
It can be in verbal or non-verbal form. Communication is the means of expressing one's
feelings, and emotions towards other individual or towards self….
Purposes
As a process, communication has synonyms such as expressing feelings, conversing,
speaking, corresponding, writing, listening and exchanging. People communicate to
satisfy needs in both their work and non-work lives. People want to be heard, to be
appreciated and to be wanted. They also want to accomplish tasks and to achieve goals.
Obviously, then, a major purpose of communication is to help people feel good about
themselves and about their friends, groups, and organizations. For true communication,
there must be a transmission of thoughts, ideas and feelings from one mind to another.
However, human language is very different from plant communication.
Communication can be seen as processes of the transmission of [information] governed
by three levels of semiotic rules: Syntactic (formal properties of signs and symbols),
pragmatic (concerned with the relations between signs/expressions and their users) and
semantic (study of relationships between signs and symbols and what they represent).
Therefore, communication is a kind of social interaction where at least two interacting
agents share a common set of signs and a common set of semiotic rules. In a simplistic
model, information is sent from a sender or encoder to a receiver or decoder. In a slightly
more complex form feedback links a sender to a receiver. This requires that a symbolic
activity, sometimes via a language. Communication development is the development of
processes enabling one to understand what others say(or sign, or write) and speak(or sign,
or write), translate sounds and symbols into meaning and learn the syntax of the
language. Communication is often formed around the principles of respect, promises and
the want for social improvement. Specialized fields focus on various aspects of
communication and include the following:
Non-verbal communication, the act of imparting or interchanging thoughts, opinions or
information without the use of words;

· Symbolic communication, the exchange of messages that change a

priori expectation of events

· Animal communication, the discipline of animal behavior that

focuses on the reception and use of signals

Since the beginning of time, the need to communicate emerges from a set of universal
questions: Who am I? Who needs to know? Why do they need to know? How will they
find out? How do I want them to respond? Individuals, communities, and organizations
express their individuality through their identity. On the continuum from the cave
paintings at Lascaux to digital messages transmitted via satellite, humanity continues to
create an infinite sensory palette of visual and verbal expression.

Communication as a named and unified discipline has a history of contestation that goes
back to the Socratic dialogues, in many ways making it the first and most contestatory of
all early sciences and philosophies. Seeking to define "communication" as a static word
or unified discipline may not be as important as understanding communication as a
family of resemblances with a plurality of definitions as Ludwig Wittgenstein had put
forth. Some definitions are broad, recognizing that animals can communicate with each
other as well as human beings, and some are more narrow, only including human beings
within the parameters of human symbolic interaction.

Nonetheless, communication is usually described along three major dimensions:

Content
Form
Destination
With the presence of "communication noise" these three components of communication
often become skewed and inaccurate. Between parties, communication content include
acts that declare knowledge and experiences, give advice and commands, and ask
questions. These acts may take many forms, including gestures (nonverbal
communication, sign language and body language), writing, and speech. The form
depends on the symbol systems used. Together, communication content and form make
messages that are sent towards a destination. The target can be oneself, another person (in
interpersonal communication), or another entity (such as a corporation or group).

A particular instance of communication is called a speech act. A speech act typically

follows a variation of logical means of delivery. The most common of these, and perhaps
the best, is the dialogue. The dialogue is a form of communication where both the parties
are involved in sending information. There are many other forms of communication but
the reason the dialogue is good is because the dialogue lends itself to clearer
communication due to feedback. (Feedback being encoded information, either verbal or
nonverbal, sent back to the original sender (now the receiver) and then decoded.)

There are many theories of communication, and a commonly held assumption is that
communication must be directed towards another person or entity. This essentially
ignores autocommunication, including intrapersonal communication (note intra-, not
inter-) via diaries or self-talk.

