A Foundational Book on Communication (Based on New AECC Syllabus (LOCF), CBCS, DU) Deb Dulal Halder D Book Age Publications NEW DELHI AGRAContents Preface (v) 1. The Basics of Communication 1-38 1.1 Communication - Introduction 1 1.2. What is Communication? 5 1.3. Types of Communication 10 1.4 Flow of communication 20 1.5 Communication Networks 22 .6 Informal Communication or Grapevine 24 AT Barriers to Communication 26 1.8 Listening 33 1.9 Suggested Questions 34 1.10 For Further Reading 38 2. Speaking Skills / Oral Communication 39-72 2.1 Introduction 39 2.2 Features of Oral Communication 40 2.3 Monologue and Dialogue 42 2.4 Dialogue Writing 45 2.5 Group Discussions 51 6 Interviews 54 \ 47 Public Speech / Presentation 59 i 2.8 Suggested Questions 65 2.9 For Further Reading 71 3. Reading and Understanding 73-106 3.1. Introduction 73 3.2 Why Read? 74 3.3. Reading Techniques and Skills 74 3.4 Comprehension 7(vitiy A Foundational Book on Communication 4. 3.5 Paraphrasing and Summarising 3.6 Translation 3.7 Suggested Questions 3.8 For Further Reading Writing Skills 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Process of Writing 4.3 Types of Writing 4.4 Agademic Writing, 4.5 Note Making 4.6 Format of Note- making 4.7 Letter Writing 4.8 Report Writing 4.9 Suggested Questions 410 For Further Reading Paper December 2019 82 85 94 105 107-158 107 408 toa 123 137 138 442 153 158 159-164i The Basics of Communication Chapter Objectives: By the end of this chapter you should have learnt about: *. The concept of Communication ; Effective Communication Types and Modes of Communication Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Personal, Social and Business Communication Bartiers and Strategies to Communication Intra-personal; Inter-personal.and Group communication . eee ee 1.4 Communication - Intraduetion Let us start our chapter on communication with a short story by Ruskin Bond "The Eyes Have It". As you read the story, you will figure out why I chose the story. The Eyes Have It: Ruskin Bond Thad the train compartment to myself up to Rohana then a girl got in. The couple who saw her off were probably her parents. They seemed very anxious about her comfort and the woman gave the girl detailed instructions as to where to keep her things when not to lean out of windows and how to avoid speaking to strangers. They called their goodbyes and the train pulled out of the station. As I was totally blind at the time my eyes sensitive only to light and darkness, I was unable to tell what the girl looked like. But I knew she wore slippers from the way they slapped against her heels. It would take me some time to discover something about her looks and perhaps I never would. But I liked the sound of her voice and even the sound of her slippers. ‘Are you going all the way to Dehra? I asked.A Foundational Book on Communication I must have been sitting in a dark corner because my voice startled her. She gave a little exclamation and said I didn't know anyone else was here.’ ‘Well it often happens that people with good eyesight fail to see what is right in front of them. They have too much to take in I suppose. Whereas people who cannot see (or see very little) have to take in only the essentials whatever registers tellingly on their remaining senses. I didn't see you either’ I said. 'But I heard you come in.’ I wondered if I would be able to prevent her from discovering that I was blind. Provided I keep to my seat I thought it shouldn't be too difficult. The girl said I am getting off at Saharanpur. My aunt is meeting me there.’ ‘Then I had better not get too familiar’ I replied. ‘Aunts are usually formidable creatures.’ "Where are you going?’ she asked. ‘To Dehra and then to Mussoorie.’ ‘Oh, how lucky you are. I wish I were going to Mussoorie. I love the hills. Especially in October.’ Yes, this is the best time’ I said calling on my memories. 'The hills are covered with wild dahlias the sun is delicious and at night you can sit in front of a log fire and drink a little brandy. Most of the tourists have gone and the roads are quiet and almost deserted. Yes, October is the best time.’ She was silent. I wondered if my words had touched her or whether she thought me a romantic fool. Then I made a mistake. ‘What is it like outside?’ I asked. She seemed to find nothing strange in the question. Had she noticed already that I could not see? But her next question removed my doubts. ‘Why don't you look out of the window?’ she asked. I moved easily along the berth and felt for the window ledge. The window was open, and I faced it making a pretence of studying the landscape. I heard the panting of the engine the rumble of the wheels and in my mind’s eye I could see telegraph posts flashing by. Have you noticed’ I ventured ‘that the trees seem to be moving while we seem to be standing still?" "That always happens’ she said. ‘Do you see any animals?’Business Education "No’ I answered quite confidently. I knew that there were hardly any animals left in the forests near Dehra. I turned from the window and faced the girl and for a while we sat in silence. "You have an interesting face’ I remarked. I was becoming quite daring but it was a safe remark. Few girls can resist flattery. She laughed pleasantly-a clear ringing laugh. 'It's nice to be told I have an interesting face. I'm tired of people telling me I have a pretty face.’ Oh, so you do have a pretty face thought I. And aloud I said: ‘Well an interesting face can also be pretty.’ "You are a very gallant young man’ she said. ‘But why are youso serious?’ I thought then that I would try to laugh for her, but the thought of laughter only made me feel troubled and lonely. 'We'll soon be at your station’ I said. ‘Thank goodness it's a short journey. [ can't bear to sit in a train for more than two or three hours.’ Yet I was prepared to sit there for almost any length of time just to listen to her talking. Her voice had the sparkle of a mountain stream. As soon as she left the train, she would forget our brief encounter. But it would stay with me for the rest of the journey and for some time after. The engine's whistle shrieked the carriage wheels changed their sound and thythm the girl got up and began to collect her things. I wondered if she wore her hair in a bun or if it was plaited, Perhaps it was hanging loose over her shoulders. Or was it cut very short? The train drew slowly into the station. Outside there was the shouting of porters and vendors and a high-pitched female voice near the carriage door. That voice must have belonged to the girl's aunt. ‘Goodbye’ the girl said. She was standing very close to me. So close that the perfume from her hair was tantalizing. I wanted to raise my hand and touch her hair, but she moved away. Only the scent of perfume still lingered where she had stood. There was some confusion in the doorway. A man getting into the compartment stammered an apology. Then the door banged, and the world was shut out again. I returned to my berth. The guard blew his whistle and we moved off. Once again, I had a game to play and anew fellow traveller.4 A Foundational Book on Communication The train gathered speed the wheels took up their song the carriage ) gtoaned and shook. I found the window and sat in front of it staring into the daylight that was darkness for me. So many things were happening outside the window. It could be a fascinating game guessing what went on out there. The man who had entered the compartment broke into my reverie. "You must be disappointed’ he said. ‘I'm not nearly as attractive a travelling companion as the one who just left.’ ‘She was an interesting girl’ I said. 'Can you tell me-did she keep her hair long or short?’ ‘I don't remember’ he said sounding puzzled. 'It was her eyes I noticed not her hair. She had beautiful eyes, but they were of no use to her. She was completely blind, Didn't you notice? You must have realized by now that the story is about communication; but then all stories are all about communication, so are all poems. They are communication between the author and the readers, the communication between characters, They are communication of different kinds - some communication which is apparent, some symbolic, some only to one who can read critically and to some it is no communication who does not take care to read the story and to some others it is a miscommunication who do not read the story in its context. Mostly, all human activities are also communication of one kind or the other. It is to be understood that communication does not necessarily need to be using language (verbal communication); it can happen without language too (non-verbal communication) and probably you will be astonished to figure out that verbal communication only consists of 7 percent of our communication needs while non-verbal is 93 percent. Before going into any kind of discussion on communication theoretically, let us ponder over the story "The Eyes Have It" as a story about communication - a story where two blind people - a boy and a girl in a railway compartment communicate between themselves without realizing that neither of them can see. The beautiful conversation between them that Ruskin Bond portrays makes the readers experience a slice of life where one figures out the beauty of communication between two individuals who try to understand each other's perspective through their words as they do not have the privilege of sight to fathom each other's non-verbal cues. Yet when the boy figures out at the end of the story that the girl too was blind, his sensitivity reaches a different level; and it is allBusiness Education 5 because of the verbal exchanges between them which leave behind a melodious sweetness in the boy's heart. Ruskin Bond through the story makes us fathom the power of words to feel the depth of emotions. Now, let us try to understand communication in theoretical terms with its multifarious facets to figure out how we can enhance our communicative efficacy by developing certain elements and how we can remove the barriers to communication. As probably you have figured out in the objectives, the chapter is theoretical and therefore you need to ponder over these with examples from your own life and your surroundings. as well as from examples from literary texts to make sense of the theoretical concepts. 1.2. What is Communication? The word "communication" is used to 2 The word "communication" is derived from the Latin word “communicare" which means 'to share’, that is, to share information, ideas, emotions, knowledge amongst people - to share meaning. It is also thought that the Latin word "communis" which means ‘commonness’ is another root word for communication. Communication is the commonest thing that each of us share with fellow human beings. So, from that perspective both words "communicare" and "communis" are significant in providing meaning to the idea of communication. Whether we communicate or mis-communicate, communication has a significant role in our everyday life as we spend a lot of time communicating. We communicate with our friends, family, relatives, colleagues, employers, and with many people we may not know very well and even with perfect strangers. It is. only through communication that we fulfill our different needs - whether they are personal, emotional, psychological, educational, social, financial, professional or cultural. We cannot think of our lives without communication. It is essential to our existence. Therefore, we should be able to communicate effectively in a coherent, clear and concise manner as success in our life depends on effective communication. Even in our professional life, our success depends on effective It is through communication that information is disseminated, distributed, shared among people; it is through communication that important decisions are taken, shared and made known to people within and outside organizations. Moreover, companies6 A Foundational Book on Communication communicate about their products or services to consumers through advertisements. Thus, without communication no business organization can survive. But communication in general and communication in professional world are different as the objectives are different. For example, in today's world, we communicate a lot over our mobile phones. When we talk to our friends, relatives and near and dear ones, we communicate for hours where the communication is not that of need, but of everyday (often nonsensical) things which make the bonding between the communicators strong. But in case of a professional world, itis diametrically opposite, as we need to talk sense in a clear, concise, logical and coherent manner if we want to make a mark. Suppose you are in an office meeting, if you are not able to present your thoughts in a coherent, logical manner then the chances are that your ideas will not have any audience. 