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Business
Communication for
Success
Scott McLean
Version 2.0
Additional Resources 232
Endnotes 233

Chapter 9 Business Writing in Action 235


Getting Started 235
Text, E-mail, and Netiquette 235
Memorandums and Letters 240
Business Proposal 247
Business Report 251
Cover Letter, Résumé, and Online Profiles 256
Sales Message 264
Additional Resources 267
Endnotes 269

Chapter 10 Developing Business Presentations 271


Getting Started 272
Before You Choose a Topic 273
Choosing a Topic 276
Finding Resources 281
Myths and Realities of Public Speaking 288
Overcoming Obstacles in Your Presentation 290
Additional Resources 294
Endnotes 295

Chapter 11 Nonverbal Delivery 297


Getting Started 297
Principles of Nonverbal Communication 298
Types of Nonverbal Communication 303
Movement in Your Speech 308
Visual Aids 311
Nonverbal Strategies for Success with Your Audience 318
Additional Resources 320
Endnotes 322

Chapter 12 Organization and Outlines 323


Getting Started 323
Rhetorical Situation 324
Strategies for Success 326
Building a Sample Speech 331
Sample Speech Outlines 334
Organizing Principles for Your Speech 336
Transitions 340
Additional Resources 343
Endnotes 344
Chapter 13 Presentations to Inform 345
Getting Started 345
Functions of the Presentation to Inform 346
Types of Presentations to Inform 350
Adapting Your Presentation to Teach 352
Diverse Types of Intelligence and Learning Styles 358
Preparing Your Speech to Inform 360
Creating an Informative Presentation 365
Additional Resources 368
Endnotes 369

Chapter 14 Presentations to Persuade 371


Getting Started 371
What Is Persuasion? 372
Principles of Persuasion 374
Functions of the Presentation to Persuade 376
Meeting the Listener’s Basic Needs 380
Making an Argument 384
Speaking Ethically and Avoiding Fallacies 390
Sample Persuasive Speech 393
Elevator Speech 396
Additional Resources 398
Endnotes 400

Chapter 15 Business Presentations in Action 401


Getting Started 401
Sound Bites and Quotables 402
Telephone/VoIP Communication 403
Meetings 406
Celebrations: Toasts and Roasts 409
Media Interviews 411
Introducing a Speaker 414
Presenting or Accepting an Award 415
Serving as Master of Ceremonies 418
Viral Messages 419
Additional Resources 421
Endnotes 423

Chapter 16 Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Business Communication 425


Getting Started 425
Intrapersonal Communication 426
Self-Concept and Dimensions of Self 427
Interpersonal Needs 430
Social Penetration Theory 435
Rituals of Conversation and Interviews 439
Conflict in the Work Environment 445
Additional Resources 450
Endnotes 451

Chapter 17 Negative News and Crisis Communication 453


Getting Started 453
Delivering a Negative News Message 454
Eliciting Negative News 462
Crisis Communication Plan 466
Press Conferences 468
Additional Resources 473
Endnotes 474

Chapter 18 Intercultural and International Business Communication 475


Getting Started 475
Intercultural Communication 476
How to Understand Intercultural Communication 479
Common Cultural Characteristics 481
Divergent Cultural Characteristics 485
International Communication and the Global Marketplace 489
International Business and Law Enforcement 494
Styles of Management 502
The International Assignment 504
Popular Culture and Intercultural Communication 509
Virtual Communication Across Cultures 518
Additional Resources 525
Endnotes 526

Chapter 19 Group Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership 527


Getting Started 527
What Is a Group? 528
Organizational Cultures and Communication 531
Group Problem Solving 540
Business and Professional Meetings 544
Teamwork and Leadership 550
Family Business 553
Additional Resources 560
Endnotes 562

Index 563
About the Author
McLean serves an Associate Professor of Business Communication for the W. A. Franke College of Business, Northern Arizona
University – Yuma, on a combined campus partnership with the University of Arizona and Arizona Western College. Scott McLean
was the 2007-2011 Shadle-EdgeCombe Endowed Faculty Chair at Arizona Western College.
Scott is the author of the Basics of Speech Communication, the Basics of Interpersonal Communication, and the Basics of Com-
munication Studies with Allyn & Bacon/Pearson Education. He is also the author of Business English for Success, Writing for Success,
Intercultural Communication and Group Communication with Flat World Knowledge. He has published in peer-review journals,
classic car magazines, and newspapers.
Beyond his classroom experience, Scott regularly serves as a communications advisor to industry, business, and organizations.
He has extensive experience and publications in the areas of health communication, social marketing communication, strategic, or-
ganizational and crisis communication. He has served as an evaluator for the United States National Institutes of Health’s Small
Business and Innovative Research (SBIR) program since 1995. He served as an evaluator of educational programs for the Ministerio
de Hacienda de Chile. He works with companies interested in Chile and is active in international business communication. His de-
velopment of the Tenio Natural Reserve in Southern Chile has brought together people from around the world to preserve and re-
store indigenous flora and fauna on a collective effort will serve for generations to come.
Scott studied at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and at Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow School of
Communication. He and his family divide their time between the United States and Puerto Montt, Chile.
Acknowledgments
I would like to say thank you to Chris Etesse, our CEO, and James Rianhard, our former President, for taking Flat World Knowledge
forward on the cutting edge of high quality, innovative educational content and increasing access for students. To say Flat World
Knowledge’s model just makes sense is an understatement. I am honored to be a part of it all.
Becky Knauer was an excellent project manager. Writing can be a solitary activity but she made the journey positive and pro-
ductive, with space when I needed it, technical assistance when required, and a positive word of encouragement or two that made all
the difference.
Scott Marinaro also deserves a call out—he led the charge to change textbooks as we know them on the front lines of project de-
velopment, author recruitment, and acquisition. I appreciate your support of the Comm discipline and am confident the field will
support, participate, collaborate, and create new resources for our students.
Finally, thanks go to Vicki Brentnall, Digital Content Specialist, for everything she did to make BCS2.0 become a reality.
To my reviewers in the field, I appreciate all the specific feedback that contributed to clear improvements in the text.
< Brenda Jolivette Jones, San Jacinto College - Central Campus (brenda.jolivette@sjcd.edu)
< Christina McCale, Regis University (cmccale@regis.edu)
< Billie Miller, Ph.D., Cosumnes River College (millerb@crc.losrios.edu)
< Joyce Ezrow, Anne Arundel Community College (jezrow@aacc.edu)
< Sally Lederer, U of M Carlson School of Management (sally@melsa.org)
< Greg Larson, Salt Lake Community College (Greg.Larson@slcc.edu)
< Gayla Jurevich, Fresno City College (gayla.jurevich@fresnocitycollege.edu)
< Laura Newton, Florida State University (lpnewton@fsu.edu)
< Judy Grace, Arizona State University (judy.grace@asu.edu)
< Rita Rud, Purdue University (ritarud@purdue.edu)
< Edna Boroski, Trident Technical College (edna.boroski@tridenttech.edu)
Your words of encouragement and constructive criticism have made this effort worthwhile.
Finally, to Lisa, my life partner, you are amazing. You were a draft recruit on this project and quickly learned the formatting re-
quirements in short order. You are a valuable part of this team. Your relentless editing serves as a clear example of Strunk’s axiom:
“Omit needless words.” This text is the better for it. Writing with you, like life, gets better with each year.
Scott McLean
Puerto Montt, Chile
Dedications
For Lisa and our children, Mackenzie, John, and Katherine
Preface
Business Communication for Success 2.0 (BCS) provides a comprehensive, integrated approach to the study and application of writ-
ten and oral business communication to serve both student and professor. It provides a modern context with real world examples
that are immediately relevant to today's students.
This textbook features chapters with the following elements:
< Learning Objectives
< Introductory Exercises
< Clear expectations, relevant background, and important theories
< Practical, real-world examples
< Key Takeaways or quick internal summaries
< Key terms that are easily identified
< In-chapter assignments
< Post-chapter assessments linked to objectives and skills acquisition
< Visual reinforcement and relevant images
< Integrated, engaging video resources
< Samples and examples
Each chapter is self-contained, allowing for mix-and-match flexibility and custom or course-specific design. Each chapter focuses on
clear objectives and skill demonstrations that can be easily linked to your syllabus and state or federal requirements. Supported by
internal and external assessments, each chapter features time-saving and learning-enhancement support for instructors and
students.
BCS 2.0 is designed to help students identify important information, reinforce for retention, and demonstrate mastery with a
clear outcome product.
The text has three content categories:
1. Foundations
2. Process and products
3. Contexts
The first three chapters form the core foundation for the study of oral and written business communication. The next sequence of
chapters focus on the process of writing, then oral performance with an emphasis on results. The final sequence focuses on contexts
from interpersonal to intercultural, from groups to leadership, from intercultural to international, where business communication
occurs,.
In each of the process and product chapter sequences, the chapters follow a natural flow, from prewriting to revision, from pre-
paration for a presentation to performance. Each sequence comes together in a concluding chapter that focuses on action—where
we apply the skills and techniques of written or oral communication in business, from writing a letter to presenting a sales speech.
These performances not only serve to reinforce real-world applications but also may serve as course assessments.
All chapters are compartmentalized into sections so you can choose what you want to use and eliminate the rest, and here the
beauty of Flat World Knowledge rings true—you can adapt and integrate content from other texts or your own work to truly make it
fit your course and student needs.
New for our 2.0 edition includes additional exercises, images, and videos throughout the text to reinforce learning, connections
to the latest research, and new sections on mobile communication, family business communication, and intercultural
communication.
Please consider adapting this text for your own use! While there are far more sections and chapters than many courses will
need in a 6, 8, 10, 12 or even 16 week class, the diversity and range of those sections allows you to align the sections with your syl-
labus, your course calendar, your specific topic, audience, or need. I welcome adaptations, updates, and new versions of this text!
CHAP TER 1
Effective Business
Communication
Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.

