Verbal communication refers to the use of words or sounds in order to express ourselves. For example, saying "yes" when you want to confirm your food orders. In contrast to verbal communication, non-verbal communication is basically a wordless communication established largely by visual cues. This includes body language, gestures, eye contact and facial expressions. One good example of a non-verbal communication would be the shrugging of the shoulders when we are unsure of something.
Communication can also be affected by other factors such as age, gender and culture. Culture could be defined as a set of characteristics shared between a group of people. This may include their beliefs, languages, values and also attitude. Apart from that, culture can also include regions of the country. For example, the shaking of hands between opposite genders is not practiced by the Islamic cultures unlike the USA where handshakes are common.
As for age, the younger generations especially the teenagers prefer to communicate through social media e.g. twitter. Teenagers rarely share their emotions or problems directly to people but instead, they express themselves through social media. As for the older generations, for example my mother, she tends to write in her diary or shares her problems directly to her loved ones.
Apart from that, I have also observed a few incidents where verbal and non-verbal communication brings a different meaning. The first incident happened a few years back when i was having dinner at a local coffee shop. There was a little commotion between a Chinese national waitress and a local man. Apparently, the woman felt offended after the man called her "xiao jie", which means "young lady" in Singapore. However in China, the word was mainly used to label prostitutes. After a few explanations from the locals, the unhappiness was resolved.
The second incident happened when i was in Malaysia. My cousins and i have decided to take a tour around the village. After a few hours of walking, we took a break. Upon noticing a full moon, my cousin started to point towards it using her index finger. In less than a minute, she was scolded by a villager nearby and was asked to use her hand or thumb instead.
Referring back to incidents, it made me realize that age, gender and culture does influence the way a person communicates. With that, it is up to us to observe, research and learn more about a certain culture in order to prevent any miscommunication.
HyirahhSyahirahh
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- Steven[6 C's] : http://steven-iwcom150.blogspot.sg/
- Daphne Tan : https://daptan.wordpress.com/
Hi, Hyirahh.
ReplyDeleteI liked that way that you explained in detail what is communication, verbal and nonverbal first before going to the main topic. This gave me a clearer picture in the first few paragraphs.
For your examples, the way you describe them is detailed and concise but perhaps you can explain what explanations did the locals gave to the Chinese national waitress and why did your cousin was being scolded by a villager in regards to age, gender or culture?
When I was young, I was also being scolded by my mum, not to point to the full moon using index finger but using thumb instead. I can relate to your cousin situation as this is a belief "when you point to the moon with your index finger, your ear will get cut'. I wonder is this reason is the same as your cousin?
Overall, I really liked the way you format your post and your examples are really interesting.
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ReplyDeleteHi Hyirahh,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you explain what are verbal communication and non-verbal communication are, you are clear about what they are.
However, when you describe your observation where verbal and non-verbal communication brings a different meaning, I do not think there is a point that relates the incident to them and I could not get a clear picture in what you are trying to get across. In your post, you meantion age, gender and culture influence the way a person communicates but I do not see how is age is being influence here.
I do think the incident with the china waitress is a great example of communication influence by culture. Imagine you are in their country, I bet its going to be hard to get of the mess!
Thank you, Hyirahh, for this detailed post. You provide quite a complete contextual framework for your discussion of the scenario(s) requested by the specs of the assignment. It's clear that you have been learning about the various dimensions of verbal and nonverbal communication.
ReplyDeleteI also like the fact that you have provided two brief descriptions of observations. However, these weren't conducted with our assignment in mind, right? Now that would be fine, if indeed your 'analysis' conveyed all the ideas required in the assignment. But the fact is that there is a disconnect between your two scenarios (actually you only need to relate one) and the way you explain the way that culture, age and gender impact communication. These elements of the description are supposed to be connected. (Please see the assignment again.)
Here are a few others points to consider:
1) You write that "Communication is basically an act of delivering information from one place to another." >>> In the linear and transactional models of communication this statement may be true, with the focus on 'delivery,' but it seems to deny the power of the environment as a source that communicates as well. Amos Rapaport described the "meaning of the built environment" in a 1982 text by the same name. He suggested that space communicates feelings. For example, when you go to the Botanic Gardens, or Gardens by the Bay, you can see that the environment 'communicates' a particular message, very different from the one conveyed in the typical HDB housing estate. There the message has been created and is transmitted through the use of space and greenery, etc., and not really "from one place to another."
2) ...where verbal and non-verbal communication brings a different meaning. >>> I think you mean to say that a verbal cue not congruent with a non-verbal message.
3) My cousins and i have decided to take a tour around the village. >>> (verb tense error) ?
4) Referring back to incidents, it.... >>> (dangling modifier: Who is referring back? That "referent" must be stated.)
I know you can do what the assignment requires, but to improve this post you need to revisit the directions and be a bit more accurate in the way you connect age, culture and gender to whatever your described observation is.