Communication, language, and ‘languaging’

This is communication, my friends, if you were able to understand beyond what was literally said. You would agree if we say that while language serves as a means of expression, communication transcends the language of words. Just like your friend relied heavily on wordless language including gestures, facial expressions, movement, the tone and volume of voice etc, in the example above to communicate a message opposite of their words.  

Defining communication is not as straight forward as you would think. Imagine, you are asked to define communication in one sentence. I bet, it can be more difficult than one might think. Professionals have been defining it in a variety of ways and there is hardly any consensus on its definition. Communication means different things to different people in diverse settings. You would agree that communication is not just an abstract concept or theory; it is a theory in practice. It is happening and we experience it in daily life. The world is communicating to us; from changing seasons to weather patterns to animal sounds to plants growth to the remains of human civilization to the cycles of life and death, the world is communicating and sending us messages to understand the interconnedness of existence.  

However, for this chapter we are more concerned with human communication and one thing you can guess about human communication at this point is that it is not limited to words or language. Merriam Webster (2024) defines communication as “a process by which information is exchanged through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.” It involves the negotiation of meaning beyond words and mere sounds. Just like your friend communicated more than just one word when you read between the lines.  

Moreover, The National Communication Association (n.d.) defines communication as “how people use messages to generate meanings within and across various contexts, and is the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media, and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific, and aesthetic inquiry”.

From this definition, we can conclude that the essence of communication lies in the fact that it is a two-fold process of meaning-making but a multifaceted process, that extends beyond the boundaries of words alone. Language is part of this process but it encompasses various other components like context, body language, gestures, our relationship with those we are talking to, their culture, and so on. Think of the same “I’m fine” said with a big smile, and then think of it said with a big sigh. These are the same words but have two different meanings. Why? Because communication is more than just language.

Language is everywhere and is used every day. You catch it when people talk; you read it on billboards when you look around on the highway; you hear it in a song on the radio you turn on while driving; you write it when you make your to-do list in the morning. It is an open secret, ubiquitous and constant!

Defining something like this can be tricky but linguists have made significant efforts to bring its multifaceted nature on surface. Let’s look at three perspectives below in an image slider that will contribute heavily to our understanding of its fundamental properties and functions.

Language, or languaging?

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