- Rollo May

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you

heard is not what I meant.

- Robert J. McCloskey, former State Department spokesman

1. GETTING STARTED

I N T R O D U C T O R Y E X E R C I S E S

1. Write five words that express what you want to do and where you want to be a year from now. Take those
five words and write a paragraph that clearly articulates your responses to both “what” and “where.”
2. Think of five words that express what you want to do and where you want to be five years from now.
Share your five words with your classmates and listen to their responses. What patterns do you observe in
the responses? Write a paragraph that addresses at least one observation.
3. Define "effective business communication" in your own words.
4. Find a (poor/excellent) example of business communication and discuss how it impacts and influences
brand identity and customer relationships.
5. Find an example of a business, organization, or company's representation of themselves in a social media
network and discuss why you "like" it or not.
6. Selfie Exercise: Take a photo of yourself for your LinkedIn.com page, for example, that portrays a
professional (or creative, or your choice of focus) image of yourself. Write a few sentences on the
nonverbal cures that communicate your message goal(s).

Communication is an activity, skill, and art that incorporates lessons learned across a wide spectrum of
human knowledge. It’s what we use to represent ourselves, our ideas, our hopes, dreams, and experi-
ences, and it is often how we are evaluated and judged. You may have heard the expression, “You nev-
er get a second chance to make a first impression,” and it holds true, but let's consider what comprises a
first impression.
When someone checks out your LinkedIn.com profile, what do they see? A photo? Words? Images
and video? In each case what they see isn't you, but a representation of you that speaks for you in your
absence. Your choice of words and phrases impacts and influences that first impression.
When you go to a job interview what do they see? They may have reviewed your resume—a writ-
ten representation of you—and found you met the qualifications and offered something of interest, but
now they get to meet you. What will you say, and how will you say it? Will your communication make
a good first impression?
Effective communication is a learned skill. You learned what to say and when to say it by the
people who surrounded you from early on, from family and friends to the television and the Internet.
Words that became popular may have become your words, or not. Communication habits that others
expressed may have become your habits, or not. For example, you didn’t learn to text in a day and
didn’t learn all the codes—from LOL (laugh out loud) to BRB (be right back)—right away. In the same
way, learning to communicate well requires you to read and study how others have expressed them-
selves, then adapt what you have learned to your present task—whether it is texting a brief message to a
6 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FOR SUCCESS VERSION 2.0

friend, presenting your qualifications in a job interview, or writing a business report. You come to this
text with skills and an understanding that will provide a valuable foundation as we explore the commu-
nication process.
Effective communication takes preparation, practice, and persistence. There are many ways to
learn communication skills; the school of experience, or “hard knocks,” is one of them. But in the busi-
ness environment, a “knock” (or lesson learned) may come at the expense of your credibility through a
blown presentation to a client. The classroom environment, with a compilation of information and re-
sources such as a text, can offer you a trial run where you get to try out new ideas and skills before you
have to use them to communicate effectively to make a sale or form a new partnership. Listening to
yourself, or perhaps the comments of others, may help you reflect on new ways to present, or perceive,
thoughts, ideas, and concepts. The net result is your growth; ultimately your ability to communicate in
business will improve, opening more doors than you might anticipate.
As you learn the material in this text, each part will contribute to the whole. The degree to which
you attend to each part will ultimately help give you the skills, confidence, and preparation to use com-
munication in furthering your career.

2. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO COMMUNICATE WELL?

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S

1. Recognize the importance of communication in gaining a better understanding of yourself and


others.
2. Explain how communication skills help you solve problems, learn new things, and build your
career.

Communication is key to your success—in relationships, in the workplace, as a citizen of your country,
and across your lifetime. Your ability to communicate comes from experience, and experience can be
an effective teacher, but this text and the related business communication course will offer you a wealth
of experiences gathered from professional speakers across their lifetimes. You can learn from the les-
sons they’ve learned and be a more effective communicator right out of the gate.
Business communication can be thought of as a problem solving activity in which individuals may
address the following questions:
< What is the situation?
< Who is the target audience?
< What are some possible communication strategies?
< What is the best course of action?
< What is the best way to design the chosen message?
< What are the expectations of the audience?
< What is the best way to deliver the message?
< What is the best way to receive feedback from the audience?
< What is the best way to measure the impact of the message on the audience?
< What is the best way to revise the message to increase its effectiveness?

In this book, we will examine this problem solving process and help you learn to apply it in the kinds of
situations you are likely to encounter over the course of your career.

2.1 Communication Influences Your Thinking about Yourself and


Others
We all share a fundamental drive to communicate. We want to be understood and want to know oth-
ers, but drive and motivation are not simply not enough. We may know what we want to say, but not
how to say it. We may lack the words, the expressions, or the experiences to communicate effectively.
Our perception of our ability to communicate can influence how and when we communicate.
Communication can be defined as the process of understanding and sharing meaning.[1] You share
meaning in what you say and how you say it, both in oral and written forms. Sometimes we take it for
CHAPTER 1 EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 7

granted. If you could not communicate, what would life be like? A series of never-ending frustrations?
Not being able to ask for what you need or understand the needs of others?
Being unable to communicate might even mean losing a part of yourself. You communicate your self-concept
self-concept—your sense of self and awareness of who you are—in many ways. Do you like to write?
What we perceive ourselves
Do you find it easy to make a phone call to a stranger or to speak to a room full of people? Perhaps to be.
someone told you that you don’t speak clearly or your grammar needs improvement. Does that make
you more or less likely to want to communicate? For some, it may be a positive challenge, while for
others it may be discouraging. In all cases, your ability to communicate is central to your self-concept.
One important element of effective business communication is to recognize communication is a
learned skill. You learned from those around you, but you now have a new opportunity to learn lessons
from communication professionals that you can consider, adapt, and make your own. You can im-
prove your written performance, polish your public speaking skills, and make a positive difference on
how others perceive you, as well as how you perceive yourself.
Take a look at your clothes, for example. What brands are you wearing? What do you think they
say about you? Do you feel that certain styles of shoes, jewelry, tattoos, music, or even automobiles ex-
press who you are? Do they fit into your business, work, or school setting? Part of your self-concept
may be that you express yourself through texting, or through writing longer documents like essays and
research papers, or through the way you speak. In each instance you represent yourself, or aspects of
yourself, to others, and how you represent yourself will be influenced by the context and your target
audience. Your clothes, like your choice of words or even tone and timing, will communicate
something about you.
Your communications skills help you to understand others—not just their words, but also their
tone of voice, nonverbal gestures, or format of their written documents provide you with clues about
who they are and what their values and priorities may be. Listeners and audiences have expectations of
the context, themselves, and about you. Understanding their cultural background as well as the busi-
ness context can provide you important clues on what to say and how to say it. Active listening and
reading are also part of being a successful business communicator.

2.2 Communication Influences How You Learn


When you were an infant, you learned to talk over a period of many months. When you got older, you
didn’t learn to ride a bike, drive a car, or even text a message on your cell phone in one brief moment.
You need to begin the process of improving your speaking and writing with the frame of mind that it
will require effort, persistence, and self-correction.
You learn to speak in public by first having conversations, then by answering questions and ex-
pressing your opinions in class, and finally by preparing and delivering a “stand-up” speech. Similarly,
you learn to write by first learning to read, then by writing and learning to think critically. Your speak-
ing and writing are reflections of your thoughts, experience, and education. Part of that combination is
your level of experience listening to other speakers, reading documents and styles of writing, and
studying formats similar to what you aim to produce.
At your first job you learned what to do and what not to do. You learned who to talk to, who not to
talk to, how and when to ask questions, and to interpret new words and phrases that all held meaning
within the context of the business or company. At some point you may have made the transition from
someone who struggled to follow the conversation to someone who could lead it. Communication in-
volves learning the context and its expectations, and influences interactions and their outcomes.
As you study business communication, you may receive suggestions for improvement and clarific-
ation from speakers and writers more experienced than yourself. Take their suggestions as challenges
to improve; don’t give up when your first speech or first draft does not communicate the message you
intend. Stick with it until you get it right. Your success in communicating is a skill that applies to al-
most every field of work, and it makes a difference in your relationships with others.
Remember, luck is simply a combination of preparation and timing. You want to be prepared to
communicate well when given the opportunity. Each time you do a good job, your success will bring
more success.

