Business Communication

1. Chapter 5
Words and Meaning

2. We use many methods (symbols) to
communicate. Among them words (verbal
communication)are the most common way of
communication. Other methods that we use
only work as a complementary to verbal
communication.

3. Language and Human Progress
- Language is a system of words. We use it to
communicate our ideas.
- Language guaranteed human progress and
human superiority over other animals.
- We can bind time through the use of language.
That is, we can communicate with the people
who lived before us.

4. (i) The Foundation of Human Language
- We use words to convey our perception of reality. But the task is
difficult because reality is complex.
- As everything is different, everything is unique. This is why the
reality is complex. So we need different words to express
different reality. But the task is somehow impossible. The words
are limited and to understand the meaning of a word there must
be an agreement between the participants in the communication.
- Thus, we form simpler- than- reality language- a language that
makes a single word cover a broad area of reality which lets us to
use a single word again and again.

5. (ii) Classification Based on Similarity
- Our language might be built on the basis of locating similarities among the
objects that represent reality.
- It is believed that the classification was made among the similar things.
And the words are chosen to represent the similar realities.
- This way of forming/ representing reality by classification is termed as
abstraction ladder by Hayakawa. That is, human choose (abstract) the
similar characteristics from a group in each stage and abstracted
similarities are represented by similar words.
- The process of classification to form language is inexact. However, it is
beneficial to study the structure of language and how relates to reality.

6. (iii) Illustration: Fido and Economy
- The language was probably developed from specific to general.
- Our ancestors developed language with the more visible
(knowable) objects and events in life. At first they name the
particular object (named Fido) and later they go on naming other
parts of as they revealed to them. For example, naming an animal
and their invisible body parts later.
- Later they found other animals different from this particular animal.
They might be of different size and color. However, our ancestors
neglect the differences and only mark the similarities. And give a
particular name to this group (Dog).

7. - Then they compare the dog (similarities) with other
animals, such as cats and birds, and term them as pets.
- Then they compare the pets with other things they have,
such as axes, arrows etc., and formed a new word to refer
them- possession.
- Then they compare their possession to their neighbor. And
categorize the most important possession and called it-
wealth.
- After all they started saving their wealth. And also found its
importance on barter. And termed it- ecomony.

8. (iv)Illustration: Words about Mosquito
- We always forms the words on the basis of broader
qualification. Or we use a general term even to refer a
particular object/animal if we don’t know exactly what it is.
- For example, if a little creature buzzes around our head and
if we don’t know it’s name we might call it a mosquito, or
we may use even a general term like insects.
- By doing so we categorize the buzzing of all the mosquitoes
as nuisance.

9. (v) Two Basic Observations
Both of these observation shows the major problems in
communication:
(a) Our classification model is based on similarities (rather
than differences)
- We know that reality is quite complex. And we always try to
simplify it in our communication to make our
communication possible. And to simplify it, we only
classify them in terms of similarities. For example, while
classifying dogs, we leave their differences and only select
their similarities and call them dogs.

10. (b) Higher classification levels are more difficult to understand than the
lower ones
- As we go on generalizing the ideas of naming to some objects/
animals in the higher level, it becomes hard to understand the exact
reality (meaning). For example, when we use the word mosquito
for the creature it becomes somehow easier to know the creature
than using the word insect.
- The level of representing reality in the higher classification scale
always confuses the audience. It is because each person have their
own understanding of what insect is. If we ask them to draw the
picture of their understanding, probably their will draw different
pictures.

11. - If we go to a stage above in the classification scale and termed it as
nuisance, the meaning becomes more vague since the word is an
abstract reality which only exist in the mind of the person. As the
mind of each individual contains different filter, their understanding
of this abstract reality also varies. And it really affects the
communication.
- More than that the word like unpleasantness would be vague than
nuisance.
- Thus, the words (security, patriotism, democracy) at the top of the
scale always be abstract and vague. In other words, they have non-
specific meaning. That is, if we ask any people to define them we
will get various definitions.

12. - Therefore, we should be cautious of using high
scale (abstract) words. The better way is to
use low level (concrete) words or move the
high scale words to low level.
- Another way to choose the words that will
have clear reference to the receiver’s filter.

13. The Question of Meaning
To know the relationship between the words and meaning is a quite complex
task.
(i) Location of the Mind
- Words in themselves do not have meaning.
- Meaning lies in the mind, not in the symbols (words) we use.
- A rose could be called a cow, a dog or a buffalo.
- If the words have meaning, the communication problem would be
greatly simplified.
- There would be one language in the world.

14. (ii) Meaning and Dictionaries
- No words have a single meaning.
- Every word convey a different meaning to different person (because filter in the
mind is different from person to person).
- There must be agreement between the persons to understand the meaning.
- Dictionary records these agreement. It records all the common meaning of a
particular word.
- While compiling dictionaries the lexicographers collect as much as the manner of
the usage of the words as they can . And they compile the dictionary on the basis
of words’ usage and its appropriate use in appropriate context.

15. (iii) The Living Nature of Language
- Language has a living nature. It exists by changing itself as the time
changes.
- We always use the words differently. Either we may use the new
words or may use the old words differently.
- Sometimes we may bring words from other languages and other
time we may form words according to the situation or needs.
- The changing nature of language explains why we have so many
words and so many definitions of words.

16. - For example, a single word cat has multiple
meaning:
(A) Most common type- ‘alley type’
(B) Jungle beasts- wild cats
(C) Spiteful women
(D)A tackle used to hoist anchor
(E) A fish
(F) A game
(G)A mechanical equipment

17. - Fast
(a) Quick
(b)Happening in a short period of time
(c) Clock- showing time later than true time
(d)Boat- firmly fixed
(e) Photography- very sensitive to light
(f) To eat little or no food

18. - Having too many meaning of a single word
may create problem in the communication.
- Thus, the communication requires word
agreement.

19. (iv) Connotative and Denotative Meaning
- The meaning of the words is not determined
by the real world references alone.
- Some of the meaning derived from the words
are based on real world references, but many
of them exist in the mind.

20. Denotative Meaning (concrete)
- The meanings that are based on the real world
references are called denotative meaning.
- It directly refers to the real world.
- Here, we can point out what the reality is. For
example, “this is a football”, “this is a party”…

21. Connotative Meaning (abstract)
Connotative meaning refers to the quality
judgment.
It refers to feeling, idea or the intended meaning.
It occurs in the people’s mind.
It is based on the emotions, opinions, love, hate,
attitudes, beliefs…
It arouses the personal feeling towards the
meaning.

22.  While using the words meaning we must be careful
about the connotative and denotative meaning. It is
because the connotation meaning may be different in
different persons. For example, we can use different
words to refer (denote) a single person. We can call a
boy/girl who stays in the classroom and keep studying
studies even in break time as studious, intelligent,
bookish, wise, obedient, unfriendly, shy etc. here, all
these words give information to a single person
(denotative meaning), but these words tell (mean)
different meaning to different person (connotative
meaning).

23. When we communicate, we must be careful
about the connotative and the denotative
meaning.
Thus, the connotative differences may affect
our communication. So we must be conscious
about them.