Oral Communication

CONCEPT NOTES:

Concept Note 1

A. Nature and Elements of Communication

Communication (from the Latin term “communis” which means to share and inform ideas,
feelings, etc.) is the act of transmitting intended meanings from one entity or group to another
through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules.
Communication is a process of sharing and conveying messages or information from one
person to another within and across channels, contexts, media, and cultures (McCornack, 2014).
There is a wide variety of contexts and situations in which communication can be manifested; it
can be a face-to-face interaction, a phone conversation, a group discussion, a meeting or
interview, a letter correspondence, a class recitation, and many others.
The Nature of Communication
1. Communication is a process.
2. Communication occurs between two people (the speaker and the receiver).
3. Communication can be expressed through written or spoken words, actions
(nonverbal), or both spoken words and nonverbal actions simultaneously.

B. Elements of Communication
Communication is divided into elements that help us better understand its mechanics or process.
These elements are the following:
1. Speaker – the source of information or message
2. Message – the information, ideas, or thoughts conveyed by the speaker in words or in actions
3. Encoding – the process of converting the message into words, actions, or other forms that the
speaker understands
4. Channel – the medium or the means, such as personal or non-personal, verbal or nonverbal, in
which the encoded message is conveyed
5. Decoding – the process of interpreting the encoded message of the speaker by the receiver
6. Receiver – the recipient of the message, or someone who decodes the message
7. Feedback – the reactions, responses, or information provided by the receiver
8. Context – the environment where communication takes place
9. Barriers – the factors that affect the flow of communication

CONCEPT NOTE 2

A. Process of Communication

B. Models of Communication
The purpose of a “model” is to offer a visual representation of a concept with the intent of facilitating the
understanding of it. There are three standard models of the communication process:
1. Linear Communication Model

● Originally developed by Shannon & Weaver in 1948, this model describes communication as a linear
process.
● This model describes how a sender, or speaker, transmits a message to a receiver, or listener.

● The message itself is transmitted through a channel, the pathway or route for communication, to a
receiver, who is the target or recipient of the message.
● There may be obstacles in the communication process or noise. Noise refers to any interference in
the channel or distortion of the message.
● This is a fairly simple model in which a message is simply passed from sender to receiver.

2. Interactive Communication Model

● In the move to a more dynamic view of communication, interactional models follow two channels in
which communication and feedback flow between sender and receiver.
● Feedback is simply a response that a receiver gives to a sender. Feedback can be verbal (i.e. “yes”)
or nonverbal (i.e. a nod or smile).
● Most importantly, feedback indicates comprehension. It can help senders know if their message was
received and understood.
● By focusing on flow and feedback, interactional models view communication as an ongoing process.

3. Transactional Communication Model

● The transactional model is the most dynamic of communication models.

● One notable feature of this model is the move from referring to people as senders and receivers to
referring to people as communicators. This implies that communication is achieved as people both
send and receive messages.
● Fundamentally, this model views communication as a transaction. In other words, communication is a
cooperative action in which communicators co-create the process, outcome, and effectiveness of the
interaction.
● Unlike the linear model in which meaning is sent from one person to another, unlike the interactional
model in which understanding is achieved through feedback, people create shared meaning in a
more dynamic process in the transactional model.

Communication Breakdown

Communication is a process of exchanging thoughts, ideas, and opinions in order to connect with other
people. Its goal is to achieve a clear and effective understanding resulting in good relationships in the
community. However, there are times when this goal is not reached due to certain factors. When this
happens, there is a communication breakdown.

The elements involved in communication are important in the success or failure of this process. These
very same elements (sender, message, receiver, feedback, etc.) can pose a threat to the efficiency or
effectiveness of the process. Communication breakdown may occur when problems in any of the
elements involved arise. They become barriers to communication.

Communication breakdown results when the intended message of the sender is not understood exactly
by the receiver.

Here are some of the barriers that may cause a communication failure. Barriers to Communication.

1. Physical Barriers are the natural or environmental conditions that act as a barrier in
communication sending the message from sender to receiver.

Examples:

● People talking too loud.

2. Psychological Barriers are called mental barriers. These refer to social and personal issues of a
speaker towards communicating with others.