1.2.1 Effective Communication To be an effective communicator, certain significant things should be kept in mind - * We must know what the objective of our communication is. Without an aim, we can be good at saying things in an informal setting (like talking to our friends or relatives), but for formal communication, such as in an office meeting or in a seminar or while talking to the boss in office, we cannot merely blabber for no reason at all, we need to have a concrete aim or objective in mind. « When the objective is set, then the next step is to present our i 1. If we are not able to present our thoughts clearly, then how can we expect the listener/s to understand and respond? * The medium chosen for communication should be one both the parties are conversant with. For example, we rust make sure that we communicate in a language in which the listener/s is/are comfortable. Moreover, we should also choose the medium depending on whether it is written or oral communication. * An appropriate environment is also necessary for proper delivery of message. Without a proper environment there is always a chance that the message will be misunderstood or not properly understood. * Paralinguistic features such as tone, pitch voice, pronunciation, appropriate gestures and postures, facial expressions, eye contact, dressing, etc. affect the oral communication process.Business Education 7 ¢ No communication is complete without a feedback. Only when ‘we receive a feedback, we know whether whatever we intended has been comprehended by the listener/s or not. Feedback may not always be in the form ofa verbal response. If you are presenting a paper and see your listeners nodding their head then you understand that they are agreeing to what you are saying, but if a majority of them are yawning or fidgeting with something or the other, then it is evident that they are bored. The nodding of the head and yawning are examples of body language through which we get feedback of how effective we are in communicating our ideas orally. ‘Activity Watch any speech by any internationally famous leader and try to figure out how the speech is different from writing. Also try to locate the non-verbal cues of the leader during her/his speech. 1.2.2 Process of Communication | In/ through a particular |) Desading the -: Message Communication is a process in which at least two individuals are involved - Sender or the encoder of the message and the receiver or the decoder. The sender has an idea/ need / motivation / desire to communicate to the listener/s and s/he encodes the message in language (it can even be a gesture or paralanguage) and sends the message using a particular medium / channel (such as oral or written or electronic) to the receiver/s. The receiver tries to decode so that s/he comprehends what the encoder means/ intends. If the encoder and the decoder share the same basis of encoding and decoding the sounds and symbols, then the communication succeeds. But if the semantic base of the sender and the receiver is different, then it leads to miscommunication. Miscommunication or hampered8 A Foundational Book on Communication communication can also happen if appropriate channel or media is not used or if the communication environment is noisy (we will deal with Noise at greater length while discussing Communication Barriers). This is only one aspect of communication. Communication is complete only when the decoder sends feedback to the encoder which tells the sender whether her/his message has been grasped or not. Therefore, it can be said that the communication becomes successful and effective only when - « The communication environment facilitates communication. ¢ Both the sender and the receiver are interested in the communication. * That the sender has chosen an appropriate channel fot communicating the message. ¢ That the encoder and decoder have encoded and decoded the message correctly. That the words or gestures are used and understood with the same literal or/and implied meanings * That the receiver sends the feedback to the sender. If all these parameters are kept in mind and followed during any communication process, it is usually thought that the communication will be successful. 1.2.3 Levels of Communication: Human beings communicate at different levels: Extrapersonal communication » Intrapersonal communication * Interpersonal communication © Organizational communication ¢ Mass communication 1.2.3.1 Extrapersorial Communication In Extrapersonal Communication, human beings interact with non-human entities. We often communicate with our pets which can be termed as extrapersonal communication. Similarly, any communication with the inanimate objects can also be termed so. While we use language to communicate with the non-human entities, the non-human entity may or may not use sign language which we interpret according to our own understanding like the wagging of the tail by our pet dog when we return home.Business Education 9 1.2.3.2 Intrapersonal Communication Intrapersonal Communication happens when we communicate with ourselves which we often do for various reasons. We communicate or talk to ourselves whenever we are in doubt or we are suffering from indecision or confusion or enveloped by sadness or anger, etc. It is only by communicating with ourselves that we formulate our decisions. Moreover, at all moments our brain is communicating with different parts of our body and sending signals for it to operate in a particular way. This is also thought to be an example of Intrapersonal Communication. 1.2.3.3 Interpersonal communication Interpersonal communication refers to all communications that we share with other human beings. As human beings are social animals, therefore we cannot live in isolation. Weneed to communicate with fellow individuals to survive. There are various reasons for these communications such:as - personal, emotional, psychological, educational, social, financial, professional, cultural, etc. For example, the story "The Eyes Have It" is about Interpersonal Communication when the blind boy and the girl communicates between themselves. 1.2.3.4 Organizational communication Communication that happens within an organization is termed as Organizational Communication. No organization can survive, prosper, progress if the employees of the organization do not communicate with each other and with the outside world. Thus, communication is the basic need of an organization. There are different kinds of communication within an organization - Internal-Operational - within the organization but operational and professional in nature ¢ External-Operational - with peopie/organizations outside about professional things » Personal - all communication not dealing with operational or professional communication 1.2.3.5 Mass Communication When the communication is with a large audience then it is termed as Mass communication. Mediums like newspapers, magazines, journals, books, audiovisual mediums (radio, TV, and Internet, etc.) are used to10 A Foundational Book on Communication communicate with the masses. Even musical and theatrical performances, cinema, etc. are forms of mass communication. With the advent of new media - bulk SMSes, bulk emails, and other different forms of advertisement have also become very significant devices of Mass Communication. “4.3 Types of Communication Communication can be classified into the following kinds, formal and informal, verbal and non-verbal, oral and written, etc. 1.3.1 Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Communication can also be divided into categories like verbal and non- verbal. Whereas verbal communication includes both oral and written communication, non-verbal communication includes any communication which is neither oral nor written, and includes modes such as postures, gestures, dressing, etc. Non-verbal communication is very significant as sometimes ‘actions speak louder than words. We can cover up our emotions and feelings by masking them in words, but in most cases, it becomes very difficult to hide them completely because our gestures, etc. give us away. Therefore, it is significant that to be an effective communicatot one riot only needs to master language, but also work on personal appearances, facial expressions, postures, gestures, eye-contact, voice, proximity, etc. as these are important mediums of communication. Similarly, if one wants to understand a message completely, then it is important that one learns to interpret non-verbal cues. 1.3.1.1 Verbal Communication In verbal communication, language is used according to the established rules of grammar/syntax to communicate emotions and feelings, and to share information and meaning. Depending on the way we use words, by speaking or by writing, verbal communication is divided into two categories - Oral and Written. Verbal CommunicationBusiness Education 11 Apparently these two kinds of communication are so common that to talk about them in details would seem unnecessary, yet when one studies further, one finds out that the two are distinct fields of study as one.is a study of sounds and the other of symbols. Oral communication.is a medium of transmitting meaning by means of sounds produced by our vocal organs, whereas writing is a medium of transmitting ideas, information, meaning, etc. by means of graphic representation of sounds (symbols) which are made on a surface using some tool of writing or by typing on machines. Written communication is not merely copying, oral communication on to paper. It has a different dimension altogether as in written communication we organize our thoughts in a different manner as it is usually preserved for future reference. It is believed that oral communication is historically much older than written communication and many are of the opinion that speech is a primary form of language, while writing is secondary. There are reasons for thinking so - whether one learns to write or not, one knows how to speak; and a child learns to speak first and writing is taught to him or her later; and last but not the least, there are many languages which exist in oral form, but do not have distinct written codes. Sentinelese, a language of Andaman Islands, exists only in oral form and does not have more than. a few hundred speakers. It is spoken by the native people of the North Sentinel Island in Andaman. Though speech and writing differ a lot, but the common thing about them is that both of them are different modes of communicating meaning. Therefore, Halliday is of the opinion that there is no way to judge which among the two is more important (1990, 92). Oral communication or speech is the more frequently used medium of communication. There are reasons for it to be so. Some of these reasons are: « We need not be literate to speak as is needed in written communication. All human beings have the competence to speak one or more languages. And to achieve it, he or she does not need to be taught in a formal educational environment. * Human beings are born with a language acquisition device (LAD) which disposes them to learn a language when they grow up ina socio-cultural environment. A child learns spoken language naturally just by imitating the elders around him or her. « We speak more than we write as it is a faster, and a more spontaneous and economical medium of communication.12 A Foundational Book on Communication 1.3.1.2 Non-Verbal Communication In many cases, no words are exchanged, yet communication happens as we can also communicate through our body language which is a non- verbal communication. It is perceived that non-verbal cues form a major part of communication process (93%) therefore it is significant that we focus our attention to this aspect of communication. The non-verbal cues are Kinesics, Proxemics, Chronemics, Haptics, Paralanguage, Silence and Sign language. 1.3.1.2.1 Kinesics Kinesics is the study of body's physical movements for the purposes of communication, that is, the way our body communicates without words, through various movements of its parts. For example, nodding one's head communicates acceptance. Some body movements during communication are conscious, whereas others we do unconsciously. The unconscious body movements are very significant pointers in interpreting messages. For example, if two people are communicating who are in similar rank in the organizational hierarchy and one of them starts fidgeting with his mobile phone, it sends the message that the person is not interested in the conversation. (i) Personal Appearance: Our first impression matters a lot. Before someone starts communicating, others form an opinion about her/ him just by perceiving how the person has tried to present herself/ himself. Suppose one comes looking unkempt to an organization's meeting, it will be taken for granted that s/he is not very interested in the on goings of the meeting. Thus, personal appearance plays an important role. We dress according to the occasion. Appearance includes clothes, hair, accessories, and cosmetics and so on. In today's context, the purpose of clothing has changed from fulfilling a basic need to expressing oneself. (ii) Posture: Posture refers to the way we hold ourselves when we stand, sit, walk, talk or choose not to talk. Our postures change according to circumstances. When one is nervous, one usually starts fidgeting with something or the other like mobile phones. Postures speak volumes about the mental state of the person even though s/he may not have spoken a single word. When we are with people who are very familiar to us we are probably spontaneous and not conscious about our postures. ‘But when weBusiness Education 13 face unfamiliar people or meet people for the first time or encounter an unusual situation, we are more conscious of our postures. The way one sits, stands, or walks reveals a lot, for example: If someone has a slumped posture, then it normally signifies that s/he is in low spirits; If someone has an erect posture, then it normally signifies that s/he is in high spirits, and has energy and confidence; If someone leans forward during a conversation, then it