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Verbal and Non Verbal Communication

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Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Communication is the process through which we exchange information. We communicate verbally and nonverbally. These forms of communication may vary from culture to culture. We use a common spoken language to communicate with one another but it is essential to learn the language in a cultural setting to clearly understand each other. Non-verbal communication includes, but is not limited to, touch, eye contact, volume in our voices, facial expressions, posture, gestures, proximity, sounds, physical appearance and even the clothing we wear. Uniforms, for example, may be associated with the occupational status of an individual; a businessman may wear a suit, and a farmer wears overalls, and so on, each of which implies sets of relationships with the rest of the world.

Our attention is usually focused on the study of verbal communication, but non-verbal communication also plays an important role in human interaction. We may use non-verbal communication to emphasize what we are saying verbally or to express our emotions lying beyond the verbal element. Among cultures and nationalities there are differences between verbal and non-verbal communication. Body language for example deals with the use of hands, arms and especially with the face. Facial expressions, such a smile, rolling of the eyes and arching of eyebrows, even breathing, may tell much about the person’s momentary feelings. For example, a person from a Mediterranean culture may use his hands excessively, or add body gestures to express their anger, whereas in Japan a person may not be less angry, but will not use hands or body gestures to show excitement. Their anger, for instance, may be solely expressed through their eyes.

In our American culture, a woman who dresses very modestly, wears no make-up, walks with no extra motion and

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