2.3 Communication Represents You and Your Employer


You want to make a good first impression on your friends and family, instructors, and employer. They
all want you to convey a positive image, as it reflects on them. In your career, you will represent your
business or company in spoken and written form. Your professionalism and attention to detail will
reflect positively on you and set you up for success.
Let's consider, for example, your online profile in a social network like LinkedIn.com, recognized
for its business emphasis and professional profiles. The image you post of yourself on that site, along
8 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FOR SUCCESS VERSION 2.0

with information about your current and past positions, reflects not only on you as a professional, but
on the people with whom you associate, including your employer. Pictures and photos that may be ac-
ceptable for Facebook, known for its family and friend focus, may not work for your professional
profile photo. In the same way, words that you use on LinkedIn.com may include "achieved,"
"managed," "resolved," or "created," often with quantified results, as in a specific percent increase in
sales, for example, while words you use on Facebook may be less formal, less professional, and more fa-
miliar to family and friends.
In both oral and written situations, you will benefit from having the ability to communicate
clearly. These are skills you will use for the rest of your life. Positive improvements in these skills will
have a positive impact on your relationships, your prospects for employment, and your ability to make
a difference in the world.

2.4 Communication Skills Are Desired by Business and Industry


Oral and written communication proficiencies are consistently ranked in the top ten desirable skills by
employer surveys year after year. In fact, high-powered business executives sometimes hire consultants
to coach them in sharpening their communication skills. According to the National Association of Col-
leges and Employers (NACE),[2] the following are the top five personal qualities or skills potential em-
ployers seek:
1. Communication skills (verbal and written)
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills (works well with others, group communication)
4. Initiative
5. Analytical skills
When we look at the latest version of the annual NACE survey, we again observe that communication
skills hold the top spot.

FIGURE 1.1 NACE 2013 Job Outlook: The Candidate Skills/Qualities Employers Want
Communication skills rank no. 1.

NACE, 2013: https://www.naceweb.org/s10022013/job-outlook-skills-quality.aspx


CHAPTER 1 EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 9

Knowing this, you can see that one way for you to be successful and increase your promotion potential
is to increase your abilities to speak and write effectively.
In September 2004, the National Commission on Writing for America’s Families, Schools, and
Colleges published a study on 120 human resource directors titled Writing: A Ticket to Work…Or a FIGURE 1.2
Ticket Out, A Survey of Business Leaders.[3] The study found that “writing is both a ‘marker’ of high- Effective communication
skill, high-wage, professional work, and a ‘gatekeeper’ with clear equity implications,” said Bob Kerrey,
skills are assets that will get
president of New School University in New York and chair of the commission. “People unable to ex-
you there.
press themselves clearly in writing limit their opportunities for professional, salaried employment.”[4]
Thomas Friedman's 2104 article "How to Get a Job at Google" (available at
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/opinion/sunday/
friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-google.html?ref=opinion&_r=1) discussed Adam Bryant of The New
York Times interview with Laszlo Bock, Senior Vice President of People Operations for Google, on
what it takes to get hired (find it at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/
in-head-hunting-big-data-may-not-be-such-a-big-deal.html). The article went viral and sparked dis-
cussions on what core skills matter, and Bock identified these skills: learning ability, emergent leader-
ship, humility, ownership, and expertise. Bock's comments on each one are insightful, and they each
point to communication skills. We learn from each other. We listen. We reflect. We learn from our
mistakes. We own those mistakes and take personal responsibility. We communicate that responsibil-
ity with our words and actions. We inspire others. Our communication skills influence and impact our
career.
John Gantz, Senior Vice President of International Data Corporation (IDC), at the request of Mi-
© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation
crosoft, authored a 2013 white paper titled, "Skill Requirements for Tomorrow's Best Jobs: Helping
Educators Provide Students with Skills and Tools They Need" that underscores the importance of com-
munication (available at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/download/presskits/education/docs/
idc_101513.pdf). Gantz discusses the fast-changing employment landscape, with social, economic, and
technological factors that contribute to a fluid, dynamic, and diverse range of employment contexts
that motivate employers to look for applicants that can learn, adapt, evolve, change, and perform, quite
similar to Bock's core skill list. He also identifies several trends that will drive employers needs,
including:
< An increasingly diverse customer base
< An employer’s relationship with employees, including remote or telecommuters, outsourced
partners or subcontractors, or specialized providers and subject matter experts
< The increased complexity of business structures and organizations through mergers,
partnerships, and globalization, cycling from boom to bust to boom again
< Expanding mobile customers and increased electronic communication, contributing to changes
in relationships, interactions, and new opportunities
< Increased economic importance of digital commerce and digital content, influencing how we
interact and transact
< IT in the workplace becoming a part of almost everyone's job, role, or responsibility

Each trend identifies an important area of business growth and development that is closely tied to com-
munication skills. An increasingly diverse customer base involves intercultural communication. Rela-
tionships with customers involve interpersonal communication. Partnerships and globalization involve
strategic communication, internal communication, external communication, and organizational com-
munication. Mobile customers may involve both mass communication and interpersonal communica-
tion, and global virtual teams underscore the importance of effective group communication. Ernie
Sampias, the Chief Financial Officer for McData, highlights the importance of communication in busi-
ness and organizations in this brief video:

The Importance of Communication, with Ernie Sampias, Chief Financial


Officer, McData, Hosted by Regis University School of Management.

Communication skills are key to professional and career success.


10 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FOR SUCCESS VERSION 2.0

Regis University CPS SOM, YouTube

View the video online at: http://www.youtube.com/embed/4uINSurR0JI?rel=0

Once again, like NACE's survey and countless others, Sampias demonstrates that oral and written com-
munication skills are key to success, reinforcing why good communication skills are the highest ranked
among the skills potential employers look for in jobseekers.[5]
On the other end of the spectrum, it is estimated that over forty million Americans are illiterate, or
unable to functionally read or write. If you are reading this book, you may not be part of an at-risk
group in need of basic skill development, but you still may need additional training and practice as you
raise your skill level.
An individual with excellent communication skills is an asset to every organization. No matter
what career you plan to pursue, learning to express yourself professionally in speech and in writing will
help you get there.

K E Y T A K E A W A Y

Communication forms a part of your self-concept, and it helps you understand yourself and others, solve
problems and learn new things, and build your career.
CHAPTER 1 EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 11

E X E R C I S E S

1. Imagine that you have been hired to make “cold calls” to ask people whether they are familiar with a new
restaurant that has just opened in your neighborhood. Write a script for the phone call. Ask a classmate to
co-present as you deliver the script orally in class, as if you were making a phone call to the classmate.
Discuss your experience with the rest of the class.
2. Imagine you have been assigned the task of creating a job description. Identify a job, locate at least two
sample job descriptions, and create one. Please present the job description to the class and note to what
degree communication skills play a role in the tasks or duties you have included.
3. Interview a business professional in your area of interest and use this class or this exercise as a lead-in to
ask them how communication skills play a role in their work environment.
4. Research your career area of interest and identify key communication skills you will need to master. Create
a list, and include a column that features how, where, and when you will learn more about each skill.
5. Selfie Exercise: Take several photos of yourself that portray the professional you and subject them to peer
review, perhaps in class. Compare and contrast, and receive feedback on which photo communicates the
best you and why.
6. Profile Exercise: Browse LinkedIn.com and find a profile that works well for the person, communicating a
professional image with their words, photo, and examples. Write a brief review of the profile. Share and
compare with classmates.
7. Resume Exercise 1: Create your resume, focusing on a specific career goal or profession, using just one
page. Carefully select words, examples, and evidence that demonstrate your skills and expertise.
Communicate the professional you in words and images that represent you effectively. Share and
compare in class.
8. Resume Exercise 2: How will you make your resume stand out from the rest? Here is one creative example,
at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/download/presskits/education/docs/idc_101513.pdf. Consider
a creative way to represent your skills and abilities in your chosen professional or career field and share
with the class.
9. KPI Exercise (Key Performance Indicator): Business use key performance indicators to measure success.
Communication skills are key to professional success. Create one KPI for your choice of career or
professional field and explain why it would serve well as a key performance indicator. Share and compare
in class.
10. ePortfolio Exercise: An ePortfolio (electronic or digital portfolio) represents your accomplishments with
clear examples, and starts with an objective or statement about you, normally brief, clear, and concise.
Write your object, purpose, or mission statement for your ePortfolio. Share and compare with classmates.

3. WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S

1. Define communication and describe communication as a process.


2. Identify and describe the eight essential components of communication.
3. Identify and describe two models of communication.

While many theories have been proposed to describe, predict, explain and offer an understanding of
the behaviors and phenomena of communication, business is concerned with results. Companies,
organizations, non-profit groups, and businesses want to be successful, to communicate their message,
make the sale, launch the new product or service, increase their market share or even grow the market.
Results are often the outcome of a clear, well-informed plan of action based on a solid understanding of
the context, including communication. Businesses want a return on their investment. In order to pro-
duce those results it is valuable to understand what communication is and how it works. Once you
have a better understanding of the process of communication, its essential components, and the mod-
els we use to represent it, you'll be better able to anticipate, predict, and plan effective ways to produce
those results.
12 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FOR SUCCESS VERSION 2.0

3.1 Defining Communication


The root of the word “communication” in Latin is communicare, which means to share, or to make
communication
common.[6] Communication is defined as the process of understanding and sharing meaning.[7]
The process of understanding At the center of our study of communication is the relationship that involves interaction between
and sharing meaning.
participants. This definition serves us well with its emphasis on the process, which we’ll examine in
depth across this text, of coming to understand and share another’s point of view effectively.
process The first key word in this definition is process. A process is a dynamic activity that is hard to de-
A dynamic activity that is
scribe because it changes.[8] Imagine you are alone in your kitchen thinking. Someone you know (say,
hard to describe because it your mother) enters the kitchen and you talk briefly. What has changed? Now, imagine that your
changes. mother is joined by someone else, someone you haven’t met before—and this stranger listens intently
as you speak, almost as if you were giving a speech. What has changed? Your perspective might change,
and you might watch your words more closely. The feedback or response from your mother and the
stranger (who are, in essence, your audience) may cause you to reevaluate what you are saying. When
we interact, all these factors—and many more—influence the process of communication.
understanding The second key word is understanding: “To understand is to perceive, to interpret, and to relate
To perceive, to interpret, and
our perception and interpretation to what we already know.”[9] If a friend tells you a story about falling
to relate our perception and off a bike, what image comes to mind? Now your friend points out the window and you see a motor-
interpretation to what we cycle lying on the ground. Understanding the words and the concepts or objects they refer to is an im-
already know. portant part of the communication process.
Next comes the word sharing. Sharing means doing something together with one or more people.
sharing You may share a joint activity, as when you share in compiling a report; or you may benefit jointly
Doing something together from a resource, as when you and several coworkers share a pizza. In communication, sharing occurs
with one or more other when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others. You can also share with yourself (a
people. process called intrapersonal communication) when you bring ideas to consciousness, ponder how you
feel about something, or figure out the solution to a problem and have a classic “Aha!” moment when
something becomes clear.
meaning Finally, meaning is what we share through communication. The word “bike” represents both a bi-
cycle and a short name for a motorcycle. By looking at the context in which the word is used and ask-
What we share through
communication.
ing questions, we can discover the shared meaning of the word and understand the message. To learn
more, consider listening to a brief lecture by Laura Davis, of the Harrisburg Area Community College
Department of English, entitled “Defining Human Communication” (iTunes at
http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/spch-101-blended-effective/id424633853).

3.2 Eight Essential Components of Communication


In order to better understand the communication process, we can break it down into a series of eight
essential components:
1. Source
2. Message
3. Channel
4. Receiver
5. Feedback
6. Environment
7. Context
8. Interference
Each of these eight components serves an integral function in the overall process. Let’s explore them
one by one.

Source
The source imagines, creates, and sends the message. In a public speaking situation, the source is the
source
person giving the speech. He or she conveys the message by sharing new information with the audi-
Person who imagines, ence. The speaker also conveys a message through his or her tone of voice, body language, and choice
creates, and sends the
message.
of clothing. The speaker begins by first determining the message—what to say and how to say it. The
second step involves encoding the message by choosing just the right order or the perfect words to con-
vey the intended meaning. The third step is to present or send the information to the listener, receiver,
or audience. Finally, by watching for the listener’s reaction, the source perceives how well they received
the message and responds with clarification or supporting information.
CHAPTER 1 EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 13

Message
“The message is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience.”[10]
message
When you plan to give a speech or write a report, your message may seem to be only the words you
choose that will convey your meaning. But that is just the beginning. The words are brought together The stimulus or meaning
produced by the source for
with grammar, organization, format and style. You may choose to save your most important point for the receiver or audience.
last. You may choose to communicate central concepts and relationships with charts, graphs, or pic-
tures. The message also consists of the way you say it—in a speech, with your tone of voice, your body
language, and your appearance—and in a report, with your writing style, punctuation, and the head-
ings, formatting, or images you choose. In addition, part of the message may be the environment or
context you present it in and the noise that might make your message hard to hear or see.
Imagine, for example, that you are addressing a large audience of sales reps (representatives) and
are aware there is a World Series game tonight. Your audience might have a hard time settling down,
but you may choose to open with, “I understand there is an important game tonight.” In this way, by
expressing verbally something that most people in your audience are aware of and interested in, you
might grasp and focus their attention.

Channel
“The channel is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver.”[11] For
channel
example, think of your television, computer, tablet, or smartphone. How many channels do you have
access to? Each channel takes up some space, even in a digital world, in the cable or in the signal that The way in which a message
or messages travel between
brings the message of each channel to your home. Video often combines an audio signal you hear with source and receiver.
a visual signal you see. Together they convey the message to the receiver or audience. Turn off the
volume on your device. Can you still understand what is happening? Many times you can, because the
body language conveys part of the message of the show. Now turn up the volume but turn around so
that you cannot see the television. You can still hear the dialogue and follow the story line.
Similarly, when you speak or write, you are using a channel to convey your message. Spoken chan-
nels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voice mail messages, ra-
dio, public address systems, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Written channels include letters,
memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, e-mail, text mes-
sages, tweets, and so forth.

Receiver
“The receiver receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways
receiver
both intended and unintended by the source.”[12] To better understand this component, think of a re-
Receives the message from
ceiver on a football team. The quarterback throws the football (message) to a receiver, who must see
the source, analyzing and
and interpret where to catch the ball. The quarterback may intend for the receiver to “catch” his mes- interpreting the message in
sage in one way, but the receiver may see things differently and miss the football (the intended mean- ways both intended and
ing) altogether. unintended by the source.
As a receiver you listen, see, touch, smell, and/or taste to receive a message. Your audience “sizes
you up,” much as you might check them out long before you take the stage or open your mouth. The
nonverbal responses of your listeners can serve as clues on how to adjust your opening. By imagining
yourself in their place, you anticipate what you would look for if you were them. Just as a quarterback
plans where the receiver will be in order to place the ball correctly, you too can recognize the interac-
tion between source and receiver in a business communication context. All of this happens at the same
time, illustrating why and how communication is always changing.

Feedback
When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving feedback. Feedback
feedback
is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source. Verbal or nonverbal, all these feedback
signals allow the source to see how well, how accurately (or how poorly and inaccurately) the message The verbal and/or nonverbal
response to a message.
was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver or audience to ask for clarifica-
tion, to agree or disagree, or to indicate that the source could make the message more interesting. As
the amount of feedback increases, the accuracy of communication also increases.[13]
For example, suppose you are a sales manager participating in a conference call with four sales
reps. As the source, you want to tell the reps to take advantage of the fact that it is World Series season
to close sales on baseball-related sports gear. You state your message, but you hear no replies from your
listeners. You might assume that this means they understood and agreed with you, but later in the
month you might be disappointed to find that very few sales were made. If you followed up your mes-
sage with a request for feedback (“Does this make sense? Do any of you have any questions?”) you
might have an opportunity to clarify your message, and to find out whether any of the sales reps be-
lieved your suggestion would not work with their customers.
14 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FOR SUCCESS VERSION 2.0

Environment
“The environment is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive mes-
environment
sages.”[14] The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment that are in
Involves the physical and
the room. The room itself is an example of the environment. The environment can also include factors
psychological aspects of the
communication context. like formal dress, that may indicate whether a discussion is open and caring or more professional and
formal. People may be more likely to have an intimate conversation when they are physically close to
each other, and less likely when they can only see each other from across the room. In that case, they
may text each other, itself an intimate form of communication. The choice to text is influenced by the
environment. As a speaker, your environment will impact and play a role in your speech. It’s always a
good idea to go check out where you’ll be speaking before the day of the actual presentation.