normally signifies that s/he is open, honest, and interested; If someone leans backward during a conversation, then it normally signifies that either s/he is completely relaxed or is defensive or disinterested; If someone sits with arms crossed, then it normally signifies that s/he is in a defensive mood and not ready to listen; and If someone has uncrossed arms, then it signifies that s/he is willing to listen. Activity Think about your posture and facial expressions when you are appearing for an interview. And your posture and gestures and facial expressions when you are with your friends. Enumerate the differences. (iii) Gestures: Gestures are movements made by hands, head or face. Appropriate gestures supplement verbal communication and are also communication in their own right. An appropriate gesture complements the communication process while an awkward gesture does the opposite. Therefore, gestures should be such that they complement the message. Gestures can roughly be divided into the following types: ¢ Enumerative - numbers, with fingers we enumerate number of objects while speaking. * Descriptive - size of the objects, with fingers or hands we describe how big or small the object is that we are talking about. * Symbolic - abstract concepts, while talking of abstract thinks like love, we often put our hands on our hearts. * Locative - location of an object, we often point out where the object is lying or where the person is located with our fingers.14 A Foundational Book on Communication * Emphatic - emphasis, to emphasize a point we sometimes bang on the table. (iv) Facial Expressions: Facial expressions communicate to the receiver the intent of the message. As our face is the most expressive part of our body, therefore facial expressions are usually taken as one of the key markers in decoding a message. For example, an innocent smile is usually taken for friendliness, raised eyebrows for disbelief, tightened jaw muscles for antagonism, so on and so forth. Mostly if we are surprised by some information or news then the facial expression says it all even though we may not utter a word. (v) Eye contact: Often our eyes communicate better than the words ..we utter. Words become more powerful when the speaker makes eye contact with the listener/receiver of the message. Moreover, while communicating it is important to have eye contact with the listener, as this can be one of the most resourceful mediums of feedback. Activity Do you agree that non-verbal cues consist the major part of our communication? Give examples of some non-verbal communication (to prove your point. J 1.3.1.2.2 Proxemics Space or lack of it between the sender and the receiver of the message also speak volumes. When one hugs someone, though no words are exchanged but the warmth of the relationship can be felt by both. This is communication. The study of physical space in interpersonal relations is called Proxemics. Our gestures should be in accordance with the space available. When there is plenty of space to manoeuvre, one should be bolder and expand one's gesturesBusiness Education 15 Edward T. Hall (1966) divides the communication space into four distinct zones - ¢ Intimate: The Intimate zone extends just to 18 inches (one and a half feet). Members of family, lovers, spouses, relatives, and parents usually communicate in this zone. Other individuals sometimes enter into this zone of communication but only for a brief period and only under special circumstances- when they want to congratulate, sympathize or console. A handshake, a pat on the back or a hug are some of the examples of communication in the Intimate zone. Personal: The Personal zone stretches from 18 inches (one and half feet) to 4 feet. Close friends, colleagues, peers, communicate in this zone. This zone is personal and is quite a relaxed and casual place. It permits spontaneous and unplanned communication. When two or more colleagues sit in a canteen and discuss something informally, then usually there is a distance between them and yet the distance is not so much which does not suggest closeness. This - is an example of personal zone. Social: Social zone is in the radius of 4 feet to 12 feet. In this zone, relationships are more formal and official. People are moe cautious16 A Foundational Book on Communication in their movements. The situations involve less emotion and more planning. Suppose you have gone for an interview and sitting across the table in front of the interviewers. The distance between you and the interviewers is that of social zone. Public: Public zone starts from 12 feet and may extend to 25 feet or to the range of eyesight and hearing. Events are formal in this zone. The audience views and hears as an impartial observer and is free to do whatever it feels like. The speaker often uses a microphone to communicate in this zone. When the Prime minister or the President of India addresses the masses, they usually keep a distance from them for security reasons. It is an example of public zone. 1.3.1.2.3 Chronemics How we manage our time communicates a lot about the kind of person we are, The study of the use of time to communicate is known as Chronemics, In the professional world, time is a valuable resource. When we are late for an appointment, people react negatively. If we arrive early, we are considered over-eager. Therefore, it is better to be always on time. By valuing someone else's time, we communicate our professionalism or seriousness both subtly and explicitly. 1.3.1.2.4 Haptics Language of Touch: We also communicate with our sense of touch, which is known as Haptics. You have been to an international conference where you have presented a paper which wgs highly appreciated by the international community. You come back to college and others are congratulating you. As your friend meets you, s/he embraces you. Embracing is the means that your friend feels is a more spontaneous form of communication than merely congratulating with words. The way we communicate by our physical contact or by touching the other person is known as Haptics. Even kissing, slapping, or shaking hands with someone are ways of communicating. Activity Enumerate five instances of Haptics that you have used today for communicating with people around you.Business Education 17 1.3.1.2.5 Paralanguage Paralanguage is the way meaning is conveyed by how we say things while speaking. It is a powerful complementary media for oral communication which makes it advantageous to written communication. Whena telephone bell rings and you pick up the receiver and hear the word "hello" it not only greets you, but also tells you about the gender of the person, the voice is of someone familiar, and the sociolinguistic and educational background of the person calling. All these aré not contained in the word "hello" but are manifest in the way the word is spoken. Para language is made up of two words- para and language which literally means ‘beyond language’ which is not language but still related to language. Paralanguage consists of various aspects - 1. Vocalizations of Words: There are different dimensions of it based on- (a) Volume Variation: sound energy while speaking. The amount of energy given while speaking depends on the distance between the speaker and the listener and also on the emotional state of the speaker. If the speaker is angry then the sound energy is high, but in intimate conversations it is very low. Sound energy is also a very good indicator of the rank of the speaker. (b) Pitch Variation: refers to the shrillness of sound which makes oral communication dynamic. (c Speed of Speaking: refers to whether the person speaking is relaxed or in a hurry. But this should not be confused with fluency. Fluency in a language is very different from the speed of speaking. (d) Pauses: Pauses are very significant while speaking as they provide the necessary gap for the receiver to grasp the messages. Well timed pauses can be very dramatic. 2. Word Stress: When we speak, the meaning is not there in the words spoken but the way in which we stress on a particular word. For example, after evaluating your assignment, your teacher comes to the class and says, "Is this how you work?" The following sentence can be spoken in various ways - 1. Is this how you work? 2. Is this how you work? 3. Is this how you work? 4. Is this how you work? (The bold words are stressed)18 A Foundational Book on Communication In the first instance, your teacher was pointing towards the assignment and probably commenting on the shabbiness of the work done. In the second instance, probably s/he was probably referring to the way in which the work had been done. In the third instance, s/he would have been referring to the people (i., you who have done the work shabbily and in the fourth instance s/he was referring to the work itself. 3. Inflections: Inflections are the small bits of sounds that are attached to utterances. A Bengali speaking English and a South Indian speaking English sound different as they differ in attaching the small sounds. However, it can no longer be said that one is speaking standard English while the other's language is an aberration as we now accept that the important thing is to communicate effectively and the focus is no longer on accent, variety of speech etc. 4, Non-fluencies: The hesitant moments in our speech between the intelligible parts of our utterances are usually filled which sounds such as "ummm" or “ertr", These sounds are called non-fluencies Silences and Pauses: Silence is non-verbal medium, Often our silence says as much as our words. For example, an informal meeting is convened in an organization where the employees are planning to celebrate the festival of Holi. The Managing Director enters the room, listens to the discussion for a while, remains silent throughout and leaves the room. Immediately the employees understand that they should not be engaging themselves in such discussions presently as it is year ending and the employees are supposed to finish the Year Ending Report which is to be submitted next week, The Managing Director's silence spoke more than his words. In most cases, silences are pauses pregnant with meaning. ‘Activity >) Think about an example of Silence of your teacher in the classroom. What does it for? What effect it had on your fellow classmates and | you? 1.3.1.2.6 Sign Language Sign language refers to symbols which are commonly used within a particular community or communicative group to mean something that is constant for all the members of that community. For example, Traffic signals are signs or symbols that are common all over the world. These signs are abstractions which people agree on the meanings to make itBusiness Education 19 work. Other examples of signs are road signals, graphs, maps, alarms, sirens, etc. . * Audio Signs: Sirens in factories signify shift chang¢; the ringing of a doorbell signifies that someone is at the door; the sound of an office buzzer signifies that the boss wants the peon for some work; drum beats and conch shells, though not used so much these days, could mean the threat of danger. When some sounds are used by a group to symbolize certain things then they are called audio signs. ¢ Visual Signs: Visual signs must be used in a perfect way so that at one glance people are able to grasp the meaning of it. For example, when we travel on a highway, we see some signs by the side of the road which tell us about what is coming up ahead. For example, picture of a boy and girl running with school bags suggest that there is a school ahead. Traffic signals are one of the most common visual signs that are accepted worldwide. * Audio-visual signs: A visitor comes to an office and sees a TV in the lobby which was showing a small documentary on stock market. The person immediately understands that the organization deals with Stock Market and Investments. In TY, films, multimedia, Internet, many audio-visual signs are used to communicate. 1.3.2 Formal and Informal Communication Depending on the circumstance and the person/s one is interacting with, one chooses whether to communicate formally or informally. In that sense, communication can be categorized into formal and informal. Grapevine is the other name for informal communication. Mostly in the professional world, we tend to communicate formally as the occasion demands it; but in our personal life we are usually informal. It is usually the practice that relationship, purpose and environment decide the level of formality or informality in communication. Familiarity with an individual decides the degree of formality. When we meet someone20 A Foundational Book on Communication for the first time, we are consciously formal and gradually as we became familiar with each other our communication changes from being only formal to being informal on suitable occasions. One is more alert during formal communication but relatively carefree during informal or casual communication. Moreover, when we are unsure whether to be formal or informal, we usually fend to be formal as that is a safer option as informality may offend the person you are communicating with. Even within an organization, the degree of formality and informality depends on the person you are communicating with and the circumstances. When we communicate with our superiors, or discuss the organization's strategies, etc, with other employees, we are usually formal in our communication, but when the same people meet in a café and discuss cricket or Bollywood, they are not so formal and often very casual. But from this it must not be deduced that formal communication is more significant than informal communication. ‘Activity Grapevine is advantageous for organizations in some cases. Think about a few cases where grapevine can be effectively used by an organization, Anternal and External Communication External communication. Communication that happens within an organization is known as internal communication. Internal communication is significant in terms of setting and achieving goals of an organization. It is only by communicating within an organization that the organization can achieve its goals. But to do business, organizations must also communicate with other organizations and stakeholders outside, which is termed as external communication. Therefore, each organization requires a sound communication strategy | as the success and reputation of the organization depends on it. ) | | Communication in an organization can be divided into Internal and 1.4: Flow of communication Communication in an organization can be both formal and informal, but in majority of cases within an organization the communication is formal and patterned - be it Internal-operational or External-operational. 