First Year B.L.S LL.

B- Semester: I

Course Title: English I

Module 3

Language Development-

3.2. Oral Communication

Communication is the process of transmitting information from one person to another. It is the act of
sharing of ideas, facts, opinions, thoughts, messages or emotions to other people, in and out the
organization, with the use of the channel to create mutual understanding and confidence. Besides words,
communication can take place through symbols, letters, actions, expressions, etc.

Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual or
group to another. Oral communication is the exchange of information and ideas through spoken word. It
can be directly in person in a face-to-face interaction or through an electronic device such as a phone,
video platform or radio. The most effective way for businesses to transmit information verbally is through
oral communication, such as a staff meeting, webinar and workshop.

3.2.1. Definition of oral communication, meaning and its importance

Oral communication is the exchange of information and ideas through spoken word. It can be directly in
person in a face-to-face interaction or through an electronic device such as a phone, video platform or
radio. The most effective way for businesses to transmit information verbally is through oral
communication, such as a staff meeting, webinar and workshop.

The importance of oral communication

When starting a business and creating a website, it’s important to have strong written copy, text and
images that “speak” for one’s brand. Anything beyond the written or visual format falls under oral
communication. Entrepreneurs, individuals and business owners must have sharp, concise and clear
verbal communication skills to best connect with stakeholders and build lasting relationships.

Furthermore, oral communication is vital for learning and understanding those in your environment on a
daily basis, both personally and professionally. It is a fundamental aspect of learning a language and helps
solve problems. It also allows people to quickly exchange information and it conveys emotion in
conversations.

The 5 elements of oral communication

1. Sender: The sender is the person who initiates communication to the receiver.
2. Medium: The medium is the format in which the message is being sent. For example, a
voicemail, a face-to-face conversation or a PowerPoint presentation.
3. Channel: The channel is the platform on which the message is delivered. For example, a podcast,
a telephone or a meeting.
4. Receiver: The receiver listens and decodes the message sent by the sender. The receiver then
generates feedback for the sender in response to the message.
 5. Feedback: This final stage is the reaction of the receiver, such as oral or written communication.
No response from the receiver is also a type of feedback. This completes the entire oral
communication cycle.

Process of Communication

Communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas by the sender who
then transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives the feedback in the form
of some message or signal within the given time frame. Thus, there are Seven major elements of
communication process:

Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has
conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others.

Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or non-verbal
methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message. The
sender’s knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great impact on the success
of the message.

Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey. The
message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs, sounds, etc. or
any other signal that triggers the response of a receiver.

Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey his
message to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective and
correctly interpreted by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal relationships
between the sender and the receiver and also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral, virtual,
written, sound, gesture, etc. are some of the commonly used communication mediums.

Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to
comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The degree
to which the receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter, experience,
trust and relationship with the sender.

Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender’s message and tries to understand it in the best possible
manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the message in exactly the
same way as it was intended by the sender.
Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received the message
and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the effectiveness of the
communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. The response of the receiver
can be verbal or non-verbal.

Note: The Noise shows the barriers in communications. There are chances when the message sent by the
sender is not received by the recipient.

Great communication skills are your ticket to success in the academic and business world. But have you
ever been overcome by fear or anxiety prior to going on a job interview or speaking in front of an
audience? Knowing when to choose oral communication and polishing your speaking skills can help you
at every stage of your career.
Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual or
group to another. Oral communication can be either formal or informal. Examples of formal and informal
oral communication include:

 Face-to-face conversations
 Telephone conversations
 Discussions that take place at business meetings

More formal types of oral communication include:

 Presentations at business meetings

 Classroom lectures
 Commencement speeches given at a graduation ceremony

With advances in technology, new forms of oral communication continue to develop. Video phones and
video conferences combine audio and video so that workers in distant locations can both see and speak
with each other. Other modern forms of oral communication include podcasts (audio clips that you can
access on the Internet) and Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP), which allows callers to communicate over
the Internet and avoid telephone charges. Skype is an example of VoIP.

Advantages- There are many situations in which it makes sense to choose oral over written
communication. Oral communication is more personal and less formal than written communication. If
time is limited and a business matter requires quick resolution, it may be best to have a face-to-face or
telephone conversation. There is also more flexibility in oral communication; you can discuss different
aspects of an issue and make decisions more quickly than you can in writing. Oral communication can be
especially effective in addressing conflicts or problems. Talking things over is often the best way to settle
disagreements or misunderstandings. Finally, oral communication is a great way to promote employee
morale and maintain energy and enthusiasm within a team.

Disadvantages- Despite the many benefits of oral communication, there are times when written
communication is more effective. For example, you may want to exchange important information that
needs to be documented using written communication. A lot of transactions in the business world require
some type of written record, and you will find that even strong verbal skills are not a substitute for putting
things in writing. Additionally, oral communication tends to be less detailed and more subject to
misunderstanding than written communication. It's best to always think carefully about which method of
communication best fits your objective.
3.2.2. Types of Oral Communication – Verbal Communication - Formal Speech (Oral & Written),

Verbal Communication - People use verbal communication to express themselves in many ways during
discussions, speeches, and everyday conversations. Just how effective this style of communication is can
vary. It will depend on the volume of your voice, the tone you use, the clarity of your speech, and the
caliber of the words you use. You’ll probably get some idea of how effective your communication is
through the feedback you receive. You can help improve the effectiveness of your communication by
considering your target audience and how you can adjust your message to help them understand you.
With verbal communication, you have a lot of control over adapting your message if you feel it is not
effective. In order to do this, you should first ensure that you have expressed your intended message. It’s
possible for the people to whom you are trying to communicate to misunderstand your words or the
intention behind those words. Whether or not your communication is effective depends on the listener as
well as yourself, and you can’t control the listener—but you can try to make your message as clear as
possible. To do this, you also need to consider nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal Communication- Nonverbal communication is a way of communicating without using words.