Context
“The context of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and expectations of the in-
context
dividuals involved.”[15] A professional communication context may involve business suits
Involves the setting, scene,
(environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language and behavior among
and expectations of the
individuals involved. the participants.
A presentation or discussion does not take place as an isolated event. When you came to class, you
came from somewhere. So did the person seated next to you, as did the instructor. The degree to which
the environment is formal or informal depends on the contextual expectations for communication held
by the participants. The person sitting next to you may be used to informal communication with in-
structors, but this particular instructor may be used to verbal and nonverbal displays of respect in the
academic environment. You may be used to formal interactions with instructors as well, and find your
classmate’s question of “Hey Teacher, do we have homework today?” as rude and inconsiderate when
they see it as normal. The nonverbal response from the instructor will certainly give you a clue about
how they perceive the interaction, both the word choices and how they were said.
Context is all about what people expect from each other, and we often create those expectations
out of environmental cues. Traditional gatherings like weddings or quinceañeras are often formal
events. There is a time for quiet social greetings, a time for silence as the bride walks down the aisle, or
the father may have the first dance with his daughter as she is transformed from a girl to womanhood
in the eyes of her community. In either celebration there may come a time for rambunctious celebra-
tion and dancing. You may be called upon to give a toast, and the wedding or quinceañera context will
influence your presentation, timing, and effectiveness.
In a business meeting, who speaks first? That probably has some relation to the po-
FIGURE 1.3 sition and role each person has outside the meeting. Context plays a very important
Context is all about what people expect from
role in communication, particularly across cultures.
each other.
Interference
Interference, also called noise, can come from any source. “Interference is anything
that blocks or changes the source’s intended meaning of the message.”[16] For example,
if you drove a car to work or school, chances are you were surrounded by noise. Car
horns, billboards, or perhaps the radio in your car interrupted your thoughts, or your
conversation with a passenger.
Psychological noise is what happens when your thoughts occupy your attention
while you are hearing, or reading, a message. Imagine that it is 4:45 p.m. and your boss,
who is at a meeting in another city, e-mails you asking for last month’s sales figures, an
analysis of current sales projections, and the sales figures from the same month for the
past five years. You may open the e-mail, start to read, and think, “Great—no prob-
lem—I have those figures and that analysis right here in my computer.” You fire off a
reply with last month’s sales figures and the current projections attached. Then, at five
© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation o’clock, you turn off your computer and go home. The next morning, your boss calls on
the phone to tell you he was inconvenienced because you neglected to include the sales
figures from the previous years. What was the problem? Interference: by thinking about
interference how you wanted to respond to your boss’s message, you prevented yourself from reading attentively
Anything that blocks or enough to understand the whole message.
changes the source’s Interference can come from other sources, too. Perhaps you are hungry, and your attention to
intended meaning of the your current situation interferes with your ability to listen. Maybe the office is hot and stuffy. If you
message. were a member of an audience listening to an executive speech, how could this impact your ability to
listen and participate?
Noise interferes with normal encoding and decoding of the message carried by the channel
between source and receiver. Not all noise is bad, but noise interferes with the communication process.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Siirtolaisen
elämän vaiheet; Haaksirikon jälkeen
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Siirtolaisen elämän vaiheet; Haaksirikon jälkeen


Kaksi kertomusta Austraaliasta

Author: Karl Listner


Friedrich Gerstäcker

Translator: Alexander Ramstedt

Release date: April 23, 2024 [eBook #73451]

Language: Finnish

Original publication: Jyväskylä: Weilin ja Göös, 1875

Credits: Juhani Kärkkäinen and Tapio Riikonen

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK


SIIRTOLAISEN ELÄMÄN VAIHEET; HAAKSIRIKON JÄLKEEN ***
SIIRTOLAISEN ELÄMÄN VAIHEET; HAAKSIRIKON JÄLKEEN

Kaksi kertomusta Austraaliasta

Kertonut

KARL LISTNER ja FRIEDRICH GERSTÄCKER

Suomensi A. R—st

Jyväskylässä, Weilin ja Göös’in kirjapainossa ja kustantama,


1875.
SISÄLLYS:

I. Siirtolaisen elämän vaiheet


II. haaksirikon jälkeen
1. Parkaasi.
2. Raittiin veden etsiminen.
3. Tappelu villien kanssa.
4. Venheen vartiat.
5. Partiokunta.
I.

SIIRTOLAISEN ELÄMÄN VAIHEET

Kirj. Kaarle Listner

Lokakuun 19 p. 1857 laski laiva Ohio Bremenin rannasta


väljemmälle vedelle ankkuriin. Siinä oli 150 matkustajaa,
suurimmaksi osaksi nuorta väkeä, jotka olivat keräytyneet ympäri
Saksanmaata, voidakseen kaukaisessa Austraaliassa hankkia
itselleen kodon ja koetella onneansa. Laivaväkeä oli 18 henkeä,
lastina oli suurimmaksi osaksi viiniä, väkeviä juomia ynnä sikaria ja
oli laiva määrätty menemään Adelaide'n kaupunkiin etelä-
Austraaliassa. Katteini, pöyhkeä, mutta kunnollinen merimies, tuli
laivaan, luki meidän nimemme, tarkasti laivansa miehet ja kaski
pitämään kaikki varuilla, koska laiva nousuveden tultua lähtisi
purjehtimaan.

Tämä oli meille kaikille tärkeä hetki. Edessämme oli vanha rakas
isänmaamme, josta meidän nyt piti erota. Laskeva aurinko kultasi
vielä kerran, ehkäpä meidän nähden viimisen kerran, sen kukkulat ja
vuoret, laaksoihin laskeutuivat hämärän varjot ja hitaasti ilmestyivät
tähdet taivaalle, nekin ikäänkuin hymyillyksensä meille viimisen
surullisen jäähyväisensä. Laiva pyöri ankkurinsa ympäri ja
ainoastaan veden loriseminen ja laivavahdin askeleet kannella
häiritsivät hiljaisuutta tänä iltana, joka meille oli viimeinen vanhassa
isänmaassamme. Edessämme oli neljä tuhatta maantieteellistä
penikulmaa, jotka meidän oli kulottava ja tänä jäähyväishetkenä
lähetti moni rukouksen Hänelle, jonka kädessä onnemme ja
onnettomuutemme, elämämme ja kuolemamme olivat.

Ennen päivän koittoa seuraavana aamuna nostettiin ankkuri. Sitä


tehdessä lauloivat merimiehet iloisen laulun, myötätuuli täytti purjeet
ja upea kuin joutsen kulki laiva Weser-virtaa myöten alas
vaaleanvihreään, vahtoisaan Pohjanmereen. Kiikarilla voi vielä
nähdä maata, joka kohta kuitenki katosi näkymättömiin.

Merta kulkevien pahin vaiva meritauti alkaa samalla kun laivakin


rupeaa heilumaan ja ilmoittaikse päänkivistyksellä, tuimeltamisella ja
oksennuksella. Harvaan matkustajaan tämä tauti on tarttumatta ja
useammat sairastavat sitä monta viikkoa, siksi kun ruumis tottuu
laivan keinumiseen; kuitenki oli meillä laivassa matkustajia, erittäinki
naisia, joita tauti koko matkan vaivasi. Tätä vastaan ei ole mitään
parannuskeinoa ja paras aina on niin paljon kuin mahdollista liikkua
kannella kuin myös peseytyä merivedellä ynnä juoda sitä, ja on se
keino tehnyt minulle ja monelle muulle paljo hyötyä.

Laivassa saatava ruoka ei tyydytä ja erittäinki ei meistä tahtoneet


maistaa ne kovat korput, nimeltä "ankkuripuut", joita kävi syöminen
ainoastaan siten, että ne vedessä liotettiin. Muuta keinoa ei
kuitenkaan ole, kuin mukautua tähän, josta Humboldt'kin jo sanoo:
"Se, joka polun tai maantien puutteessa täytyy meritse matkustaa, ei
saa valittaa sen vastuksia ja vaivaloisuuksia."

Merimatkustuksen yksitoikkoisuus ja ikävyys tulee erittäin


tuntuvaksi ja usein tuskalliseksikin, kun kova ilma tahi tyyni tulee.
Tyvenellä ilmalla on tasainen meri ison peilin kalttainen, laiva pysyy
paikallaan, purjeet riippuvat velttoina mastoissa ja tämä paikalla
pysyminen nulostuttaa mielen. Mutta toisenlaiseksi muuttuu
laivamiesten ja matkustajain luonto, kun tuuli puhaltaa purjeisin, laiva
kulkee kolme tahi neljä penikulmaa tunnissa, kun vesi vaahtoaa
kokassa ja se vako, jonka laiva kyntää suolaiseen aaltoon, kirkkaalla
näkyy penikulman pitkältä.