There are many different areas of communication.A few are: nonverbal communication,
verbal communication, and symbolic communication. Nonverbal communication deals
with facial expressions and body motions. Much of the "emotional meaning" we take
from other people is found in the person's facial expressions and tone of voice,
comparatively little is taken from what the person actually says (More Than Talk).
Theories of coregulation describe communication as a creative and dynamic continuous
process, rather than a discrete exchange of information. Verbal communication is when
we communicate our message verbally to whoever is receiving the message. Symbolic
communications are the things that we have given meaning to and that represent a certain
idea we have in place, for example, the American flag is a symbol that represent freedom
for the Americans themselves, or imperialism and evil for some other countries.

Elements of communication

Power of Communication

Based on work originally proposed by the social psychologists French and Raven, there
are six different breakdowns of power in interpersonal communication: referent,
legitimate, reward, coercive, persuasive, and expert.

Ways people give up their power are by being over-polite, backing down from an
argument, using a title (such as Doctor or Professor) when addressing another, allowing
interruptions when speaking, and specific clothing choices can also suggest a loss of or
way people give up power to others.
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

Communication is a two-way process of giving and receiving information through any

number of channels. Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague, addressing a
conference or meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report, the following basic
principles apply:

· Know your audience.

· Know your purpose.

· Know your topic.

· Anticipate objections.

· Present a rounded picture.

· Achieve credibility with your audience.

· Follow through on what you say.

· Communicate a little at a time.

· Present information in several ways.

· Develop a practical, useful way to get feedback.

· Use multiple communication techniques.

Communication is complex. When listening to or reading someone else's message, we

often filter what's being said through a screen of our own opinions. One of the major
barriers to communication is our own ideas and opinions.
Communication Misconceptions
MEANINGS ARE NOT IN WORDS.
Meanings are not in words. Your perception about the world is not the same as mine. Our
experiences give colors and hues, life and meanings to words. And because your
perception determines the meanings you attribute to words, in communication the
message SENT is not necessarily the message RECEIVED. And for your listeners, real
communication is the communication they received.
MORE COMMUNICATION IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER.
Too much talking is dangerous to your communication health.
There are people who believe talking more is better. I observed that some speakers have
too much love for the sound of their voices that they glued the mike to their hands and
rooted themselves on the podium. I also meet this kind of people even in a very
disciplined club of Toastmasters. Some, after my evaluation, confessed that they have so
much to say the audience need to hear them all to understand their message. However, the
audience got bored, irritated, and I believe received another message–the speaker does
not know how to manage his time, the content of his message, and himself.
Yes, more communication is not always better. Sometimes, more communication (or
talking) makes matter worst. Observe where most people find themselves when they just
keep talking about their problems. Greater problems, right? Sometimes, it is much better
to stop talking. Overtalking is noise.
Be silent. Listen.
NO SINGLE PERSON OR EVENT CAUSES ANOTHER REACTION.
Observe how many reactions you will get from people by saying the following words: I
LOVE YOU. I guess, the reaction will vary from one recipient to another. Just like the
first misconception above, some people believe that the words they say, or their actions,
cause another person's reaction. Whatever we do, or say, simply contribute to how other
people react. Since communication is transactional–a two-way traffic– we cannot claim
that we are the stimulus to another's reaction. When you say something that hurts them,
you cannot say that "you" hurt them. The persons receiving your message, as I said in the
first misconception above, have big control over the meaning of your message.
COMMUNICATION WILL NOT SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS.
Communication helps in solving problem. However, it is best to bear in mind that
communication will not solve all problems. Problems of people are not only caused by
miscommunication.
I was once asked by a teacher why one student failed in my class (Algebra). I explained
to her all the reasons: zero in assignment, incomplete quizzes, and failed exams. I
reminded her also that we had been consulting the students' parents and I had been
talking to the student to refrain from cutting classes. The teacher appealed for my
"generosity." Then she appealed to the Principal, then to the Dean of the school. Both
invited me to their offices and made me explain. Both appealed for my "generosity." The
parents are generous to the school.
Communication will not solve all problems. World peace could have been attained if it
were so.
COMMUNICATION IS NOT A NATURAL ABILITY
Yes, no one is born a natural communicator. Though it is natural for man to speak, to
relate with one another, the ability to do so is a product of experience and training.