A Silence as a Mode of communication.pptx

Useful to students

1. Silence as a Mode of Communication

2. Silence is the absence of any sound or noise. The state or fact of being silent; muteness. Communication is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of ideas, feelings, intentions, attitudes, expectations, perceptions or commands as by speech, non-verbal gestures, writings, behavior. Silence generally means absence of any kind of noise. But in communication it is seen as absence of speech. Silence is a very powerful form of communication tool.

3. Silence is a method of communication. Silent communication happens when we don’t use words or sounds during a conversation. Sometimes, silence can most effectively express the response or reaction to a communication. Silence can effectively communication several responses. It can express anger, fear, refusal, disapproval, resentment, etc. When a proposal is put to an individual and he/she keeps quite, it signifies his/her acceptance of the proposal. Silence can also be used to improve oral communication. A good speaker gives a slight pause before and after making an important point during his speech.

4. Silence can be harmful in some cases. When a listener does not reply to a specific question, a communication gap may arise. But there is no doubt that silence is also a medium of communication. In face to face situation, silence on the part of the speaker may indicate that he is not sure of what to say or does not like the reaction of the audience. Facial expression and posture indicates the meaning behind the silence.

5. Silence is golden, even just to pause momentarily between sentences and topics in a conversation can have such a dramatic effect on the listener. Silence is an invitation to sit with an idea or thought, like the blank pages of a book, space to savour . According to one study, only 7 percent of the total communication is non-verbal. Rest is all communicated through other means. Silence is one of them. 

6. Silence is an important communication tool. Ironically, people consider silence as the absence of communication. Actually, silence can be used as an effective communication tool. Silence acts as a best way of communication when an individual wants to connect with god. An individual through silence prays and asks for blessings and shares problems with god. By bowing in front of the almighty and joining hands an individual connects to god. So, best way is to meditate. Silent communication can be more powerful than words

7. Silence can also be positive or negative. For instance, positive silence can be constructive by helping to move a conversation forward, change the subject or indicate an endpoint to the verbal exchange. In contrast, negative silence can be destructive by shutting down communication or relaying hostility. It can also be used as the “silent treatment” by people who shut down when emotions run high.

8. Tips to use silent communication effectively: Use gestures:  When silently listening to others, use your eyes, gestures and posture to convey interest. Pause before speaking:  During an important conversation, like a job interview, allow a few seconds to pass before you answer questions. This can prevent you from divulging too much unnecessary information and give you time to formulate an appropriate response. Use silence for effect:  You can use silence to add weight to your statements. For instance, try pausing for a moment after you’ve said something powerful and important to you to allow your message to sink in. Practice active listening with silence:  While you remain quiet in a conversation, consider making a conscious effort to understand the underlying thoughts, feelings and ideas the other person is trying to communicate.

9. Inter-cultural, Intra-cultural, Cross-cultural and International communication

10. Intracultural  Communication: Intracultural communication describes communication between at least two people who are from the same culture or have culturally similar backgrounds. Intracultural  communication is reserved for when people of the same culture are communicating. So, a conversation between two American citizens who both grew up on the farms of Georgia would be intracultural because they will essentially have the same background and cultural orientations.

11. Intercultural Communication Intercultural communication describes communication between at least two people who are different in significant ways culturally. In short, Intercultural communication is communication between two or more people, from different cultures. For instance, a conversation between a man who grew up in Nepal and a woman who grew up in Micronesia would probably be an intercultural conversation because we could study how the different cultural backgrounds of the two people affect their communication strategies towards each other.

12. Cross–Cultural communication: Cross-cultural communication is an area of study which looks at the communication tendencies of people from various cultural backgrounds. Another way to put it is the exercise of recognising the communication tendencies of various cultural groups in order to increase effective communication and collaboration.

13. Cross-Cultural communication IS NOT the same thing as intercultural communication. While intercultural communication deals with the interaction between at least two people, cross-cultural communication describes the comparison of communication styles across cultures. For instance, a paper about what happens when a Moroccan man speaks with a Hawaiian woman would be intercultural, but a paper comparing the communication patterns of people from Morocco with the communication patterns of people from Hawaii would be cross-cultural.

14. International Communication: This one is similar to intercultural communication because it also describes communication between at least two people who are from different cultures. However, topics concerning international communication don’t really look at how cultural differences affect specific interactions between two people because they are often focused on a larger picture. For instance, international communication might describe how government offices from the U.S. communicate with government offices from Turkey.

15. Furthermore , they may describe communication between individuals who live in different cultures, but have similar experiences Eg . Email communication between friends who both studied together in the U.S. as exchange students but then went back to their own respective countries.