Matkustajain askaroimisella tällä pitkällä matkalla oli ainoastaan


tarkoituksena lyhentää aikaa ja poistaa ikävää. Luettiin, soitettiin ja
tarkastettiin vesilintuja, jotka kiertelivät laivan ympäri; suuruutensa ja
nopean lentonsa puolesta oli albatrossi erittäin merkillinen. Tämä
lintu, jota etenkin tapasimme Atlantin valtameressä, on likemmä 10
jalkaa yhdestä siivennenästä toiseen ja on erittäin huokea pyytää; se
näkyi enimmiten elävän laivasta viskatuista ruo'an jätteistä. Me
pyysimme lintua siten, että heitimme sille koukkuun kiinnitetyn
lihapalan.

Jalon näyn tarjosi aina auringon nousu ja lasku; viehättävän


ihanaa oli se päiväntasaajan alla ja tropiikien seuduilla, jossa pilvet
muodostivat kaikenmoisia muotoja ja haamuja. Erittäinki mieltä
hurmauttava oli auringon lasku.

Kun laivat kohtaavat toisiansa, tervehtivät he lippujen mastoon


vetämisellä ja likenevät toisiaan niin paljon, että puhetorven kautta
voivat keskustella. Tavallisimmat kysymykset ovat: "mistä tuletta?
mikin? mitä uutisia? mimmoinen tuuli ja ilma teillä on ollut?"
Tämmöiset ja monet muut kysymykset vastataan joko samalla
tavalla tahi merkkein kautta yhtä nopeasti kuin ne tehdäänkin.

Auringon laskettua, alkaa kummallinen näky, sillä koko merenpinta


loistaa himmeällä valolla. Syytä tähän kummalliseen ilmiöön ei vielä
varmaan tiedetä; luultavasti syntyy se lukemattomista infusioni-
eläimistä, jotka elävät meressä. Usein näyttää koko meri
juhlavalkeilla koristetuksi; miljoonia pieniä tulisoittoja tanssii ja loikkii
veden pinnalla, kalat näkyvät selvästi kirkkaan, pyrstöntapaisen
juoman läpi, jonka ne jättävät jälkeensä ja laivan perästä näyttää
jäävän tulinen tie. Kuinka suloinen onkaan semmoinen hiljainen
kuuvalo-yö katsottuna kannelta? Kuinka sopiva ylentämään mieltä
Hänen puoleensa, joka on luonut meren ja kaikki, mitä siinä on;
kuinka tarpeellinen herättämään katsojaa tutkimaan itseään ja
kulunutta elämäänsä! Uneksien katselee silmä avarata kuun
valkaisemaa merta, hartaasti kuuntelee korva vanhan päivettyneen
laivamiehen kertomuksia, ajatukset rientävät ennakolta odotettuun
maahan ja lentävät takaisin rakkaasen isänmaahan, jonka lauluja
liikutetuilla, kotikipeillä sydämillä rupeamme laulamaan.

Tähän saakka olimme saaneet iloita hyvästä tuulesta ja suloisesta


ilmasta; Europa oli takanamme ja iloisesti kiikkui laiva Atlantin
valtameren aalloilla. Ilmapuntari alkoi laskea, semmoisia vesilintuja,
joita siihen saakka emme olleet nähneet, lenteli levottomina
mastojen ympäri, vesi alkoi paisua, kaukaa kuului kolkko ulvonto ja
kohina, joka aina yltyi kovemmaksi, komppassi väänsiin neulallaan
vavisten, vanhat ja kokeneet laivamiehet etsivät myrskyvaatteensa ja
katteini tarkasti jylhänä mustia pilviä, jotka kokoontuivat ylitsemme:
katseli myrskyn enteitä!
Katteinin käskyt täytettiin nopeasti, kaikki purjeet käärittiin ja
myrskypurje, joka on niin tarpeellinen laivan ohjaamisessa, vedettiin
etumastiin. Kaksi kokeneinta laivamiestä menivät perärattaasen, sillä
se pieni ruoteli on ainoa ase tätä pelättävää väkivaltaista vihollista
vastaan; tämän hoitamisessa on laivan joko onni tahi onnettomuus,
yksi ainoa viallinen kierros vaikuttaa, että aallot heittävät laivan
kumoon. Kaikki irtonainen tavara sidottiin nuorilla kiini, kannen luukut
sulettiin ja siten järjestettyinä odotettiin lähestyvää vihollista.

Marraskuun 2 päivän aamuna oli meillä semmoinen näytelmä, jota


ei kukaan unhoita, joka sen näki. Ei mikään maalarin pensseli, ei
mikään kynä taida osapuillekaan kertoa, mitä me tänä aamuna
näimme. Myrskyn raivoaminen, kun se ulvomalla vinkuen mastien ja
nuorien välitse puserti niistä kummallisia, surullisia ääniä, aina
syvimmästä bassoäänestä vienoimpaan ilmaharpun suhinaan,
valtameren möyrinä, kun sen aallot kohosivat korkeiden vuoriharjuin
kaltaisiksi ja semmoisina ryntäsivät vastatusten ja kovalla rytinällä
murtuivat hajallensa antaaksensa tilaa toisille, laivan surkea ruske ja
tutina, kun se vapisi perustuksiinsa saakka, — kaikkea tätä ei voi
sanoilla selittää ja ainoastaan sillä, joka itse on tämmöisessä
myrskyssä ollut, on käsitys tästä jalosta luonnon ilmiöstä.

Ja silloin kun se raivokas suolainen vesi rynnisti vastaamme ja


huumaavalla pauhinalla vyöri vaikeroivan laivan yli, kun aukko aukon
perästä ilmestyi nielemään sitä, silloin näin selvästi, mikä ääretön
ero oli Jumalan ja ihmisen, Luojan ja luodun välillä, silloin tunsin
syvemmin kuin koskaan ennen tomun lapsen voimattomuuden
korkean ja kaikkivaltiaan maailman hallitsian rinnalla.

Myrsky raivosi muutamia päiviä, se vei meiltä monta purjetta ja


osan laivan laidoitusta; kun katteini seuraavana päivänä otti
keskipäiväkorkeuden, huomasi hän pelolla laivan siirtyneen 300
penikulmaa oikealta suunnaltaan.

Matkamme suloisimman osan vietimme tropiikien alla.


Yhtämyötäinen tuuli lievitti kuumuuden auringosta, joka oli
pystysuoraan päällämme, tummansininen, pilvetön taivas kuvastui
mereen ja hupaista oli senlisäksi katsella lentokaloja, jotka
laumoissa kohosivat merestä ja usein läjittäin putosivat laivan
kannelle. Nämä kalat ovat sillin kaltaisia, ehkä vähä pienempiä kuin
nämä. Ilmassa käyttävät ne pitkiä eviänsä siipinä, kuitenkin
ainoastaan niin kauvan kun ne ovat märkinä. Eväin kuivettua putoaa
kala jälleen veteen.

Taivas ja sen omituisuudet saavat näiden leveysasteiden alla


toisen muodon. Muutamien minuuttien perästä, sitte kun aurinko,
tummansinisenä pallona, on painunut mereen muuttuu päivä yöksi.
Hämärätä ei täällä ole. Pohjaisella taivaan rannalla häviävät
vähitellen ne vanhastaan tutut tähtitarhat ja niiden sijaan ilmestyy
uusia.

Matkaa jatkaessa oli meillä seurana hai-kalojaa ja tulimme


tilaisuuteen pyytääkin yhden semmoisen. Läskipalanen kiinnitettiin
nuorassa olevaan koukkuun ja heitettiin mereen; kala laskeusi
selälleen ja nieli tämän onnettoman syötin. Nyt tarvittiin kaikkein
laivamiesten yhteiset voimat vahvalla köydellä vetämään riiviötä
kannelle. Muutaman tunnin jäykän vastarinnan kanssa taisteltua oli
kala kaikkein riemuksi laivalla ja tehtiin ensin vahingoittumattomaksi
siten, että hakattiin siltä pää ja pyrstö. Sitten taisi kukin tyydyttää
uteliaisuuttaan ja katsella petoa. Se oli 18 jalkaa pitkä, vaan ikä,
asiantuntevain laivamiesten mukaan, ei vielä korkea. Saalista emme
voineet käyttää hyödyksemme; sillä liha ei kelpaa ravinnoksi ja
traania keittää siitä ei ollut tilaa. Siis kala hakattiin palasiksi ja
heitettiin mereen.

Joulukuun 3 päivänä kulimme päiväntasaajan yli. Vanha tunnettu


tapa laivalla vaatii, että kaikki laivamiehet, jotka ensi kerran
purjehtivat päiväntasaajan yli, saavat merikasteen. Tämä omituinen
juhla on hupainen poikkeus yksitoikkoisessa laiva-elämässä ja
vaikka laivamiesten vehkeet tässä tilaisuudessa usein tuntuvat
törkeiltä, oli meille kuitenkin suuri huvitus saada nähdä ja ottaa osaa
tässä kummallisessa kasteentoimituksessa.