1, Vertical communication: Vertical communication consists of both upward and downward communication in an organizational communication chain- that is, communication between theBusiness Education 24 superiors and the subordinates within an organization's hierarchy. For smooth functioning of an organization, there should be a balance between superiors communicating to the subordinates (Downward) and the subordinates communicating to the superiors (Upward). « Downward communication: In Downward communication, the information flows from the superiors to the subordinates, in terms of instructions, advice, orders, etc. This kind of communication is very usual within an organization for disseminating routine information, asking for reports, and larifications, etc. It can take place in the form of emails, memos, face to face interactions, telephone conversations, etc, ¢ Upward communication: In Upward communication, the subordinates communicate to the superiors - in the form of reports, explanations sought, findings and recommendations, etc. Apart from explanations, recommendations, etc. upward communication can also be significant in an organization as it can help in participative decision making. Human Resource Managers of different organizations often ask for information regarding job satisfaction, etc. from employees for smooth functioning of the organization. 2. Horizontal/Lateral Communication: Horizontal or Lateral Communication is communication between employees who are at the same hierarchical level in an organizational hierarchy. When the administrative head of an institution communicates with the head of the finance of that institution, then it is an example of Horizontal or Lateral Communication. Horizontal or Lateral Communication facilitates coordination across different departments of an organization. Although it is advantageous to an organization in some respects, but it can also have a negative impact as the top level in the hierarchy may not be aware of all these communications which may create a problem or conflict. 3. Diagonal Communication: In Diagonal Communication, the flow of communication is in all directions and it cuts across an organization's hierarchy, making it quick and efficient. With the use of emails as a form of formal communication, diagonal communication has become prevalent in organizations.22 A Foundational Book on Communication Activity Write a note on ‘Flow of Communication within an Organization’. Make an Organizational Chart to show the difference between Horizontal, Diagonal and Vertical Communication? 4.5 Communication Networks Though communication happens in vertical, diagonal and horizontal directions, yet many patterns of communication do evolve which are termed as communication networks. In most organizations, communication is usually structured or patterned as haphazard communication leads to confusion and hampers the flow of work and progress of the organization. Most communications are patterned in an organization, yet some communication happens outside the specified pattern at an informal level, which is known as informal communication or Grapevine. Thus, communication happens within an organization at the formal and the informal levels and each has its own importance. Formal Patterns / Networks The formal patterns or networks in organizations can be categorized into five divisions: ¢ Chain Network: In Chain Networks the members of the network communicate through intermediaries who relay the messages to the top. * Y Network: In a Y network, the member at the fork of the "Y" is the central person. «© Wheel Network: In Wheel Networks, individual members communicate with the central member separately. The central member is a superior authority who controls all the communication. © Circle Network: In Circle Networks, members communicate with the person next to him or her. Therefore, one member can communicate with two. In this kind of network, there is no central figure; hence it is a kind of egalitarian network. ¢ All Channel Network: In all channel networks, as the term suggests, all the members have the freedom to communicate with anyone he or she wants to communicate with. Therefore, fast exchange of information can happen in this network.Business Education 23 - ‘AllCharnel ~ (star) wy q @} @ ® @ ee ver These are the primary networks that the formal channels of communication follow in which messages and information pass through well-defined paths. These networks are predetermined in an organization as they clarify the roles and relationships of the members of the organization. They also chart out functional units, interpersonal relationships, delegation of work and authority, making it easier for the organization to perform its work and meet its goals. we FF ‘Activity What are the different formal networks of communication within an organization? } The Advantages of formal channels of communication are - In patterned communication, the message becomes effective and work becomes smooth as the person knows from where the message or information is coming and what it means in terms of its impact on the organization. ¢ In formal communication the messages and information is credible as it comes from designated authority and therefore members take it seriously and respond accordingly. © It is considered to be the proper channel. * In formal networks, the sphere of authority and responsibilities is fixed leading to a harmonious working environment.24 A Foundational Book on Communication ¢ As the communication follows the organizational hierarchy, therefore it has accountability. Information sent in this network can be verified for its credibility. Consequently, the sender of a ‘wrong information can be tracked down very easily. Though formal channels of communication have certain advantages, yet they also have certain disadvantages; * Because of excessive formality in formal communication, the warmth of communication is missing and consequently it is dry and distancing for the members communicating. « There is no free flow of information as only the necessary information is passed down. « Communication is very slow as the proper channel and protocol needs to be followed. Sometimes this may lead to bureaucratic red-tapism. * It is also an expensive means of communication. ‘Activity In most organizations the communication policy emphasizes on downward communication where information, order, messages pass on from top to bottom. But some organizations also prefer a balance between upward communication and downward communication. Why do they think so? 1.6 Informal Communication: of Grapevine - Though members of an organization communicate at a formal level, but that does not satisfy the human hunger for interaction and building interpersonal relationships. We all tend to communicate personally with some members of our organization beyond our professional obligations. Hence, there is a need for informal communication, also known as Grapevine. Mostly informal communication is oral and undocumented, ‘often based on hearsay or personal impressions. In some cases, grapevine can be misused for spreading rumours and inauthentic information. Grapevine Chain: Keith Davis (1980) points out that there can be four possible configurations of Grapevine - ‘Types of Grapevine Communication Single Strand Chin Gossip Chain Probebilly Chain Cluster ChainBusiness Education 2 Probability * (each randomly tell others) Single Strand (each tells one other) G ww @ ¢ () we S € Né 9 aq g g g ¢ g° 2 a z Ee ® @, Oe | | Gossip (one tells all) | « Single Strand Chain - where information passes from A to B and then B from C arid so on. In this case there is very little chance of verification of information. * Gossip Chain - where person A sends information to all others in the group. Probability Chain -‘where person A sends information randomly without specifically choosing a recipient of the message. ¢ Cluster Chain - Person A sends message to B and C and each of them then conveys it'to a cluster of others. The sender is selective t about the receiver when s/he sends the message, and then the receiver takes up the tole of the sender and sends it to multiple people. . ‘As mentioned, the Grapevihe can be misused in the following ways - « The information passed on or circulated can be inaccurate and sometimes can have a malafide intention.26 A Foundational Book on Communication * Messages can easily be distorted as there is no written document for reference. * It is usually difficult to find out the origin of the message as information is anonymous, often leading to spread of rumours. Although there are many disadvantages of grapevine, yet it can also be effectively used by organizations as * The channel is speedy and spontaneous. * It is primarily an oral medium and consequently inexpensive. ¢ The network is multidirectional and therefore the flow of information is flexible. * It can be used as an important feedback channel. * Grapevine can also help in participatory decision-making. ¢ Itcan be used asa parallel channel by organizations to complement the formal channel. * It can help in building interpersonal relationships within an organization and hence can create a harmonious work environment. ‘Activity Grapevine helps in participatory decision making. Think of an example when Grapevine helped in taking a decision within your college. 4.7 Barriers to Communication Communication is a smooth transmission of information, ideas, emotions and feelings (and more importantly transmission of meaning) from one to another where the intended message encoded by the sender is grasped by the receiver and s/he responds accordingly. But in many cases, we fail to communicate the desired information, knowledge or emotion as some ~ barrier crops up between the sender and the receiver which prevents successful communication, distorts the message or hampers the process and makes communication meaningless. For example, when we are communicating orally it may happen that the communication environment is noisy and consequently the receiver of the message is not able to hear us clearly. The noisy environment is a barrier to communication. It may also happen that two unknown persons accidentally meet and want to communicate but do not have a common language that can be the medium in which they can communicate. Or maybe when we are writing if our handwriting is illegible or we use very subject-specific jargon which theBusiness Education 27 receiver has no knowledge of, then the communication would not achieve its desired goal. In these cases, illegible handwriting or the highly- specialized -jargonized language are barriers to communication. In short, it can be said that barriers to communication can simply be defined as anything that prevents the smooth exchange of meaning between a sender and receiver. In the field of business communication, the communication barrier or any unwanted interference between the speaker/encoder and the receiver/ decoder which hampers the communication flow is termed as Noise. Noise here does not merely refer to the physical noise but to any barrier that prevents the flow of communication. If the barrier or the noise is of a technological nature, then it can easily be avoided as technical snags can be corrected easily. Suppose, you are in a basement of a building where the reception of a mobile network is not very good and you receive a call, it is always advised that you move out of the basement to let the communication be smooth. But if the noise or the barrier is due to some human error, then it takes a long time and sustained effort to correct as the human errors are linked to one's habits and psychology. For example, if one has a problem of always assuming a sense of superiority whenever communicating, then it can easily become a deterrent for others to be attentive to her or his thoughts and emotions. The person's sense -of superiority can lead others to feel that they are deliberately and consciously being underrated, leading them to be detached or indifferent to the message being communicated. 1.7.1 Classification of Barriers te Communication Noise of barriers can be of two kinds: 1. Channel Noise 2. Semantic Noise The difference between the Channel Noise and Semantic noise can be summarized as - Channel Noise develops externally (that is, external to the message) whereas the Semantic Noise is internal to the message. 