Communication

Introduction
The term 'Communication' has been derived from the Latin word 'communis' that means 'common'. Thus 'to communicate' means 'to make common' or 'to make known'. This act of making common and known is carried out through exchange of thoughts, ideas or the like. The exchange of thoughts and ideas can be had by gestures, signs, signals, speech or writing.
Communication is a learned skill. Most people are born with the physical ability to talk, but we must learn to speak well and communicate effectively. Speaking, listening, and our ability to understand verbal and nonverbal meanings are skills we develop in various ways. We learn basic communication skills by observing other people and modeling our behaviors based on what we see. We also are taught some communication skills directly through education, and by practicing those skills and having them evaluated.

Communication as an academic discipline relates to all the ways we communicate, so itembraces a large body of study and knowledge.
Communication is defined as:
1. The act of transmitting
2. A giving or exchanging of information, signals, or messages as by talk, gestures, writing
3. The information, signals, or message
4. Close, sympathetic relationship
5. A means of communicating; specif., a system for sending and receiving messages, as by telephone, telegraph, radio, etc.
6. A system as of routes for moving troops and material
7. A passage or way for getting from one place to another
8. The art of expressing ideas, esp. in speech and writing
9. The science of transmitting information, esp. in symbols
This definition suggests that there can be several different types of communication, falling into the categories of non-verbal or verbal.

Non-Verbal Communication
Non-verbal communication involves exchanging information or transmitting data without the use of words. There are many examples of non-verbal communication everywhere in the world.
While you may not stop to think about it, a red light or a stop sign is a clear form of non-verbal communication. No one is physically telling you to stop, but you see that symbol or signal and know immediately what is expected of you.
Likewise, body language and facial expressions are also examples of non-verbal communication. Over the years, numerous research studies have been done to suggest that babies respond to smiling faces the world over, and that when a person sees someone else smile, he may become a bit happier as well.
Thus, while understanding non-verbal communication may require some knowledge of the cultural and social meanings behind the symbols and signs used, some types of non-verbal communication are instinctual and no teaching is necessary.

Verbal Communication
The system of verbal communication has become quite complex, with unique languages each having millions of words.

Unlike non-verbal communication, in order for verbal communication to be meaningful, there must generally be a readily accepted understanding of the meaning of a series of sounds. In other words, sounds and words alone aren't sufficient to communicate: the person transmitting the message and the person receiving the message generally must have a cultural background or shared knowledge that allows them to understand what those sounds have come to mean.

However, even some oral or verbal communication can be intuitive. For example, animals use verbal communication all the time to transmit messages to each other. Birds sing, some bugs chirp when mating, hounds bark to alert the pack on a hunt, and even whales sing, although scientists aren't 100 percent certain what those songs mean.

The fact that language was one of man's earliest developments, and the fact that there are similarities among languages and that animals also engage in oral communication, all suggest that although some shared cultural understanding is necessary, the specific act of verbal communication may be innate.

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:

Source
The source imagines, creates, and sends the message. In a public speaking situation, the source is the person giving the speech. He or she conveys the message by sharing new information with the audience. The speaker also conveys a message through his or her tone of voice, body language, and choice 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 convey the intended meaning. The third step is to present or send the information to the receiver or audience. Finally, by watching for the audience’s reaction, the source perceives how well they received the message and responds with clarification or supporting information.

Message
“The message is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience.” 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 with grammar and organization. You may choose to save your most important point for last. 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 headings and formatting 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.

Channel
“The channel is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver.” For example, think of your television. How many channels do you have on your television? Each channel takes up some space, even in a digital world, in the cable or in the signal that brings the message of each channel to your home. Television combines an audio signal you hear with a visual signal you see. Together they convey the message to the receiver or audience. Turn off the volume on your television. 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.

Receiver
“The receiver receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source.” To better understand this component, think of a receiver on a football team. The quarterback throws the football (message) to a receiver, who must see and interpret where to catch the ball. The quarterback may intend for the receiver to “catch” his message in one way, but the receiver may see things differently and miss the football (the intended meaning) altogether.

Feedback
When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving 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 was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for the receiver or audience to ask for clarification, 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.

Environment
“The environment is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive messages.” The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment that are in the room. The room itself is an example of the environment. The environment can also include factors 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 individuals involved.” A professional communication context may involve business suits (environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language and behavior among the participants.
Context is all about what people expect from each other, and we often create those expectations out of environmental cues.

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.” 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.
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. For example, your cell phone ringtone may be a welcome noise to you, but it may interrupt the communication process in class and bother your classmates.

Conclusion
Communication in its most basic sense is transferring information from sender to receiver. Communication is a very important aspect of the human life, since it is the communication that helps human beings to connect with each other as individuals and as independent groups. Communication is the very basis, which drives the process of development in all the fields. Also when communicating it is important to be a good communicator or a good listener so that there’s no misunderstanding will occur or problems.
Acquiring the skills of good communication is not difficult.  Using them when it really matters is the difficult part.  To help, there are several things you can keep in mind...
It takes two sets of skills, which I have called expressive and listening skills, to give and get information.  A further set of skills is then needed to manage the overall process.
Often, however, there is more good will between people than is at first apparent.  When everyone understands all the information, and when there are good enough relationships between people, resolution often emerges easily.
The two most common barriers to effective communication, I think, are a lack of skills, and the rules which forbid certain information.  Using the skills within the existing rules may resolve many issues.  The difficult issues, however, may not be resolvable within the rules.
It is when you use your communication skills to renegotiate the rules that real improvements in relationships and in problem solving become possible.

References:
 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_communication#ixzz1LpsviTAW
http://answers.yourdictionary.com/language/what-is-communication.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-is-communication-important.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication
http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/business-communication-success/70069#web-70069
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcom.html
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http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculuminstruct/communications/default.aspx
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