Kaikki kastetta toimittavat laivamiehet olivat naamoittaneet


itsensä, esitellen Ahtia ja hänen seuralaisiansa. Juhlakulussa käytyä
kannen ympäri, jolloin vanhan savutorven ja muiden kummallisten
koneiden avulla tarkastettiin aurinkoa, kokoonnuttiin keskellä laivaa
olevan vedellä täytetyn ammeen ympäri; tämän yli oli pantu lauta,
jolle kastettava istutettiin. Nyt alkoi tutkinto. "Kuinka kauan tarvitsisit
aikaa, purjehtiaksesi maan ympäri?" kysyi Ahti ja samalla kun kysytty
aukaisi suunsa vastatuksensa, pyyhki yksi laivamies hänen
näköänsä liisteri-sutilla ja toinen tervasutilla. Tämä toimitus
uudistettiin niin usein, kuin mies oli tuntematon tervasta ja liisteristä.
Silloin temmastiin lauta odottamatta hänen altansa ja
ympäriseisovain nauruksi putosi hän vedellä täytettyyn astiaan.
Vasta sitte kun hän oli luvannut riittävän lunastusrahan päästettiin
hän ammeesta, jolloin jonkun toisen täytyi taas istuutua laudalle ja
kärsiä sama menettelö.

Kun vasta-alkuiset laivamiehet olivat kärsineet tämän vähemmän


miellyttävän toimituksen, alkoi yleinen kaste. Mastoista kaasivat
laivamiehet äärettömät vesitulvat päällemme, kaikki kiulut ja ämpärit
olivat toimituksessa ja jokainen koetteli saada itselleen ämpärin
kaataaksensa sen suolaisen sisällön toisen päälle. Ei vaimoja eikä
lapsiakaan säästetty; useimmat antautuivat mielellään tämän kylvyn
alaisiksi, sillä vesi oli lämmintä ja lämpömittari katveessa näytti 45
pykälää Cels.

Kun laivamiehet olivat saaneet veronsa matkustajilta ja siten


voittaneet oikean tarkoituksensa kasteella, laulettiin, soitettiin ja
tanssittiin, katteini piti huolta tarpeellisista juomista ja siten kului
päivä iloisesti. Iltapuoleen heitettiin mereen Ahdin kunniaksi palava
pikitynnyri ja tällä oli merikasteen iloinen juhla loppunut.

Kun olimme lähellä Brasiiliaa, näimme hätälipulla varustetun


laivan. Se laski meitä kohti ja kun oli puolen penikulman päässä,
irtautui siitä vene, jolla katteini ja kuus laivanmiestä sen väestöä
sousi luoksemme. He olivat espanialaisia, jotka, tullen Etelämeren-
saarista, olivat kärsineet haaksirikon Magelhaen'in salmessa;
ainoastaan kuus-viikkoisen lakkaamattoman pumppaamisen kautta
olivat estäneet laivaansa uppoamasta. Nyt olivat suuressa hädässä,
sillä merivesi oli kastellut ja pilannut heidän ruokavaransa, niin että
katteinimme mielellään heidän pyynnöstään antoi heille verestä
ruokaa. Vielä keräsimme heille tupakkia ja sikaria, joiden puutteessa
kauan olivat olleet ja näimme sitte heidän laskevan likimäiseen
satamaan Rio Janeiroon, sitte kun sydämellisesti kiittäen olivat
ottaneet meiltä jäähyväiset.

Joulun aikana purjehdimme Hyvän Toivon-niemen ympäri ja


laskimme aina 56:teen eteläiseen leveysasteesen saakka
voidaksemme käyttää pohjaista myötätuulta hyväksemme. Täällä oli
kylmää ja myrskyistä; kuitenki oli meillä paljo huvittavia esineitä
tarkasteltavina. Meren syvyydestä sukelsi pinnalle valaskaloja,
suihkuten vettä korkealle ilmaan, suuri joukko niemikyyhkysiä ja
vesilintuja, joista monta pyydettiin, liiteli ympäri laivaa. Eräänä
aamuna näimme kummastuksella pitkän ja leveän veripunaisen
juotin vedessä vetäytyvän idästä länteen. Kun ei kukaan voinut
selittää syytä tähän ilmiöön, laskettiin ämpäri mereen ja vedettiin
taas ylös täytettynä tällä punertavalla nesteellä. Silloin huomattiin
tähän väriin olevan syynä lukematon joukko pieniä mato-eläimiä.
Jalo oli näky-ala eteläisellä taivaan rannalla. Siellä näkyi suuria
jäävuoria, jotka paistoivat ja välkkyivät priljantin kaltaisina auringon
säteissä. Kun palaus matkallani purjehdin Kap Hornin ympäri sain
hyvin läheltä ihmetellä Etelä-jäämeren jaloja näky-aloja, sillä 57:nen
eteläisen leveysasteen kohdalla ympäröivät jäävuoret tykkänään
laivamme, joten etenki öillä olimme vaarassa törmätä niiden kanssa
yhteen. Jäävuoret, usein mahdottoman suuret, muodostuvat jos
jonkin muotoisiksi. Usein olivat vanhain linna-jäännösten kaltaisia,
varustettuina torneilla ja harjoilla, toiset taas ovat pyramidi-maisia;
mutta laivoille vaarallisimmat ovat kuitenki pyöreät ja raskaat
jääköntät, jotka joko ei ollenkaan näy tahi ainoastaan vähän
kohoavat vedestä ja joita juuri senvuoksi on vaikea välttää.

Hyvän Toivon-niemi ja Kap Horn ovat vaarallisimpia paikkoja


meriläisille ja harvoin näiden Afrikan ja Amerikan niemien ympäri
purjehditaan ettei myrskyt raivoa, jotka ovat vaarallisemmat
kulkevien jäälohkareiden tähden.

Hupainen on havaita sitä ilma-alan muutosta, jonka huomaa


purjehtiessa puolen maapallon ympäri. Siten näin neljän kuukauden
ajalla matkatessani Melbourne'sta Lontoosen kolme talvea. Sade-
aika, Austraalian talvi, loppui silloin kun Elokuun keskipalkoilla
purjehdin Melbourne'sta, Syyskuun loppupuolella olin
jäävyöhykkeessä Kap Horn'in kohdalla ja kolmannen talven näin
Joulukuussa kotitienoollani.
Pitkän ja vaivaloisen matkustuksen perästä, sitte kun olimme
purjehtineet 110 päivää, kuului vihoviimein Helmikuun 5 päivänä
iloinen huuto; "maa! maa!"

Kolumbus ei liene ollut onnellisempi, kun hän Amerikan löysi,


vanki ei taida enemmän iloita, kun hänelle äkkiarvaamatta vapauden
portit avataan, kuin minä, koska laivatykkien pauke todisti tämän
iloisen sanoman. Kaikki ryntäsivät kannelle tervehtimään ja omin
silmin näkemään sitä odotettua maata, mielihalujemme ja
toivojemme päämaalia. Alussa näytti maa vaan taivaan rannalta
kohoavalta pilvellä, vaan alkoi näkyä selvemmin, mitä lähemmäksi
tultiin. Vesi muuttui aina vaalean vihreämmäksi, kohta kulimme
ensimäisen majakan sivu, ja kun ei luotsia näkynyt, antoi katteini
laskea laivan ankkuriin kauniissa lahdekkeessa Adelaide'n lähellä.
Seuraavana aamuna tuli odotettu luotsi, höyrylaiva otti meidät
peräänsä ja vai muutamassa tunnissa Port Adelaide'n satamaan.

Englantilaiset virkamiehet tulivat kannelle myötätuotuja tavaroita


katsastamaan ja kun lopullisesti lääkäri oli tutkinut terveydentilamme
ja selittänyt sen tyydyttäväksi, sai kukin mennä mihin tahtoi.

Muutamien kumppanieni kanssa virkistettyä itseäni voimallisella


englantilaisella aamiaisella teeveden, häränpaistin ja vehnäleivän
kanssa, ajoimme rautatietä kahdeksan penikulman päässä olevaan
Adelaide'en, etelä-Austraalian pääkaupunkiin.

Vaan kuinka hirveästi huomasimmekaan pettyneiksi, kun vihriäin


ja hymyileväin niittyjen sijassa näimme auringon polttaman
hietakorven! Kuinka kukistuivatkaan kerrassaan kaikki ne
tuulentuvat, joita matkalla olimme rakentaneet, kun meille
kaupungissa ilmoitettiin, että kultakaivokset suurimmaksi osaksi
olivat hylätyt ja että nyt elon korjattua oli vaikea saada työtä, kuin
myös, että suuri joukko työtöntä väkeä kuljeskeli pitkin kaupungin
katuja! Näiden ilmoitusten totuutta täytyi meidän, vaikka vasten
mieltämmekin, uskoa, sillä kaikissa katujen nurkissa näimme
joukottain työtä hakevia henkilöitä seisovan joutilaina.