Examples:
● trauma
● shyness, lack of confidence
● depression
● fear, stage fright

3. Cultural Barriers pertain to communication problems encountered by people regarding their

4. Linguistic Barriers pertain to conflicts with regard to language and word meanings. Because
words carry denotative and connotative meanings, they can sometimes cause confusion and
misunderstanding. The meaning of words and symbols also varies depending on culture.
Examples:
● difference in language
● accent and dialect
● use of jargon and slang
● speech defects or language impairments
5. Physiological barriers to communication are related with the limitations of the human body and
the human mind (memory, attention, and perception).

Physiological barriers may result from individuals' personal discomfort, caused by ill-health, poor eyesight,
or hearing difficulties.

Concept Note 2

Strategies to Avoid Communication Breakdown

Tips on How to Avoid Communication Breakdown Broom, Cutlip, and Center (2012) listed the 7Cs of
Effective Communication in their book Effective Public Relations. These are Completeness, Conciseness,
Consideration, Concreteness, Courtesy, Clearness, and Correctness.

a. Completeness It is important to the whole communication process. The speaker should include
everything that the receiver needs to hear, respond, react, or evaluate properly. S/he should be
able to convey all pertinent details so the listener or audience will be able to grasp the intended
message.
b. Conciseness The message should be direct or straight to the point and should be expressed in
the least possible number of words. Irrelevant information should not be included.
c. Consideration, the speaker should give high regard and courtesy to the audience's background
information such as his/her culture, education, religion, status, mood, feelings, and needs. This will
result in building rapport or connection with the audience.
 d. Concreteness Effective communication is backed up by facts, figures, and real-life examples or
situations. This will make the receiver understand the message better.
e. Courtesy The speaker can show respect to his/her receivers by understanding their culture,
values, and beliefs. The speaker can show respect to the listeners by demonstrating an
understanding of their beliefs, values, and culture. This implies a good choice of words and
language and a consideration of the audience’s perspectives and feelings on the part of the
sender. Showing courtesy helps create a positive vibe with the audience. This implies a good
choice of words and language on the part of the sender and consideration of the audience's
perspectives.
f. Clearness implies the use of simple and specific words to express ideas. The speaker focuses on
specific ideas and will not confuse the audience.
g. Correctness, and avoiding mistakes in grammar help to boost the credibility and effectiveness of
the message, and at the same time, it eliminates the negative impact on the audience.

Intercultural Communication
Intercultural communication happens when individuals interact, negotiate, and create meanings while bringing in
their varied cultural backgrounds (Ting-Toomey 1999). For some scholars, intercultural communication pertains to
communication among people from different nationalities (Gudykunst, 2003).
Still, others look at intercultural communication as communication that is influenced by different ethnicity,
religions, and sexual orientations. Both interpretations show that intercultural communication takes place when
people draw from their cultural identity to understand values, prejudices, language, attitudes, and relationships
(Gudykunst & Kim, 2003).

The Development Model of Cultural Sensitivity

Stage 1: Denial The individual does not recognize cultural differences. An individual in the denial stage might be
heard saying:
"All cities are the same; they all have tall buildings, fast food chains, and coffee shops."

Stage 2: Defense The individual starts to recognize cultural differences and is intimidated by them, resulting in
either a superior view on own culture or an unjustified high regard for the new one. An Individual in the defense
stage might be heard saying:
This culture does not view life the way we do; our culture is certainly better"
Their ways are better than my own; I wish I were one of them."

Stage 3: Minimization. Although individuals see cultural differences, they bank more on the universality of ideas
rather than on cultural differences. An individual in the minimization stage might be heard saying:
"Once we see through the cultural differences, we really are just the same!"

Stage 4: Acceptance. The individual begins to appreciate important cultural differences in behaviors and eventually
in values. An individual in the acceptance stage might be heard saying:
"These people and I have different values and experience and I think we can learn from one another."
Stage 5: Adaptation. The individual is very open to world views when accepting new perspectives. An individual in
the adaptation stage might be heard saying:
To address our issue, I have to adjust my approach to consider both my own and my counterpart's background."

Stage 6: Integration. Individuals start to go beyond their own cultures and see themselves and their actions based
on multifarious cultural viewpoints. An individual in the integration stage might be heard saying:
"I can look at things from the perspective of various cultures."