1. Language and Communication Two sides of a coin Is it really so? Dilip Barad, Ph.D. Department of English, Bhavnagar University. Gujarat. (India) dilipbarad@gmail.com www.dilipbarad.com 12th February, 2011 Saturday 1 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
3. What is communication? … is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. (wikipedia) … is the activity of conveying information (?) … is a process whereby meaning is defined and shared between living organisms. No Petrol / Diesel Day – 14th Feb. 3 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
4. No Petrol / Diesel Day – 14th Feb Fight against Govt’s policy to liberalize price of Crude oil. Ecological reasons – Save Environment! Ambush marketing of Valentine’s Day! Cultural attack? 4 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
5. Communication !?! “Please communicate this message to all employees"; "He communicated his anxieties to the psychiatrist" "communicate a disease" wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn 5 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
6. Mr. A (tom, dick and harry) marriedMs. B (jill, jane and julie). ‘SaniamarriedShaoib. So and so Minister married some Beautician. PreetiZintamarriedYuvraj AmitabhmarriedRekha. 6 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
7. Cna yuoraedtihs? Suteidssohwtahtolnyaoubt 55 prcenet of plepoe can. I cdnuoltblveieetaht I cluodaulacltyuesdnatnrdwaht I am rdanieg. Tihssohws us the phaonmnealpweor of the hmuanmnid. Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh Uinervtisy, it dseno’tmtaetrwahtoerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olnyiproamtnttihng is taht the frsit and lsatltteer are in the rghitpclae. The rset of the txet can be a taotlmses and you can sitllraed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamnmniddeos not raederveylteter by istlef, but isntaedraeds the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and we awlyastghuhotslpelnig was ipmorantt! 7 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
8. Shouldn’t this student get 10/10? 8 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
9. What message is conveyed by this example If milkman wants to sell 10 liters of milk and cow gives only 6 liters, how much water will he have to mix with milk? 10 – 6 = 4 Liters. The message conveyed is - ‘there is nothing wrong in mixing milk with water to increase sales’. Raises questions – ethics in business – ‘Aren’t our best models of entrepreneurship dealing with mixing milk and water as ethical practices?’ 9 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
10. Is communication skillEnglish language skill? No where the above definitions speak of English as language for communication. C.S. is more about negotiations … about convincing people… … about understanding difference between argument and discussion (A discussion is an exchange of information, but an argument is a contest of wills.) … about making people believe in what we believe. One should has CS in mother language first… 10 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
11. Some say Picture is worth a thousand words: Tigermomism 11 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
12. Image of INDIA: 12 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
14. What we want to teach is BC in Business letters / emails. Are we teaching email writing or …….. ??? 14 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
16. Let us check general knowledge: What is Jawaharlal Nehru’s son’s name? ‘Save The Girl Child’ 16 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
17. Stop Racism / casteism / creedism / colourism 17 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
18. Myths of Communication Myth: CS is English language skills. Language communicates… Language & Communication - two sides of a coin? Reality: CS is not all about English language, it is about soft skills in mother language. Language does not communicate… it is ‘context’ that gives/defines meaning… The context is not two dimensional, it is multidimensional. It is context that gives meaning – not the language. Communication happens because of context – and Aprior understanding of the words is necessary – words are predefined (conditioned/programmed) and its predefinition gives meaning. 18 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
19. Watch this video: Your observation is at test At the same time the idea that ‘seeing is believing’ – is challenged. 19 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
20. Language in any form – verbal, non-verbal, animated – does not communicate. Language is double-edged sword – it seems that it is power – it seems that it strengthens us – in fact, it exploits us. The people in the ‘centre’ (power) uses language to exploit the ‘other’. Important thing is to be in ‘power’ (centre) from where one can define language. 20 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
21. Source: Western discourse on psycholinguistics – Lacan and Kristeva – ‘Otherness of Language’ and ‘Strangers to Ourselves’. Indian Aesthetics – Shabda Brahma - meaning of a word has four layers – par, pasyanti, madhyama, and vaikhri. 21 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
22. To conclude, I make two statements… Language does not communicate… Language is used to ‘condition’ mind (identity), not to communicate… If you do not agree with me, the first statement is true… If you agree, second is true… 22 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
23. Finally, To be effective communicator in 21st Century we should have two characteristics: One, while communicating keep all our senses open (even common sense), so that none can exploit and subjugate us. Second, learn the skills to use language to exploit others. 23 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
24. Thank You! The topic does not end here, it begins from here… Your comments, observations, suggestions are invited on virtual world: Please share your views on ‘Discussion Board’ on Facebook. Search for ‘Dilip Barad Page’ on Facebook and click ‘Discussion’… dilipbarad@gmail.com 24 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
25. Reference http://www.people-communicating.com/what-is-communication.html Monipally, Matthew. A Craft of Business letter. TataMcGrowHill. Seturaman, V.S. Indian Aesthetics. Macmillan. Besley, Catherine. Poststructuralism. A very short intro series. OUP The Times of India. February, 2011. www.indiatimes.com Microsoft Encarta. 2007. Barad, D.P. To Spell or Not to Spell. Voices. IATEFL. 2008. www.youtube.com Whodunnit? Video released by Transport of London. www.wikipedia.com www.dictionary.com 25 National Conference -DevCom- by SSCCM College, Bhavnagar
Notas do Editor
We agree with all seven definitions.. We agree that language is not all about alphabets, words, sentences, syntax, grammar, LSRW-skills. Its also about images, gestures, signs, symbols, animations…. The eighth definition is what is more important to us – programmeing – conditioning mind and identity.
Entity: living (human, animal and vegetation) as well as non-living (machines, devices) and ‘dead people, angels. ‘Information’ and not knowledge or wisdom – unless info does not pass through hellish fire or heavenly bliss, it does not become knowledge, similary, knowledge to wisdom. Is ‘meaning’ really defined by ‘both’ and shared or is it one defines and dictates… the other accepts and succumbs to ‘meaning’. Never forget parents. Is transference of ‘info’ defining meaning? Do not buy petrol/diesel on 14th Feb.? Why? Why only 14th? Marketing gimmick of to ambush market valentine day. Or cultural attach? R ecological reasons – or fight against govt’s price hike policy under the name of development.
It is context that gives meaning – not the language. Communication happens because of context – and aprior understanding of the words – words are predefined and its predefinition gives meaning.