Silloin en vielä tietänyt, että vaikka kaupungissa on työvoimia


yllinkyllin, on siitä puute maan sisällä ja että useammat, vaikka
huonossakin varallisuuden tilassa ovat, ennen nauttivat
mukavampaa elämää kaupungissa kuin maalla, jossa tosin saa
paljon kärsiä puutteita, vaan jossa varmaan myös on paljoa
onnellisempi olo.

Vasta-tullutta peijaavat ja pettävät kaikella tavoin ei ainoastaan


ulkomaalaiset, joiden kieltä ei ymmärrä, vaan myös omat
maamiehet, siten, että liianki usein lähenevät häntä, antavat neuvoja
ja ovat olevinaan ystäviä niin kauan kuin ovat saaneet häneltä hänen
rahansa. Nämä surullisesti mainiot petturit ovat vastatulleen
vaarallisimmat viholliset; ja missä voipikaan saaliin himoisen
roistoväen kokeilla olla parempi ala kuin kultamaassa?

Monenmoisia kokeita saapi vastatullut tehdä voidakseen ansaita


ylläpitonsa. Sata kertaa koettelee hän; vaan nämä kokeet eivät
onnistu, kun alituiseen tehdään sama ikävä kysymys: "taidatteko
puhua englannin kieltä?" — "En". — "Menkää sitte ja oppikaa sitä, ja
kun taidatte haastaa kieltä, niin tulkaa uudestaan kysymään."

Myös ilma-alalla on paha vaikutus vieraasen. Aurinko, johon hän


ei ole tottunut, polttaa häntä ja kuumat saamum-tuulet, tullen
sisämaasta, vaivaavat häntä tuomallaan hienolla hiekalla, nostaen
lämpömittarin 50:teen asteesen Celsiusta, kuumuuteen, jota tuskin
voi kärsiä. Senlisäksi lentelee tuhottomasti kärpäsiä ja moskiittoja,
jotka ovat suurena maanvaivana. Ja kumma kyllä, täytyy vastatulian
kärsiä näiltä kaikkein enimmän. Turhat kokeet vapautua näistä ja
hiki, joka kaikkialta ruumiista pusertuu, muuttavat onnettoman
melkein toivottomaksi ja usein tulee hän siihen uskoon, että kaikki
vastahakoisuudet ovat yhdistyneet, tehdäkseen hänen oloansa
vieraassa maassa mitä vaivaloisemmaksi.

Näissä sisällisissä ja ulkonaisissa tuskissa, näissä surullisissa


toiveissa; elämän pidon alituisessa taistelossa näkee hän viimisen
rahansa menevän ja huomaa lopullisesti olevansa vieraassa
maassa, tuhatmääriä penikulmia kotitienoostaan, rahatta, ystävittä,
kaikitta toiveitta raha-ansioon, vierasten ihmisten seassa, joiden
kieltä ei ymmärrä!

Semmoinen oli minun ensi-aikani siinä kiitetyssä ja toivotussa


Austraalian kultamaassa. Mielikuvituksen viehättävät kuvat ja
vaaran-alaisuus, joka nuoruuden i'ässä ollen mielellään yhdistyy
ajatukseen vieraista maista, katosivat näistä ensimäisistä kokeista ja
paljas elämän todellisuus kovine vaatimuksineen tuli niiden sijaan.

Sitkeällä kärsivällisyydellä ja kestävyydellä pysytteleikse vasta-


tullut niissä tienoin, joissa hän ensin astui maalle, niin kauan, kuin
tuntee maan polttavan allansa; sitte vasta hän koneellisesti etsii
matkalaukkunsa mennäksensä eteenpäin. Minullekin tuli tämmöinen
hetki ja nyt oli valittavanani joko kääntyä kulta-laaksoihin,
kuparikaivannoihin tahi hakea onneani maan sisällä olevissa
suurissa lammasmoisioissa.

Sitte kun kaikki kokeet kaupungissa saada jonkinmoista työ-


ansiota olivat huonosti onnistuneet, päätin muutamien ystävien
keralla matkustaa 100 penikulman päässä oleviin
kuparikaivannoihin, joissa sanottiin aina olevan työtä. Panimme siis
päällemme maan tavallisen puvun, johon kuuluu englantilaisesta
nahasta tehdyt valkoiset housut, punanen tahi sininen paita ynnä
leveälaitainen hattu, jota paitsi varustimme itsemme sängyn
asemesta olevalla villapeitteellä, joka kokoonkäärittynä riippui
olkapäillä ja kannatti toisessa päässään teevesipannun ja juoma-
pikarin. Näin varustettuna käänsimme Adelaide'lle selkämme. Ensi
alussa meni tie viljellyn maan läpi vehnävainioineen ja
viinamäkinoen. Vehnä ja viinarypäleet höystyvät täällä hyvin ja
erittäin ovat saksalaiset ansiollisesti edistäneet jälkimäistä. Tällä
kansakunnalla on Adelaide'n läheisyydessä omat kylänsä
kirkkoineen ja saksalaisina kouluineen; he elävät siellä hyvin
onnellisina ja tyytyväisinä. Maa on hedelmällinen ja ulostekoja on
joko vähän tahi ei ollenkaan.

Austraalian ilman-ala sallii matkustajan maata koko yönsä paljaan


taivaan kannen alla ja tuhannet tekevät sen suurimman osan
elämästänsä. Samoin myös mekin vaelluksellamme. Kun iltasella
olimme löytäneet sopivan paikan, jossa oli puita ja vettä, tehtiin
valkea ja keitettiin teevesi. Yksinkertaisen illallisen jälkeen otti yksi
seurastamme kitaran ja me lauloimme vanhan isänmaallisen laulun.
Päämme päällä suhisivat kunnia-arvoisten gummipuiden latvat ja
niiden läpi katseli vanha, rakas kuu meitä. Villikoirain ulvonta ja
lähellä olevan Etelämeren kohina vaivuttivat meidät viimein unehen,
me uneksuimme kotitienoosta ja entisistä onnellisista ajoista!

Kun eräänä päivänä menimme muutaman ravintolan sivu, luultiin


meitä kierteleviksi soittoniekoiksi ja käskettiin astumaan sisälle.
Siellä oli kemut. Paljo herroja ja rouvasväkeä oli ko'ossa, jotka
ahkerasti joivat viiniä, olutta ja brandy'ä ynnä nostivat hurraahuutoja
vanhan Englannin kunniaksi. Vanha irlantilainen soitti viulua, jota
näissä tiloissa ei koskaan saa puuttua ja meitä pakoitettiin
säestämään. Tarpeellisten koneiden puutteessa lyötiin rumpua erään
läkki-astian pohjalle, paperilla kääritty kampa oli räikkätorvena ja
ystäväni teki soittokunnan täydelliseksi kitarallansa. Vanha
viulunsoittaja oli kapellimestari; sitte kun hän muutaman kerran oli
tyhjentänyt lasinsa meidän muistoksemme alkoi soitto ja tanssi.
Koska tässä ei vaadittu niin paljon äänien sointuisuutta, vaan
enemmän tahtiin menevätä rätinää, päättyi esittelömme kaikkein
mieliksi. Seura ei antanut meitä olla minkään puutteessa ja niinpä
vietimme iloisen illan. Kun seuraavana aamuna olisimme ottaneet
jäähyväiset kapellimestariltamme, makasi hän vielä pöydän alla
sikeässä unessa.

Iltana ennen kuin pääsimme perille, yhdyimme ensi kerran


syntyperäisten asukasten kanssa. Kun näitä ensi kerran näkee,
herättää se pelkoa ja kauhua. Heitä lähetessämme nousi muutamia
näistä puoli-alastomista olennoista makaavasta asennosta seisoalle,
vaan kaikki muut istuivat tulen ääressä ja kerjäsivät tupakkaa
niinhyvin miehet kuin naiset. Täytettyä heidän pyyntönsä, osoittivat
he erästä kengurua, jota parastaikaa hiilillä paistettiin, ja kehoittivat
meitä viittauksilla syömään siitä. Me täytimme pyyntönsä; kuitenki oli
makumme liian sivistynyt voidaksemme nauttia tätä ruokalajia.

Tänä iltana oli täysikuu, jota tapausta mustat ihmiset juhlana


pitävät. Siten saimme olla läsnä tässä heidän Korrobere-nimisessä
juhlassaan. Miehet maalaavat ruumiillensa kaikenlaisia kuvia ja
koristavat pitkät, vanukkeiset tukkansa punamaalilla ja linnunsulilla;
vaimot muodostavat piirin ja sill'aikaa kun miehet sen sisällä pitävät
villiä tanssiansa, lyövät he tahtia, jonka mukaan laulavatkin.
Hupaista oli nähdä näitä villin erämaan lapsia luonnontilassaan,
varustettuina keihäillä ja nuijilla, joita miehet heiluttivat ikään kuin
olisivat olleet sodassa, sill'aikaa kun vaimot, tämän villin sotaleikin

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