Although nonverbal communication can emphasize spoken words, it can also contradict them. The three
main aspects of nonverbal communication- body language and eye contact, each of which has an impact
on how people receive your message has.

 Body Language: Body language is probably the clearest type of nonverbal communication. It can
tell a person a lot about how you feel. If someone sees that your arms are folded while speaking
to you, they will likely feel you are not very receptive to what they have to say, whereas if you
face the speaker with your arms at your sides, you will appear more interested.
 Eye Contact: Making eye contact lets a speaker know you are interested in their message. It can
also help you stay engaged in the conversation and better understand the speaker.
 Paralanguage is the technical term for the voice cues that accompany spoken words. It is
concerned with the sound of the voice and the range of meanings that people convey through their
voices rather than the words they use. The meaning of what you express is contained, in part, in
the words you say, but how you say it also contains powerful meanings. For example, the word
“Yes”, can completely convey different meanings, even in the exact same sentence, depending on
how it is said—whether it is spoken sincerely or sarcastically.

The “how”—you say something—is referred to as paralanguage, which includes your conscious or
unconscious intonation, accent, pitch Opens in new window, pace, pause, silence, emphasis, word and
syllable stress.
Basically, paralanguage is your voice minus the words you speak. Again, it denotes the tone (sound) of
your voice. The sound of your voice communicates, revealing to others your emotional state, attitudes,
status, personality, etc.

The tone of your voice can help you communicate what you mean to convey, or it can reveal thoughts you
mean to conceal. It can reinforce or negate the words you speak. How you speak influences how others
interpret your intentions, as well as how credible, intelligent, or attractive they judge you to be. With this
in mind, you may assess yourself by responding to the following questions:
Does my voice enhance or detract from the impression I make?
Does my voice support or contradict my intended meaning?
If I were interacting with me, would I want to listen to the sound of my voice?

Paralanguage, in brief, is a nonverbal code for the way we say something rather than what we say. The
two main categories of paralanguage are vocal characteristics and vocal interferences.

Vocal characteristics- Vocal characteristics are the pitch (the highness or lowness of your voice), volume
(how loudly or softly you speak), rate (the speed at which you speak) and voice quality (how pleasant or
unpleasant your voice sound). Each of these characteristics plays a part in the impression others have of
you. For example, a loud voice is usually associated with aggressiveness; people who speak quickly are
said to be nervous.

Vocal interferences- Vocal interferences are the sounds and words we use when we hesitate or are not
sure of the right word. We all use the occasional “uh”, “er”, “well”, and “you know” to indicate that we
are searching for the right word. But such interferences may become a problem when they pop up too
frequently as they can interrupt your listener’s concentration and comprehension. Hesitation can be
broken down into filled pauses, also known as vocalized pauses such as “um”, “er”, “ah”, and “uh”; and
empty pauses, which consist of silence. Hesitations occur within the speech utterance, as well as at the
beginning and at the end. These pauses allow the speaker to collect his/her thoughts and also serve as
signals for turn-taking within a face-to-face interaction.

Paralanguage may be considered a type of nonverbal communication Opens in new window, in its
broadest sense, as it can suggest many emotional nuances.

Improve Your Nonverbal Communication Skills

Nonverbal communication skills are a crucial part of articulating your message. People often rely
primarily on nonverbal cues to derive the meaning of the message. This makes it vital that you work on
improving your nonverbal communication skills.
Conclusion
Communication skills are critical in all aspects of life. Improving your communication skills requires
understanding the differences between verbal and nonverbal communication. Simply understanding cues
such as maintaining eye contact and using body language that shows you are interested in what the
speaker has to say can go a long way toward achieving effective communication.

7C’s of effective communication

The 7 C’s of Communication is a checklist that helps to improve the professional communication skills
and increases the chance that the message will be understood in exactly the same way as it was intended.

To have effective communication, one should keep the following 7 C’s of communication in mind:

Clear: The message should be clear and easily understandable to the recipient. The purpose of the
communication should be clear to sender then only the receiver will be sure about it. The message should
emphasize on a single goal at a time and shall not cover several ideas in a single sentence.

Correct: The message should be correct, i.e. correct language should be used, and the sender must ensure
that there are no grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also, the message should be exact and well-timed.
The correct messages have a greater impact on the receiver and at the same time, the morale of the sender
increases with the accurate message.
Complete: The message should be complete, i.e. it must include all the relevant information as required
by the intended audience. The complete information gives answers to all the questions of the receivers
and helps in better decision-making by the recipient.

Concrete: The communication should be concrete, which means the message should be clear and
particularly such that no room for misinterpretation is left. All the facts and figures should be clearly
mentioned in a message so as to substantiate to whatever the sender is saying.

Concise: The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should avoid the lengthy sentences
and try to convey the subject matter in the least possible words. The short and brief message is more
comprehensive and helps in retaining the receiver’s attention.

Consideration: The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions, knowledge, mindset,
background, etc. in order to have an effective communication. In order to communicate, the sender must
relate to the target recipient and be involved.

Courteous: It implies that the sender must take into consideration both the feelings and viewpoints of the
receiver such that the message is positive and focused at the audience. The message should not be biased
and must include the terms that show respect for the recipient.

Note: This checklist applies to both the written and oral communication.

3.3.3 Elocution/Mock Trials/ Meetings

Note: Along with this file, also refer to notes shared for Module 3.2 during lectures.