1.7.1.1 Channel Noise When there is any unwanted interference or snag in the medium of communication process it is termed as channel noise, for example, a noisy market piace and illegible handwriting can be termed as channel noise as in both the cases the factors that create communication failure are not an28 A Foundational Book on Communication intrinsic part of the message - in one case it is the communication environment which is not suitable for communication and in the other the medium of communication, ie. writing, is not readable. There can be many kinds of channel noise. Below are some of the causes with examples of Channel Noise: * Physical Noise in the Channel: Undesirable physical noise is a great barrier to communication. Any physical noise which is not related to the communication process can cause a barrier. * Use of Inappropriate Media: Inappropriate selection of media to communicate messages can lead to miscommunication or may not have the desired result. For example, you are the manager of a company which is bidding for a tender; will it be possible to bid for tender using oral communication? Oral communication is an inappropriate media for a bid for tender. * Multiple Transfer Stations: If a clerical staff of an organization figures out a mistake in some document and wants to communicate it to the Director and informs her/his higher official who then informs her/his superior and then her/his superior to the Director, then it may happen that because of the Multiple Transfer Stations, the content of the message is lost. It may also happen that the message changes in its tone and meaning because of it being transferred too many times which hampers the communication. «Information Overload: A message should only provide that much information as is required to understand it. Too much of information can lead to a situation where the intended message is lost. « Fear of Superiors: It often happens that one wants to pass on some information to one’s superior, but s/he cannot do it as s/he feels that the senior/superior would get offended. Often the way superior would react makes us not to communicate what we truly feel or think which can be a major barrier to smooth functioning of an organization. + Negative Presuppositions: One usually has a feeling that a memo is always issued to seek clarification or to warn or to inform, whereas a memo can also be issued to congratulate someone. People have a negative presupposition about memos. So, when someone gets news that her or his friend got a memo, s/he starts feeling bad without any reason.Business Education 29 ¢ Communication Selectivity: When we are selective in our listening, it can be a barrier to communication. It also can be a significant barrier when one decides to read only parts of a document. © Poor Listening: If one is a poor listener than it can itself be a barrier to communication. Listening is a significant thing in the process of communication. 1.7.1.2 Semantic Noise Semantic Noise can be defined as noise or barrier that is generated from within a message. As language is connotative, that is, meaning of a word is not always stated directly and can also be implied; therefore, the communication process fails many times as the same word is interpreted differently by different people. For example, if someone says that ‘the bark is strong’ then the meaning of the sentence will depend on the context in which it is spoken. In one context it may mean a dog's bark and.in \ another the bark of a tree. So, if the context is not given to us then the meaning becomes inaccessible. Sometimes ambiguity in the language may also cause semantic noise, for example, if one says - "I saw Ravi going with some old men and women", one is not sure whether the adjective ‘old’ applies only to the men or also to the women. There can be numerous such examples of semantic noise. Below are some of the causes with examples of Semantic Noise. * Limited Vocabulary: Limited vocabulary can become a significant barrier to communication as it can create not only a problem in understanding things, but also may lead to a situation where the person is not able to express what s/he intends to express. One also must keep in mind that having an extensive vocabulary does not always ensure that one would be a good communicator. For effective communication, one should know which words to use in which circumstances. Moreover, words have their literal meaning (denotative) as well as symbolic (connotative) meaning, One should have knowledge about both to use them in right situations ahd to comprehend them when they are used by others. Incompatibility between: Verbal and Non-verbal Language: We communicate not only with our words, but also with non-verbal cues - dress, eye contact, physical touch, facial expressions, gestures, postures, etc. Often, we use non-verbal cues or body language30 A Foundational Book on Communication consciously, but many a times the non-verbal cues are unconscious. It is essential that our gestures and postures are compatible with our words. Whenever it is not so, we are misinterpreted or misunderstood. Varied Perception due to Different Backgrounds, such as Cultural: Each one of us perceives the same incident or entity in a different way which can lead to communication failure. For example, the librarian of your college called a library committee meeting to discuss the issue of books being stolen from the library. The chairperson of the committee came to the meeting and pointed out that stealing of books suggests that the students are interested in gaining knowledge and recommended that all books to be replaced and at the most security measures can be tightened. Many others in the meeting felt that this was not the solution, yet they did not say anything as they did not dare to oppose the Chair. This is an example of varied perception because of the ways in which we try to look at the world. Our background decides the way we interpret a message. To a poor person who is suffering from hunger, the beauty of a full moon does not appeal. Our social, cultural, financial, educational and psychological background decides the way we try tomake sense of the things around us, including words. Thus, while one communicates, if s/he does not keep in mind the background of the audience or the receiver and communicate accordingly, then there is always a chance that s/he will be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Wrong Assumptions and Inferences: Wrong Assumptions can often lead to miscommunication. Suppose there is a string of letters that are written by two departments regarding a certain issue and one department writes a letter to the other department without referring to the earlier communications in this regard when the Head of the other department has changed. There is always a chance that the letter would not serve its purpose. Blocked Categories/Categorical Thinking: In general, we react positively to an information only if it is in consonance with our own views and attitudes. Conversely, when we receive information that does not conform to our personal views, habits, and attitudes, or appears unfavorable to us, we tend to react negatively or even disbelieve it. Rejection, distortion, and avoidance are threeBusiness Education 31 common, undesirable, and negative reactions to unfavorable information. For example, you think that you can never deal with matters related to accounts as you are very poor in that field. So, whenever any document reaches you from the Accounts section, you immediately pass on the work to someone else thinking that you will not be able to handle it. This is an example of blocked categories. Emotional, Psycho-social Unsettled State: It is true that none of us can be unemotional, as emotions are an integral part of human life, but when emotions are not moderated, they can become a barrier to communication. It can lead to a situation where one teacts negatively to situations which can act as barriers to communication. ‘Activity Think about a situation when you could not communicate something to your teacher. What were the barriers to communication you faced? How can you solve the barriers? 1.7.2 Strategies to overcome Barriers to Communication If one desires to be an effective communicator then one needs to Jearn ways to avoid barriers or noise so that communication failures do not happen. When a particular communication fails to evoke any response or the desired response because of some noise or barrier to communication, then the following steps can help solve the problem: Identify the problem - Find the cause or barrier - Work on alterriative solutions - Opt for the best solution - Follow up rigorously The first step is to identify the problem. When we can identify the problem, then we can find a solution for it, To identify the problem, it is necessary that one analyzes the feedback or the lack of it carefully. Once the barrier is located, then one can figure out easily the cause of the barrier and can look for all possible solutions. The best solution should then be opted for and then followed consciously so that the barrier does not crop up again.32 A Foundational Book on Communication 7 Cs of Effective Communication : ) It is thought that for effective communication there is a need to follow certain norms which are known as "7 Cs of Effective Communication.” These norms apply both in written as well as oral communication. The 7 Cs of communication are - 1, Completeness Any communication must be complete, in the sense that a message should convey all the facts required for the comprehension of the message. 2. Conciseness: Conciseness refers to the fact that while communicating one should try to make a message as short as possible to make it effective. Conciseness in communication not only saves time but is also cost effective and highlights the message making it more appealing and comprehensible for the audience/ reader. 3. Consideration: Consideration in communication implies that the | sender of message steps into the shoes of the audience/readers in terms of their viewpoints, background, mind-set, education level, etc. to ensure that the message sent is comprehended properly by the receiver(s). 4. Clarity: Clarity in communication implies that the message should be as clutter free as possible and that it is easily understandable. To put a message across with clarity, one needs clarity of thought. And when one has clarity of thought one can use exact, appropriate and specific words to express oneself. 5. Concreteness: Concreteness in communication implies being particular and clear rather than fuzzy and general. One should be specific in terms of quoting figures and facts as it makes communication effective and trustworthy and there is less chance of the message being misinterpreted. 6. Courtesy: Courtesy in communication implies that the sender should respect the receiver/s in terms of being polite, judicious, reflective and enthusiastic. It creates a positive atmosphere for communication and leads to effective communication. 7. Correctness: Correctness in communication implies that there are no grammatical errors, no dubiousness in facts and figures. Correctness in communication builds up trust between the sender and the receiver and makes communication effective.Business Education 33 It is important to speak well, but it is more significant to be a good listener. Listening is not the same as hearing. We hear many sounds coming to us from various corners, but we do not bother to fathom the significance of all those sounds. It is only to some sounds we turn our attentive ears as they mean something significant to us. It is important to listen carefully as it is the first step towards being a better communicator. When one is listening carefully, one communicates the message that s/he is serious. There are many kinds of listening - * Evaluative listening: While listening to the arguments in a Board meeting, the directors of a company evaluate the arguments of the speaker while listening; it can be called evaluative listening. « Discriminative listening: Suppose in the Annual Dinner of a company the Director is chatting with all the staff of the organization informally, where some are listening to what he is saying while others are busy with their own discussions. This can be an example of discriminative listening. Appreciative listening: When one listens with a kind of appreciation for what is spoken, it is called appreciative listening. For example, if someone is presenting the financial report of a company and people are nodding heads in appreciation, it can be an example of Appreciative listening. Emphatic/Empathetic listening: When one listens to the speaker with empathy or sympathy, then it is called Emphatic Listening. For example, if in a negotiation, one party is presenting her/his point of view and the other party sympathizes with her/his point of view, then it can be called Emphatic listening. Activity ) 1. Write short notes on - (a) Effective communication ) Flow of communication (c) Grapevine 1) Semantic Barrier (e) Feedback | ) Kinesics ) Listening )34 A Foundational Book on Communication (h) Organizational Communication (i) Non-fluencies (i) Sign Language 2. Differentiate between - © Speech and Writing * Verbal and Non-verbal Communication * Channel Noise and semantic Noise ¢ Formal and informal