The context allows you to close the gap between your meaning of “love” and what the receiver, or audience, has in their range of understanding of the same word. Does your use of the word in any given context allow the audience to get any closer to what you mean by this word, “love”? The key here is context, which provides clues to how you mean the word and what its use means to you. Or you might say you love chocolate cake. Take, for example, the word “love.” Yes, we recognize those four little letters all in a row, but what does it really mean? You can use it to describe the feelings and emotions associated with your mother, a partner, or perhaps your dog. As a communicator, consider both the role of the speaker and the audience and not only what and how you want to communicate but also what and how your audience needs you to communicate with them in order to present an effective message.įigure 3.3 Solution to Introductory Exercise 5 (the “Nine-Dot Problem”) We can, however, take responsibility for the utility and limitations of language to try to gain a better understanding of how we can communicate more effectively. It’s not people’s fault that language, both verbal and nonverbal, is an imperfect system. No doubt it was fairly recently, as it is for most people.

Ask yourself when you last had a miscommunication with someone. Knowing your audience involves understanding others, and their perspectives, to see if they understand your words, examples, or the frames of reference you use to communicate your experiences, points, and conclusions.

It requires our constant attention, maintenance, and effort. In this chapter we’ll discuss perspectives, and how people perceive information, as we learn how communication is an imperfect bridge to understanding. I might not “get it” because I don’t know you, your references, your perspectives, your word choices, or your underlying meaning and motivation for speaking in the first place. In your head, you may make sense of your words and their meaning, but when I hear what you said, what you meant may escape me. If you talk to yourself, the action is a reflection of the communication process, but you play the role of audience. Speaking or writing involves sharing your perspective with others. Communicating involves the translation of your thoughts and ideas to words.

Drivers ed chapter 4 hidden message