COMMUNICATION is how people express and share their feelings, opinions, ideas, and needs.

It is
based on: speaking, writing, signals, sounds, behaviours, symbols, and colours.

There are different forms of communication:

FORMAL COMMUNICATION

 Formal communication is necessary for serious or official situations between people who
don’t know each other very well. For example, it may be communication between a teacher
and a student, a shop assistant and a customer, a policeman and a driver, or a conversation
between business partners.

 People are careful about how to express some ideas. They choose the right words, correct
grammar, and communicate logical ideas.

 Types of formal communication: ▪ speech ▪ lecture ▪ ceremony

INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

 Friends and members of a family communicate informally. They use slang, dialect, and
sometimes swear words, or profanity as well.

 This is communication between colleagues, schoolmates, siblings, parents and their

children, friends.

 Types of informal communication: ▪ chat ▪ gossip ▪ discussion ▪ whispering

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

 Verbal communication is the use of words to share information with other people.

 This communication can be divided into:

1. Spoken/Oral communication/Face-to-face communication in real time

2. Written communication

1. Oral Communication

This is influenced by:

– the volume of the voice,

– the speed,
– the intonation of the voice,
– conversational pauses,
– mood and facial expressions of the interlocutors, or speakers

PROS of oral communication:

 We can ask what we want, and we get direct feedback.

 We can see the partner’s reactions and feelings. We can see if they are happy, unhappy,
nervous, angry, or worried.

 We can repeat some words, or put stress on particular words to highlight their importance.

 We can explain ideas in more detail or more simplicity.

  We can show our attitude or emote, we can convince, apologize, support, tell a lie, tell the
truth, complain, explain, and give instruction.

CONS

 When we say something, we cannot take it back.

2. Written Communication

 We type words, signs, and symbols and use emoticons in written communication.

 It is somewhat slower communication, but we have more time when we write. However, the
reader cannot react immediately = there is a delay in communication.

 We try to choose the right words to express ourselves as best as possible.

 We also think about the correct spelling and grammar.

 To maintain clarity, we need to plan and organize our thoughts well.

 Punctuation is also essential in written texts.

For example: a question mark (?), a full stop/period (.), an exclamation mark (!), a dash
(-), a comma (,), a colon (:), a semi-colon (;).

 We use this type of communication to write formal and informal letters, emails,
messages, and short notes.

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

This is communication without the use of spoken language. Nonverbal communication includes
gestures, facial expressions, and body positions (known collectively as ‘body
language’).

 Facial expressions are feelings expressed on our faces. For example: boredom, anger,
happiness, sadness, fear, and surprise.
– If we are bored or tired, we yawn.
– If we are upset or angry, we frown.
– If we feel embarrassed, we blush.
– If we are delighted, we grin.

 Gestures are movements of the body, arms, hands, or head to express an idea or feeling.
– If we are nervous or scared, we often bite our nails.
– If we give somebody the thumbs up, it is a positive sign of success.
– If we agree with something, we nod our heads.
– If a meal is delicious, we lick our lips.

 Shaking hands is a gesture that we use to congratulate somebody or when we meet other
people.

 Hugging and kissing on the cheek is a familiar gesture when meeting a friend, parents,
children, or a partner.

 The practice of using air quotes, using your fingers to imitate quotation marks („ „) for
sarcasm. Air quotes can be used to show sarcasm. In other words, you are not convinced that
something is true.
SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION

 Sign language is a system of hand movements and gestures representing words and
ideas. It is for differently abled people, for example – deaf people (people who can’t speak
and hear) who entirely rely on their body language.

 The Braille alphabet, or braille, is an alphabetical system for the blind that can be felt with
the fingertips.

 Morse Code, or morse, is a code used for sending messages. It represents each letter of the
alphabet using short and long sounds or flashes of light, which can be written down as dots
and dashes. For instance, SOS – Save Our Souls . . . – – – . . .

SYMBOLS AND COLORS

Even symbols and colors can communicate. No words are needed. For example:

 An owl represents wisdom.

 A bee represents diligence.

 The letter H means hospital.

 The letter P stands for a car park/parking.

 Black is the color of death.

 White often represents purity and innocence.

SLANG

This is a very informal kind of vocabulary. Slang is used primarily in speech by people who know
each other well and share the same social background. Here are some slang words and expressions:

 chillax – means to calm down, relax

 R&R – means rest and recuperation

 a bestie – a person’s best friend

 to pig out – to eat a lot

 to binge – watch – If you binge-watch a television series, you watch several episodes one
after another in a short time.

 a bloke – another word for a man

 I am pooped. = I am exhausted.

New words and expressions are constantly being formed because of human culture and invention.
Our world is steadily growing and developing.

MAIN TOPICS FOR COMMUNICATION

Many psychologists say that the main topics of conversations differ depending on a person’s age.

 Teenagers may talk about school, tests, social media, music, parties, new movies, fashion,
appearance, interests, and new mobile applications.
  Adults may discuss politics, money, work, the opposite sex, fashion, gastronomy,
upbringing, hobbies, sports, or traveling.

 The elderly may talk about the weather, their grandchildren, health, cooking, crafts,
gardening, and nature. They may also reminisce about the past.

3. New forms of communication

New inventions of the 20th century, such as THE PRESS, RADIO, TELEVISION,
COMPUTERS, and MOBILES, have changed how we communicate.

Mobiles alongside the Internet are the quickest and the most comfortable means of
communication. They are beneficial and bring a lot of:

 positives:
+ We get a lot of information in a short time. For example, bus/train timetables,
cinema/theatre programs, advertisements, the results of our exams, etc.).
+ We can study foreign languages via the most modern applications.
+ We are in constant touch with our friends and family.
+ We can listen to music or podcasts.
+ We can chat via WhatsApp and other apps using slang words, abbreviations, and emojis.
+ We use GPS connected with our smartwatch to track the movements and activities we do
during the day.
+ We pay the bills online and shop online for clothes, furniture, technologies, or food.

 drawbacks/ threats
– People sometimes spend too much time on their phones, so they waste time.
– Mobiles have replaced our face-to-face communication which may lead to social isolation.
– We are glued to our mobiles and become heavily addicted to them.