Communication ¢ Internal and External Communication D 1.9 Suggested Questions 1. Below isa poem named "Bosom Friend” by Hira Bansode, a Marathi Dalit feminist poet which deals with the issue of caste discrimination. Read the poem and answer the following questions. Today you came over to dinner for the first time You not only came you forgot your caste and came Usually women don't forget that tradition of inequality But you came with a mind large as the sky to my pocket size house I thought you had ripped all those caste things You came bridging that chasm that divides us Truly friend I was really happy With the naive devotion of Shabari I arranged the food on your plate But the moment you looked at the plate your face changed With a smirk you said Oh My - Do you serve chutney koshambir this way? You still don't know how to serve food Truly you folk will never improve. I was ashamed really ashamed My hand which had just touched the sky was knocked down Twas silent Toward the end of the meal you asked What's this? Don't you serve buttermilk or yoghurt with the last course of rice? Oh, My Dear we can't do without that... The last bit of my courage fell away like a falling starBusiness Education 35 I was sad then numb But the next moment I came back to life A stone dropped in the water stirs up things on the bottom So, my memories swam up in my mind Dear Friend - You ask about buttermilk and yoghurt What/How shall I tell you? You know in my childhood we didn't even have milk for tea much less yoghurt or buttermilk My mother cooked on sawdust she brought from the lumberyard wiping away the smoke from her eyes Every once in a while, we might get garlic chutney on coarse bread _ Otherwise we just ate bread crumbled in water Dear Friend - Shrikhand was not even a word in our vocabulary My nose had never smelled the fragrance of ghee My tongue had never tasted halva basundi Dear Friend - You have not discarded your tradition Its roots go deep in your mind And that's true true true Friend - There's yoghurt on the last course of rice Today the arrangement of food on your plate was not properly ordered Are you going to tell me what mistakes I made? Are you going to tell me my mistakes? a. What kind of communication happened between the poet and her guest? What effect did the communication have on the poet? b. Why did the poet say, "I was silent"? Is silence a form of communication in the context of the poem? c. Was there a barrier of communication in the poem? If not, then what kind of barrier is being talked about? How does the poet react to the barrier? d. Comment on the last two lines of the poem. What kind of communication is the poet intending in the last two lines - logical, emphatic or attentive? e. What kind of a listener/reader we should be to understand the painful experience of caste discrimination that the poet has undergone in her life?36 A Foundational Book on Communication 2, Below is a short story “A Face in the Dark" by Ruskin Bond, the famous Indian writer for Children. Read the story carefully and answer the following questions. 4 Face in the Dark IT May give you some idea of rural humour if I begin this tale with an anecdote that concerns me. I was walking alone through a village at night when I met an old man carrying a lantern. I found, to my surprise, that the man’ was blind. ‘Old man’, | asked, ‘if you cannot see, why do you carty a lamp? ‘Icarry this’, he replied, 'so that fools do not stumble against me in the dark. This incident has only a slight connection with the story that follows, but I think it provides the right sort of tone and setting. Mr Oliver, an Anglo-Indian teacher, was returning to his school late one night, on the outskirts of the hill station of Shimla. The school was conducted on English public-school lines and the boys, most of them from well-to- do Indian families, wore blazers, caps and ties. Life magazine, in a feature on India, had once called this school the ‘Eton of the East’. Individuality was not encouraged; they were all destined to become ‘leaders of men’. Mr Oliver had been teaching in the school for several years. Sometimes it seemed like an eternity, for one day followed another with the same monotonous routine. The Shimla bazaar, with its cinemas and restaurants, was about two miles from the school; and Mr Oliver, a bachelor, usually strolled into the town in the evening, returning after dark, when he would take a short cut through a pine forest. When there was a strong wind, the pine trees made sad, eerie sounds that kept most people to the main road. But Mr Oliver was not anervous or imaginative man. He carried a torch and, on the nigh I write of, its pale gleam-the batteries were running down- moved fitfully over the narrow forest path. When its flickering light fell on the figure of boy, who was sitting alone on a rock, Mr Oliver stopped. Boys were not supposed to be out of school after 7 p.m., and it was now well past nine. "What are you doing out here, boy? asked Mr Oliver sharply, moving closer so that he could recognize the miscreant. But even as heBusiness Education : 37 approached the boy, Mr Oliver sensed that something was wrong. The boy appeared to be crying. His head hung down, he held his face in his hands, and his body shook convulsively. It was a strange, soundless ‘weeping, and Mr Oliver felt distinctly uneasy. ‘Well, what's the matter? He asked, his anger giving way to concern. "What are you crying for?’ The boy would not answer or look up. His body continued to be racked with silent sobbing. ‘Come on, boy, you shouldn't be out here at this hour. Tell me the trouble. Look up. The boy looked up. He took his hands from his face and looked up at his teacher. The light from Mr Oliver's torch fell on the boy's face-if you could call it a face. He had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was just a round smooth head- with a school cap on top of it. And that's where the story should end-as indeed it has for several people who have had similar experiences and dropped dead of inexplicable heart attacks. But for Mr Oliver it did not end there. The torch fell from his trembling hand. He turned and scrambled down the path, running blindly through the trees and calling for help. He was still running towards the school buildings when he saw a lantern swinging in the middle of the path. Mr Oliver had never before been so pleased to see the night watchman. He stumbled up to the watchman, gasping for breath and speaking incoherently. ‘What is it, sir?’ asked the watchman. ‘Has there been an accident? Why are you running?’ ‘T saw something-something horrible-a boy weeping in the forest-and he had no face!’ ‘No face, sir?’ 'No eyes, nose, mouth-nothing.' ‘Do you mean it was like this, sir?’ asked the watchman, and raised the lamp to his own face. The watchman had no eyes, no ears, no features at all-not even an eyebrow! The wind blew the lamp out, and Mr Oliver had his heart attack. 1. What kinds of communication does Mr. Oliver encounter in the | story? What effect it had on him?38 A Foundational Book on Communication 2. Did the communication breakdown? What are the barriers to ) communication which made Mr. Oliver prove himself to be a nervous wreck in the story? 3. The Old man in beginning of the story carries a lantern when he walks in the village at night, even though he is blind. What is the moral of the anecdote in terms of communication? Does it mean that one should always be on the safeguard while communicating with others or does it signify that we should always be open to communication? 4. With reference to the story, state how the context decides the significance of the communication? Instead of the dark evening, if it the incidents mentioned in the story would have happened in the day, would the story have ended in a similar manner? 5. In the communication with the boy, Mr. Oliver asked many a question, but the boy did not answer any. What kind of communication can we consider the boy's behaviour, or should we say he did not communicate at all? 1.10 For Further Reading * Choudhary, Soumitra Kumar et al, (2008) Busittess English, Pearson, New Delhi. * Halder, Deb Dulal, Anjana Neira Dev, Prerna Malhotra, (2012) Technical Writing: Theory and Practice, Book Age Publications, New Delhi. * Kaul, Asha, (2012) Effective Business Communication, PHI Learning Private Limited, New Delhi. goo(2) Speaking Skills / Oral Communication Chapter Objectives: By the end. of this chapter you should have learnt about: ¢ Oral Communication - its strengths and weaknesses ¢ Monologues and Dialogues © Participating in Group Discussions * Facing Interviews « Giving Public Speech / Presentations 2.1 Introduction lal Seal We communicate orally all the time along with nonverbal cues. It is the much-used means of communication as for written communication one needs to be literate. Literacy is a prerequisite for writing (though if paintings and carvings are taken to be writing, then it is not so), but each one of us are born with LAD (Language Acquisition Device) which makes us acquire language and use it orally. Whereas for writing, one needs to put in conscious effort; but for acquiring the first language (usually one’s mother tongue), we do not need to put in any such conscious effort Oral forms of Communication * Face-to-face conversation Telephone conversation Meetings Seminars Conferences Dictation Presentations Group discussions Interviews (employment, press) * Videoconferences * Chit-chats Siler le) o26) 040 A Foundational Book on Communication Though oral communication has been one of the most used means of communication; but it is not true that oral communication is always informal. Often oral communication is formal - such as public speech, interview, presentation, group discussion, etc. In the last chapter you have come across the short story "The Eyes Have It" by Ruskin Bond. The story was based on oral communication between the unnamed boy and girl - you can term it face to face communication or even categorize it as chitchat which we often get into for the purpose of killing time and also for pleasure, especially during our train journeys or as we wait in the airport lounges. There are similar other examples of chitchats and often these chitchats are very essential in forming relationships. So, we should take utmost care in being effective in our chitchats as they reflect our true personality. Usually in formal oral communication, we are serious and conscious and follow the etiquettes of communication; but even in chitchats we should know where to draw the limits and how to conduct ourselves. In this chapter we will focus on the formal oral communication though before doing so let us focus on the general features of speech or oral communication. . Oral Communication is mostly spontaneous, though there are oral communications that are well thought out. It is a saying that one should think before speaking. But if one thinks too much then s/ he will not be able to speak at all. Therefore, there is a‘need to strike a balance between spontaneity and planning. ¢ As Oral Communication is mostly spontaneous, therefore it has its corollary effects such as- the communication is faster and dynamic; and feedback instant. ° As there is a pressure of thinking faster in Oral Communication therefore there are lots of hesitations, fillers and repetitions. There are lots of "ummm" and "eerrr" sounds between words and sentences spoken (non-fluencies). Often, we repeat words and clauses while communicating orally as it gives us time to organize our thoughts. * No two persons speak a language in the same way. Oral Communication or Speech varies across gender, class, region, economic and educational background, etc. Moreover, the same person does not always speak in the same way. With different people and differing circumstances, the speech of a person varies as s/he adapts to the situation and modifies her/his speech.Speaking Skills / Oral Communication iA Oral communication is usually thought to be casual or informal in the sense that most casual communication happens in the oral mode. In that sense, Oral Communication or speech is very significant in forming interpersonal relationships. In other words, it serves the phatic function in terms of chit-chats, casual conversations, ete. Oral communication or speech is loosely structured in the sense that while speaking we do not tend to follow the grammatical rules all the time. In speech or oral communication, the non-verbal cues are very significant. The meaning of what we say also depends on the tone, pitch, rhythm, tempo, volume, gestures, postures and other body movements accompanying speech become significant in adding meaning to the words. It is a great advantage of oral communication that the listener can interrupt, if required, and clarify her/his doubt. Pauses and silences are pregnant with meaning in oral communication. When one pauses in speech, s/he pauses either to organize her or his thoughts, or to provide the listeners adequate time to assimilate / comprehend whatever s/he is saying. Timely pauses make speech dramatic and persuasive, enhancing the effect of communication. In informal oral communication, slang is acceptable. In all our communication with friends and peer group it comprises a significant part as it helps in building interpersonal relationships. In oral communication we use lot of elisions and contractions, such as "wanna" for "want to", "don't" for "do not', etc. Oral communication is ‘time bound’, in the sense that the sounds we produce during speech fade away rapidly (if not recorded electronically). Before it fades away the listener must grasp the sound to figure out what is being said.42 A Foundational Book on Communication Strengths and Weaknesses of Oral Communication or Speech ] Strengths Weaknesses + Faster and spontaneous * Cannot be documented (except * Feedback instant electronically) and therefore does * Clarification can be asked not have legal validity. immediately * There is limited time for * Can be used with Non-verbal formulation of ideas language to facilitate * Success depends on the listening communication. and attentiveness of the decoder. ‘+ Can be corrected mid-way to take a * One can get diverted from the topic different approach. * One needs to have good memory * Economical and less time for retention of messages. consuming * Helps in building interpersonal relationships. As mentioned earlier, oral communication we do all the time; but when it comes to communicate orally for the public or to address a mass, many find it hard to do as it makes them conscious of their own communicative means and makes them fail miserably. But one must remember that oral communication is the way to deal with the world and moreover, the professional world. Without sound oral communication competence, one cannot think of excelling academically and professionally in today’s world Therefore, it is essential that along with other things we also focus on bettering our oral communication proficiency. 