1.4 Typology of Communication

Communication can be differentiated according to [6, p. 29]:

1) the usage / non-usage of language (language code): verbal / non-verbal (mimics, gestures, posture, type of clothes, hair do, etc.);

2) forms of realization of language code: oral – speed, fast reactions of those who participate in the process of communication; written – formal; interrupted in time and space, anonymous; printed – embraces the features of both – oral and written form;

3) topic of communication: political, scientific, everyday, religious, philosophical, educative, etc.;

4) aim of communication: business, entertainment, educative, everyday;

5) degree of officiality: official: formal communicative situations (boss – subordinate, seller – buyer, colleague – colleague); unofficial: informal communicative situations (friends, lovers, parents, etc.);

6) degree of control: formal – official situations which are controlled (business); informal – friendly talk, small talk;

7) amount of participants: inner communication (with oneself); interpersonal communication (2 people); communication within small communicative groups (3 – 5 people); public communication (20 – 30 people);mass communication (1000 and more participants); intercultural communication (among representatives of different socio-cultural communities);

8) social factors: personally oriented – aimed at establishing personal relationships, mainly spiritual or friendly; socially oriented – aimed at establishing role, hierarchical relationships;

9) form of communication: closed communication – content of communication serves as a background; to the front comes the process of communication itself – its form and rules = small talks); opened communication: business talk, friendly talk, lovers talk – one’s point of view is important; mixed communication: student – teacher, doctor –

patient;

10) liberty of partner choice: initiated communication – speakers may freely choose their communicative partners and avoid undesirable communication; forced communication – does not depend upon one’s wishes and desires (talk with boss);

11) duration factor: constant communication – among family members, colleagues, etc.; periodical communication – meeting with doctor; short-time communication – in a queue, in transport; long-time communication – with friends, etc.

1.5 Models of Communication

Models of communication have been elaborated in order to explain the process of communication from different points of view and with the emphasis upon different components or constituent parts of the process of communication.

Linear Model (Mathematical Model)

Early theories saw the communication process as linear. In this linear view of communication the speaker spoke and the listener listened; after the speaker finished speaking, the listener would speak. Communication was seen as proceeding in a relatively straight line. Speaking and listening were seen as taking place at different times – when you spoke, you didn’t listen; and when you listened – you didn’t speak [15, p. 114]. Thus, communication is viewed as a one-way process – from sender (addresser) to receiver (addressee): sender (addresser) forms the message with the help of means of language code (=encodes); then the message through the communicative channel goes to the receiver (addressee) who decodes it. In such a way message helps addresser to establish contact with addressee within definite context.

This model can sometimes be also called Lasswell’s Model of Communication (See 1.5.1 (a)). Harold Lasswell a political scientist in 1948 proposed a model, which explains the communication process as who says what to whom in what channel with what effect [12, p. 39]. Lasswell’s model focuses primarily on verbal communication. The model

is a simple description of one-way communication process, which comprises of a speaker who communicates a message to a receiver by making use of any of the media like print, radio, television, etc. to finally convey the information?

Table 1.5.1 Lasswell’s Model of Communication

Shannon & Weaver’s Model of Communication (See 1.5.2) consists of an information source, which selects a desired message out of a set of possible messages, and the selected message may consist of written or spoken words, or of pictures, music, etc. It has a transmitter that converts the message into a signal, which is sent over the communication channel from the transmitter to the receiver. During signal transmission through the channel, receiver may come across noises, which are any mental or physical distraction that interferes with the transmission of a signal from the source to the destination. “Correction channels” are introduced which overcomes the problems created by noise and the information in form of the signal finally reaches the receiver [15, p. 114].

Table 1.5.2 Shannon & Weaver’s Model of Communication

NB!: Other models of communication for taking notes individually.