how far can communication go

8/3/2019 How Far Can Communication Go

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HOW FAR CAN COMMUNICATION GO?

CHRISTY ANN BALITA

Providing a concrete definition of the process of communication stirred too much thought

since communicators assumed that a definition of it has already been established, considering

the pervasiveness and the ease that any speaker experience in its execution. However,

scholars, in the process, realized that communication is not easy to define. Establishing a

concrete definition of what communication is about may set limitations or restrictions on the

process and may also require a certain goal or function that it must achieve in its use. In

addition, once a particular phrase or description is provided, the process of communication may

reach an idle state because it may fail to attract attention from the scholars since they mayconsider it useless to discuss or argue about something that is already established. Ideas or

explanations about the subject matter may be revised year after year to save it from being

obsolete.

Where a supposedly established definition of the process of communication fails, its

significance, functions, and limitations fill what a single description fails to provide. Speakers

overlooked this crisis thinking that communication ends when it has completed its supposed

function- to express, share, and influence. But as we try to examine the process, we have come

to consider where, to some degree, communication fail.

Every person has their unique ways of expressing their thoughts and their emotions,

either in a verbal or a non-verbal manner. Verbal communication includes written and oral

manners in communicating while the non-verbal covers body language or the gestures that a

person exhibits. When words fail to assure sincerity in a persons intentions, gestures and other

cues are the best ways to prove it. However in this case, problems arise when the receiver fails

to accurately interpret the signals and instead assumes otherwise. For example, simple acts

such as burping in the middle of a dinner may signify that you are already full when in fact youare not. Immediately leaving the dinner table without permission may be seen as an act of

disrespect when the truth is you have a very important matter to attend to and asking for

permission may be out of the question. Or refusing a friends invitation to his birthday could

mean that you are not as enthusiastic about your relationship as he is.


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The product of communication may oftentimes depend on the personality of the person.

Shy persons have difficulty in raising their opinions so the discussion may not be as productive

as it could have been. Other speakers tend to dominate a particular conversation leaving others

with no opportunity to share their thoughts. In this case, communication fails in drawing an

important discussion because the significant thoughts are left unshared.

Another limitation may be brought about by the differences in personal experience that

every speaker went through. What is easy to explain and discuss for a particular speaker may

not be easy to absorb by the listener not because of the language used or the way in which the

thought was presented but on the unfamiliarity and the detachment of the latter on the subject

matter. For example, a former OFW who is ranting about his experiences and the difficulties he

went through working on a foreign land may not gain full sympathy from his friend because the

latter did not underwent the same hardships. He may feel sorry for the fate of his friend but it will

end there, as compared to a certain get-together that all abused overseas workers arranged

where they discuss their situation in the foreign land.

The success of relaying information or even simply thoughts or realizations can be

measured by its effect on the listeners. Talks or discussions about the perils of raising a child at

a very young age may not be as productive if the listeners seem apathetic about the subject

matter and refused to share it to others. Here, communication may fail not because of the

process itself but on the receivers of the information or thought.

Then the effects of communication theories may follow. As an effective way of describing

what communication is, these theories also have extended their significance on other existing

fields of learning. In the field of psychology, studies on communication resulted to the findings

that the process is a particular kind of behaviour motivated by different psychological processes.

Memory, perception, and other factors such as fears or a speakers subjective reality may affect

the process. For example, inconsistency in thought may affect the conversation that the speaker

is into. Talking about cars and unconsciously picking up from where his friends last words may

result to an unproductive and ambiguous situation. Fears, like stage fright or simply a persons

lack in self-esteem, may result to a rather silent and oftentimes associated with boring

conversation.

Sociology, which is focusing on the society and social processes, sees communication

as one of the many important social factors in the society. Through simple talks or

conversations with neighbours, a peaceful community is formed. Parents deal with problems in


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the family by discussing it with their children. Enemies compromise by having a conversation

with each other. Misunderstandings are settled through a conversation. Differences are bridged

by finding out some interests that the parties may share together and that is through having

some chitchat. Animosity is prevented by having a small conversation.

In the field of anthropology, on the other hand, the process is considered as a factor that

helps develop, maintain, and change cultures. Introducing oneself in a new culture can be made

easier by first learning the language spoken by the people in that community. By knowing their

language, it will be easier to adopt and to adjust to the people and the traditions, norms, and

culture that they have. Similarly, a community will be able to preserve and diversify their culture

by, for example, developing and exploring the language that they use which embodies the entire

culture and tradition that they has. Engaging oneself in a conversation and exposing oneself on

the history of its early people and participating in the rituals that they continue to perform; one is

able to acknowledge the practices that they performed and will be able to document them so

that it can also be shared and introduced to other people.

It may have been difficult to capture communication in such a way that science or

mathematics has been defined, but its significance on the experiences of its speakers and

listeners, and on its influences on the studies conducted by other fields of learning, has proved

to improve the people practising it, regardless of its limitations.

how far can communication go

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