2.3 Monologue: and Dialogue sis me s Conversations are part and parcel of our everyday life. In the last chapter we have figured out how communication has been an integral part of our life. We have also read how there are different kinds of communication. In this section we will focus on Monologue and Dialogue as means of communication and emphasize on the significance of each of these and the differences between them. A monologue, as the term suggests, is an oral communication which is conveyed by one person, or it may also be a long one-sided conversation. The Greek origin of the word means "speaking alone" in the sense when one person does all the talking. It can be said that when a speaker monopolizes any conversation because of his or her ideas and knowledge or for any other reason which puts him or her in a privileged position of making others listen to her or him, then it is a monologue. Usually it is thought that monologue is boring in nature as it is a kind of communication when the person speaking is in some way superior to the iSpeaking Skills / Oral Communication 43 listeners - either in age, or in rank, or in knowledge, etc.; but it is not always true. Think about your classroom situation when a teacher enters a class and gives a lecture on a new topic. What s/he may do is to give a lecture where there is no space for the students to put up questions to him or her as it may be a very latge class where there is no scope for dialogues or for any other reason. Or think about a video lecture in which there is no scope for interaction where the lecturer speaks, and others just listen. Or think about a situation when the Prime minister of a country gives a speech in radio or television, it is a monologue where the citizens listen to it to get information or some directive. Similarly, in an office set up, a boss in an office may give some instructions in the form of monologue. In all these above examples, we see that the speaker has some privileged position which makes him or her say things which others just listen. As a monologue is when a single person does all the talking, therefore it is essential that the monologist or the speaker is well prepared, logical, coherent and listener-friendly in what s/he says, otherwise it will tend to be boring. When we speak, it fades away fast; therefore it is important that the speaker keeps in mind that he or she is not very fast and uses vocabulary which is easily understandable and links ideas in such a manner that the listeners find it logical. In many of Shakespearean plays we see him using a lot of soliloquies and they are of immense dramatic value as they not only present the inner dilemma of the protagonist, but at the same time are immensely thetorical and poetic. When one is rhetorical in the right sense of the term, half the work is already done as how one says things is more significant than what one says. So, the style of expression is of supreme significance for a speaker when s/he is engaging in a monologue. You can consult Soliloquies from William Shakespeare's plays, especially Hamlet, to understand its significance. You can also take examples of Robert Browning's dramatic monologues such as "My Last Duchess" or "Porphyria's Lover" as examples of how monologues can be made dramatic and interactive. Whereas certain occasions make it inevitable that a speaker enters into a monologue; but often the means of communication is dialogue where two or more people take tusns to put forward their points of view, along with non-verbal cues, to often reach a conclusion. Think about a classroom situation when the teacher enters the class and starts a topic with few general questions for the students. Students respond to the question and44 A Foundational Book on Communication then the teacher sums up the discussion along with his or her point of view. It is an example of a dialogue. Or you are going for an interview and there you are asked questions on your subject, on general topics, on your strengths, your career plan, etc. It is a dialogue between you and the panelists in the interview board. Or think about a Board Meeting, where different members are discussing things according to the agenda of the meeting to reach a conclusion, it is an example of dialogue. Or as you finish your classes, two of you are discussing about going for a movie, it is also an example of a dialogue. Or suppose the President of a nation has visited India and is engaging with some bilateral treaties with the Indian * counterpart, then it can only be possible through dialogues. Do you know? Greek Philosopher Plato's books are all written in the form of dialogues where Platonic viewpoint is presented through the dialogues of Socrates and Socratic voice through his conversations with other characters tries to present the Platonic worldview to the readers. Thus, dialogues can be of various kinds depending on the context. But what is significant in a dialogue is that each party that enters the field of communication in a dialogue has the space and time to put forward his or her point of view. In that sense, dialogues are democratic in nature, where individuals get chance to have their say unlike a monologue where a single person takes over the talking because of his or her privileged position and others are mere receptors of the communication. ‘Activity Ponder over the admission process in your college. Write a dialogue between you and the admission in-charge of your college when you came to your college seeking admission. (While writing dialogues you can present the emotions / feelings /non- verbal cues, etc. in parenthesis, so to make the dialogue an interesting read) The most important facet of a dialogue is to taking turns - that is, the speaker is not always a speaker; but speaks for a while and then let the other person come up with his or her ideas, queries, responses, etc. Dialogue is a democratic means to come to a conclusion. These days we see that a lot of emphasis is also put forward by different institutions and companies to initiate dialogues with their customers / prospective customers as it is beneficial for a company or an institution to do so.Speaking Skills / Oral Communication 45 yet The most important facet of a dialogue is that the participants in a dialogu take turns - that is, the speaker is not always a speaker; but speaks for a while and then let the other person come up with his or her ideas, queries, responses, etc. Dialogue is a democratic means to come to a conclusion. These days we see that a lot of emphasis is also put forward by different institutions and companies to initiate dialogues with their customers / prospective customers as it is beneficial for a company or an institution to do so. In the field of business communication, the Human Resource set. up is advised to be made so that the voices of the subordinates in an official set up can reach the top bureaucrats. HR (Human Resource) Managers in a business concern thus have the role (among many other roles) of being the mediator between the management and the workers - in other words, to initiate and give direction to the dialogue between the workers and the managenient. It is also significant to mention here that any dialogue also preempt that the participants of the dialogues are. not very strict in their stanch about a particular issue and are willing to listen to others and come to a conclusion based on other's point of views. In other words, the participants in a dialogue are looking for cooperation from the other participants to reach an amicable conclusion. Based on the amicable nature of dialogue it can be said that a person should follow certain cooperative principles to look forward to a positive outcome from a dialogue. Therefore, in this context it is significant that we discuss Grice's Cooperative Principles which ensures a positive outcome of a dialogue. 2.4.1 Grice's Cooperative Principle In the context of dialogue, it is to be remembered that when a dialogue is happening it is usually on a topic or an idea and not disconnected remarks on random issues and ideas. If you visit a marketplace where each individual is speaking to other, the conversations together of all the people isnot a dialogue. Thus, when we talk about dialogue it essentially signifies that there are certain codes which are followed, as suggested by Grice. Grice writes - "Our talk exchanges do not normally consist of a succession of disconnected remarks, and would not be rational if they did. They are characteristically, to some degree at least, of cooperative efforts, and each participartt recognizes in them, to some extent, a common purpose or set of purposes, or at least a mutually accepted direction.”46 A Foundational Book on Communication According to Grice, when the speakers or participants are getting involved in a particular conversation then there has to be a direction to the whole conversation. Otherwise different people will carry on saying different things though they will not to conversing to each other as they will be talking about disconnected things which will not make sense to each other. Therefore, whenever a conversation is happening, we have to always respect certain rules about it to make it a successful one. It is termed by Grice as Cooperative Principle, in which he proposed four Maxims or rules of conversation. Acting in accordance with these Maxims will, according to Grice, yield results consistent with the Cooperative Principle. The Maxims are - 1. Maxim of Quantity 2. Maxim of Quality 3. Maxim of Relevance 4, Maxim Of Manner By Maxim of Quantity what Grice meant was the information that we provide in the process of a conversation. According to Grice we should neither provide nor contribute more information than what is needed for the current conversation, nor should we provide less information that what is needed for a successful conversation. By Maxim of Quality is that ethical part of the conversation where we should nether say what we believe to be false and neither should we say something about which we lack adequate evidence. In other words, we should always base our statements on evidence and shouldn't say something just because we think it can be like that. The Maxim of relevance refers to the fact that when we are conversing, we should keep in mind never to speak anything that is not a part of the conversation. In other words, we should be relevant and to the point so that the conversation becomes a meaningful one. By Maxim of Manner, Grice meant that we should avoid obscurity of expression, avoid ambiguity and be brief and orderly, that is we should be short, systematic and simple in our expressions so that the person in front of me gets the thing directly and has no problem in comprehending whatever I am saying. Grice's four maxims are commonsensical things. Most of the times when we are in conversation, we should keep in mind all these four factors. And when we don't keep it in mind, we usually are either not able to converse or the conversation ends in a misunderstanding among the participants. Let us take an example to illustrate how the four maxim works in a conversation.Speaking Skills / Oral Communication 43 listeners - either in age, or in tank, or in knowledge, etc,; but it is not always true. Think about your tlassroom situation when a teacher enters a class and gives a lecture on anew topic. What s/he may do is to give a lecture where there is no spacf for the students to put up questions to him or her as it may be a very large class where there is no scope for dialogues or for any other reasdn. Or think about a video lecture in which there is no scope for interaction where the lecturer speaks, and others just listen. Or think about a situatibn when the Prime minister of a country gives a speech in radio or television, it is a monologue where the citizens listen to it to get information of some directive. Similarly, in an office set up, a boss in an office may ‘give some instructions in the form of