Communication :
Meaning, Definition and Elements
Meaning:
The word ‘communication’
is derived from the Latin word ‘communis’ which means ‘to participate, to share, to import or to make common’. The meaning of the word makes it clear that ‘communication involves sharing and exchanging’.
Definition:
person to another person. Peter Little defines ‘communication ’ as
– “Communication is the
process by which information is transmitted between individuals or
organizations so that an understanding response is created.” According to Robert Anderson “Communication
is interchange of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writings or
signs.”
Elements of Communication :
i) Sender
Encoding
Message
Channel
Decoding
Receiver
Feedback
i) Sender : Sender is the person who encodes the message and sends it to the
receiver.
ii) Idea : Idea generates in the mind of the sender. It can be thought, attitude,
feeling, etc. It is encoded by the sender. Thus, idea changes into message.
iii) Encoding : Encoding is the process of changing the idea into message by sender. The
sender can encode idea, thought, attitude, etc. into language, body-language,
image, etc.
iv) Message : A Message is the idea encoded by the sender. When the idea generated in the
mind of the sender takes concrete form, it is called a message. It
is encoded by the sender.
body-language, image, etc.
vi) Decoding : Decoding is a process of analyzing the message by receiver.
vii) Receiver : A receiver is a person who receives the message sent by the sender. He
decodes the message. He gives feedback to the sender and completes the
cycle/process of communication.
viii) Feedback : Feedback is a response given by the receiver to the sender. It completes
the cycle/process of communication. It can be in the form of language,
body-language, symbols, etc.