Communication Strategies
One of the biggest sources of
misunderstandings and communication
breakdown is language. Studies show that
the following are the twelve strategies that
speakers commonly resort to when
communication problems arise:
Message Abandonment- You leave the
message unfinished because of language
difficulty.
Topic Avoidance- You try not to talk about
concepts difficult for you to express.
Circumlocution- You describe or paraphrase
the target object or action.
Approximation- You use an alternative term
(ship) to express the meaning of the target
word (sail) as closely as possible.
Use of all-purpose-words- You expand a general
word to the context where certain words are
lacking like the overuse of the words: thing, stuff,
make, do, what-do-you-call-it, what-is-it.
Word Coinage- You create a new English
word based on what you know of the way
English works like “vegetarianist” (which is
not in the dictionary) for the “vegetarian”
Use of nonverbal means- You mime, the
gesture, use facial expression, and imitate
sound to express the meaning you want.
Literal translation- You translate a word or an
idiom from your mother tongue to English
using the structure of your first language.
Foreignizing- You use the word in your native
language but pronounce it like English.
Code switching- You use the native word or
expression for the English term that
expresses the meaning you want.
Appeal for Help- You ask other students or
your teacher for help when you do not know
or forget some words, structures or idioms.
Use of Fillers/ hesitation devices- You
use filling words (uhhmmmm) to gain
time to think.
Communicative Strategies
These are plans, ways or means of
sharing information which are adopted to
achieve a particular social, political,
psychological, or linguistic purpose.
7 Types of Communicative Strategies
Nomination- presenting a particular topic
clearly, truthfully, and saying only what is
relevant.
Restriction- constraining the response or
reaction within a set of categories.
Turn-taking- recognizing when and how to
speak because it is one’s turn.
Topic control- keeping the interaction going
by asking questions and eliciting a response.
Topic shifting- introducing a new topic
followed by the continuation of that topic
Repair- overcoming communication
breakdown to send more comprehensible
messages.
Termination- using verbal and nonverbal
signals to end the interaction.
When introducing a topic at the beginning of a
Communicative Situation, what is being used is
the Nomination Strategy. It is a strategy that can
also be applied any time during the course of an
interaction as a way of continuing the
communication. When this strategy is used, the
topic is introduced in a clear and truthful
manner, stating only what is relevant to keep the
interaction focused.
Examples:
Have you noticed the weird weather lately? Is
this because of global warming?
I was late for class again! The MRT stopped
midway. What is wrong with the MRT?
Restriction Communicative Strategy is a
strategy that constrains or restricts the
Response of the other person involved in
the Communication Situation. The Listener
is forced to respond only within a set of
categories that is made by the Speaker.
Examples:
They say that the Philippine economy is getting
better. Only the stupid thinks that, right? (No one
wants to be stupid.)
That arrest move was a disaster waiting to
happen. Do you agree? (Yes/No)
Turn-taking Communicative Strategy requires that
each Speaker speaks only when it is his/ her turn
during interaction. Knowing when to talk depends on
watching out for the verbal and nonverbal cues that
signal the next Speaker that the previous Speaker has
finished or the topic under discussion has been
exhausted and a new topic may be introduced. At the
same time, it also means that others should be given
the opportunity to take turn. Turn-taking
Communicative Strategy uses either an informal
approach (just jump in and start talking) or a formal
approach (permission to speak is requested).
Examples:
I agree with the point just made. But may I add
that OFWs would rather be home and work here
so they could be with their families.
May I have the floor, sir? The topic under
discussion is the state of the Philippine economy
today. We want better lives for all Filipinos,
whether they are working here or abroad.
After the Nomination Communicative
Strategy, the interaction is kept going by
using the Topic-Control Communicative
Strategy. This is simply a question-answer
formula that moves the discussion forward.
This also allows the Listener or other
participants to take turns, contribute ideas,
and continue the discussion.
Examples:
How do you often ride the MRT, Tony? How
many times have you encountered a stoppage in
service?
Your car may break down, too, Luna, right? So
you have to find another means of getting to
school. We all do not want to be late for class,
yes?
Topic-Shifting Communicative Strategy is
the strategy that is useful in introducing
another topic. This strategy works best
when there is follow-through so that new
topic continues to be discussed. This is also
used in Repair Communicative Strategy.
Examples:
This is a battle with corporations that continue to
pollute the environment. But this is also a battle
with man himself, who continues to act as if there is
another Earth we can move to once this Earth dies.
If we cannot use the Earth’s resources, our
economies will die. We need to choose: the
economy or the environment.
Repeating is a good way of correcting one
self and gives the Speaker time to do just
that. Recasting means changing the form of
a Message that could not be understood. It
allows the Speaker to say the Message in
another way so that the Listener can
understand what was originally
incomprehensible.
We have already learned that communication almost
always breaks down. When miscommunication occurs,
one can apply the Repair Communicative Strategy that
includes requesting clarification, not acknowledging,
topic shifting, not responding, repeating, recasting and
adding. One requests clarification by asking questions
or using eyebrows , eyes, head or shoulders to show
that the Message could not be understood. By not
acknowledging the new situation, the situation already
in progress will continue. Topic shifting can help direct
the discussion to another or divert the attention of the
Listener from the topic that has become problematic.
Lastly, Termination Communicative Strategy
ends the interaction through verbal and
nonverbal Messages that both Speaker and
Listener send to each other. Sometimes the
Termination is quick and short. Sometimes it
is prolonged by clarification, further
questions, or the continuation of the topic
already discussed, but the point of the
language and body movement is to end the
communication.