monologue. In all these above examples, we see that the speaker has some privileged position which makes him or her say things which others just listen. As a monologue is when a single person does all the talking, therefore it is essential that the monologist or the speaker is well prepared, logical, coherent and listener-friendly in what s/he says, otherwise it will tend to be boring. When we speak, it fades away fast; therefore it is important that the speaker keeps in mind that he or she is not very fast and uses vocabulary which is easily understandable and links ideas in such a manner that the listeners find it logical. In many of Shakespearean plays we see him using a lot of soliloquies and they are of immense dramatic value as they not only present the inner dilemma of the protagonist, but at the same time are immensely rhetorical and poetic. When one is rhetorical in the right sense of the term, half the work is already done as how one says things is more significant than what one says. So, the style of expression is of supreme significance for a speaker when s/he is engaging in a monologue. You can consult soliloquies from William Shakespeare's plays, especially Hamlet,.to understand its significance. You can also take examples of Robert Browning's dramatic monologues such as "My Last Duchess" or "Porphyria's Lover" as examples of how monologues can be made dramatic and interactive. Whereas certain occasions make it inevitable that a speaker enters into a monologue; but often the means of communication is dialogue where two or more people take turns to put forward their points of view, along with non-verbal cues, to often reach a conclusion. Think about a classroom situation when the teacher enters the class and starts a topic with few . general questions for the students. Students respond to the question and4a | A Foundational Book on Communication then the teacher sums up the discussion along with his or her point of view. Itis an example of a dialogue. Or you are going for an interview and there you are asked questions on your subject, on general topics, on your strengths, your career plan, etc. It ig a dialogue between you and the panelists in the interview board. Or think about a Board Meeting, where different members are discussing things according to the agenda of the meeting to reach a conclusion, it is an example of dialogue. Or as you finish your classes, two of you are discussing about going for a movie, it is also an example of a dialogue. Or suppose the President of a nation has visited India and is engaging with some bilateral treaties with the Indian counterpart, then it can only be possible through dialogues. Do you know? Greek Philosopher Plato's books are all written in the form of dialogues where Platonic viewpointis presented through the dialogues of Socrates and Socratic voice through his conversations with other characters tries to present the Platonic worldview to the readers. ) Thus, dialogues can be of various kinds depending on the context. But what is significant in a dialogue is that each party that enters the field of communication in a dialogue has the space and time to put forward his or her point of view. In that sense, dialogues are democratic in nature, where individuals get chance to have their say unlike a monologue where a single person takes over the talking because of his or her privileged position and others are mere receptors of the communication. ‘Activity Ponder over the admission process in your college. Write a dialogue between you and the admission in-charge of your college when you came to your college seeking admission. (While writing dialogues you can present the emotions / feelings /non- verbal cues, etc. in parenthesis, so to make the dialogue an interesting read) The most important facet of a dialogue is to taking turns - that is, the speaker is not always a speaker; but speaks for a while and then let the other person come up with his or her ideas, queries, responses, etc. Dialogue is a democratic means to come to a conclusion. These days we see that a lot of emphasis is also put forward by different institutions and companies to initiate dialogues with their customers / prospective customers as it is beneficial for a company or an institution to do so.Speaking Skills / Oral Communication 45 2.4 Dialogue Waitin The most important facet of a dialogue i is that the participants i ina dialogue take turns - that is, the speaker is not always a speaker; but speaks for a while and then let the other person come up with his or her ideas, queries, responses, etc. Dialogue is a democratic means to come to a conclusion. These days we see that a lot of emphasis is also put forward by different institutions and companies to initiate dialogues with their customers / prospective customers as it is beneficial for a company or an institution to do so. In the field of business communication, the Human Resource set up is advised to be made so that the voices of the subordinates in an official set up can reach the top bureaucrats. HR (Human Resource) Managers in a business concern thus have the role (among many other roles) of being the mediator between the management and the workers - in other words, to initiate and give direction to the dialogue between the workers and the management. It is also significant to mention here that any dialogue also preempt that the participants of the dialogues are not very strict in their stanch about a particular issue and are willing to listen to others and come to a conclusion based on other's point of views. In other words, the participants in a dialogue are looking for cooperation from the other participants to reach an amicable conclusion. Based on the amicable nature of dialogue it can be said that a person should follow certain cooperative principles to look forward to a positive:outcome from a dialogue. Therefore, in this context it is significant that we discuss Grice's Cooperative Principles which ensures a positive outcome of a dialogue. 2.4.1 Grice's Cooperative Principle In the context of dialogue, it is to be remembered that when a dialogue is happening it is usually on a topic or an idea and not disconnected remarks on random issues and ideas. If you visit a marketplace where each individual is speaking to other, the conversations together of all the people is not a dialogue. Thus, when we talk about dialogue it essentially signifies that there are certain codes which are followed, as suggested by Grice. Grice writes - "Our talk exchanges do not normally consist of a succession of disconnected remarks, anti would not be rational if they did. They are characteristically, to soni degree at least, of cooperative efforts, and each participant recognizes in them, to some extent, a common purpose or set of purposes, or at least a mutually accepted direction."46 A Foundational Book on Communication According to Grice, when the speakers or participants are getting involved in a particular conversation then there has to be a direction to the whole conversation. Otherwise different people will carry on saying different things though they will not to conversing to each other as they will be talking about disconnected things which will not make sense to each other. Therefore, whenever a conversation is happening, we have to always respect certain rules about it to make it a successful one. It is termed by Grice as Cooperative Principle, in which he proposed four Maxims or rules of conversation. Acting in accardance with these Maxims will, according to Grice, yield results consistent with the Cooperative Principle. The Maxims are - 1. Maxim of Quantity 2. Maxim of Quality 3. Maxim of Relevance 4, Maxim Of Manner By Maxim of Quantity what Grice meant was the information that we provide in the process of a conversation. According to Grice we should neither provide nor contribute more information than what is needed for the current conversation, nor should we provide less information that what is needed for a successful conversation. By Maxim of Quality is that ethical part of the conversation where we should nether say what we ‘lieve to be false and neither should we say something about which we lack adequate evidence. In other words, we should always base our statements on evidence and shouldn't say something just because we think it can be like that. The Maxim of relevance refers to the fact that when we are conversing, we should keep in mind never to speak anything that is not a part of the conversation. In other words, we should be relevant and to the point so that the conversation becomes a meaningful one. By Maxim of Manner, Grice meant that we should avoid obscurity of expression, avoid ambiguity and be brief and orderly, that is we should be short, systematic and simple in our expressions so that the person in front of me gets the thing directly and has no.problem in comprehending whatever I am saying. Grice's four maxims are commonsensical things. Most of the times when we are in conversation, we should keep in mind all these four factors. And when we don't keep it in mind, we usually are either not able to converse or the conversation ends in a misunderstanding among the participants. Let us take an example to illustrate how the four maxim works in a conversation.Speaking Skills / Oral Communication 47 We are assuming that two friends Sachin and Saurav are meeting after a long time, and we are trying to form two set of dialogues which can happen between them, first, where they are following the four maxims, and second when they are not following it. Sachin and Saurav following the four Maxims - Sachin - Hi, what's up? Where were you for so long? Saurav - Hello, I was in Bombay. What about you? How are you doing? Sachin - I am doing well and presently working in a call centre in Gurgaon, and what about you? Saurav - I was working in an Ad Agency in Bombay. Left it and am searching for a job here. Sachin - Ok. Take my Number - 9800000000. Be in contact. I am in a hurry now. Have to go. Do drop in to my place in the weekend. Saurav - Surely, I will. See you then. Take care. Sachin - Take care, bye Saurav - Bye Sachin and Saurav Not following the four Maxims - Sachin - Hi, what's up? Where were you so many days? Saurav - Hi. I was not in Delhi. Sachin - How are you doing? Saurav - Do you know any Ad Agency here? Sachin - No. why? Saurav - Forget it. Sachin - Let's go to have a coffee? Saurav - Where are you staying? Sachin - (Feeling Disgusted) Nearby. I am in hurry. See you. Bye. Saurav - Bye. In the first case, Sachin and Saurav, though they have met after a long time they kept the four maxims of conversation in mind while speaking. They provided the exact information while talking; neither more than what is necessary, nor less. They neither said anything false and whatever they were saying were relevant. In the second case, their conversation was lacking the four maxims and therefore it ended in a way where though they met after a long time, still there was coldness in their relationship. In48 A Foundational Book on Communication the second case Sachin was trying his best to get the conversation going in a particular direction, but Saurav's manner of speaking made him so bored with the whole conversation that he left it and went without ever having the intention to meet this person anymore? In the first case we do find out as the conversation was well struck with the four Maxims therefore, they decide again to meet in the weekend. Thus, we can say that though what Grice says in the four Maxims are the commonsense thing, but they are very important for any conversation to strike a successful note. As mentioned earlier, dialogues are primarily meant to be oral communication; but often dialogues are written for different purposes. Think about the films that you see. Each film has a story to present. But if the dialogues of the story are not up to the mark of the story, then there are chances that the film will not fare well. Therefore, it is essential that the dialogue writer understands the story well and writes the dialogue appropriately so as to bring out the essence of the story through the dialogues. Similar is true about a play or an audio-visual advertisement. Therefore, one needs to learn how to write dialogues. Dialogue writing is a craft which can be learnt very easily. One needs to be a close observer of human relationships as well as have command over language to write good dialogues. But basic level dialogue writing is all about following certain codes of writing and keeping in mind that Grice's Cooperative Principle is followed. While writing dialogues, the following things should be kept in mind - 1. Inany conversation, each individual does not speak for a long time; but speaks for a short while and then gives the other people a chance to speak. So, it is to be kept in mind to write short sentences. Dialogue writing should be similar to the way you speak. 2. Dialogues have to have three distinct parts - Welcoming - Main conversation - saying Goodbye. Keep that in mind while writing dialogues. 3. Dialogues should be conversational in tone. Therefore, should follow the oral communication characteristics. While writing dialogues keep in mind that you are speaking and not writing. 4. Always remember the context in which the dialogue is happening. The context of the dialogue matters as two people conversing in a formal atmosphere would converse in a very different way than in a casual meeting. So the setting would decide what kind of a