Week 6-7

Verbal Vs. Non-verbal Communication

Verbal communication is the transmission of ideas, opinions, feelings, emotions or attitudes

through the use of oral language.

Nonverbal communication on the other hand refers to the sending of messages to another
person utilizing methods or means other than spoken language.

Speech communication on the other hand has been defined as a means of conveying ideas orally
with the purpose of getting some predetermined response. It is the oral expression of an idea, a
collection of organized thoughts, or a strong conviction.

Functions of Speech Communication

For an individual or society as a collective group speech communication serves a number of

functions. By our very nature we use speech as a tool to serve a function. A consciously created speech
action inherently has a function. However, speech is conducted on many levels—from the individual up
to the societal—what a speaker believes to be his/her intended function may also produce unintended
functions.

Because of the nature of speech’s multi-level role in society there are many types of functions of
speech based on three categories:

1. The Sender’s Standpoint (from the perspective of the person delivering speech):

a. Information- provides info

b. Instruction- teaches

c. Persuasion- convinces

d. Entertainment – provides enjoyment

2. The Society’s Standpoint (from the perspective of mass media)

a. Surveillance- used to monitor and report what is happening

b. Correlation- used to interpret what is happening in an environs (this function takes

surveillance and relates it to another topic and shows the relationships between the
two)

c. Socialization- used to teach members of society about their role within the system.

d. Entertainment – provides entertainment

3. The receiver’s Standpoint (from the perspective of the one listening)

a. Personal Identity- by listening to others we related their words into our lives and decide
how we as an individual react to their thoughts. Thus by listening to others we discover
who we are.

b. Social Integration- Also called the linking function, this describes the way
communication connects us to those in our community. By assimilating and
accommodating people learn how to behave within society.
c. Cognitive- This describes our ability to use previous speech symbols to internalize
speech. This allows us to have the ability to imagine and see things from other points of
view.

d. Escape- Provides relaxation