Presentation on Creating Expressive Verbal Communications for the course of Communication Skills at PIEAS

1. Creating Expressive
Verbal Communication
M. Muzaffar
Khan
M. Khawar
Nadeem
Atif Jameel M. Shafique

2.  Conversation with a friend
 Commentary of a Cricket Match
 The words you are reading on this slide
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
 All communication that is spoken or written.
 Verbal communication is powerful
 One word can hurt or heal others.
 One word can make or break your day.

3. Principles of Verbal
Communication
1) LANGUAGE IS SYMBOLIC
2) LANGUAGE IS RULE-GOVERNED
3) LANGUAGE IS SUBJECTIVE
4) LANGUAGE DEFINES AND LIMITS
5) LANGUAGE LETS US CREATE

4. But

5. But

6. Language Is Symbolic
 Words do not have any meaning in and of
themselves.
 They are arbitrary symbols assigned and agreed on to
represent or symbolize the things in our experience.
 Words can represent
 Concrete Objects
 Abstract Ideas
 If I say the word “NOSE”, it doesn’t mean the word
“NOSE” itself is “Nose-like”.

7. Delivering am a presentation I.
I am delivering a presentation.
Language Is Rule-Governed
Syntactic Rules:
Govern arrangement words in a sentence.
Using correct syntax.

8. Houses – Structures we live in
Language Is Rule-Governed
 Semantic Rules:
 Govern the meaning and interpretation of words
 Without semantic rules of shared and agreed on meanings for
words, communication would not be possible.

9.  “Are you sleepy?” “I am.”
 “Are you thirsty?” “I am.”
 Here the same “I am” has 2 different meanings
Language Is Rule-Governed
 Pragmatic rules:
 understand and interpret the meanings of words in specific
contexts.
 Without the pragmatic rules of language, our responses to the
simplest of statements could prove disastrous.

10. Imagine an Artist!

11. Imagine an Artist!

12. Imagine an Artist!

13. Imagine an Artist!

14. Imagine an Artist!

15. Language is Subjective
 Never assume that the interpretation of even a
single word will hold the exact meaning for
someone else.
 Create “shared meanings” by:
Speaking
Listening
Paraphrasing
Negotiating meanings

16. Language is Subjective
 Words have both denotative and connotative meanings.
 Connotative Meaning:
 Emotional or attitudinal response or attachment people have to words.
 Denotative Meaning:
 Dictionary Meaning.
 Clearly stated and available for everyone to look up.
 Word selection should be such that you are sensitive to the feelings of
others.

17. Honest
Trustworthy
Tall
Language Defines and Limits
Calm
Courteous Devoted
Humble
Optimistic
Tolerant
Wise
Gurpy?

18.  Language ‘defines’ the meaning of words.
 Meaning of words are shared more effectively
 Language can ‘limit’ the meaning of our communication.
 No matter what words are used to describe something, only one
particular aspect or characteristic are revealed or communicated.
 Language, by its very nature, defines and limits the reality we
communicate.
Language Defines and Limits

19.  Could you interpret “android” 10 years back?
Language Lets Us Create
 Arrange the thousands of words in an endless variety of combinations
and structures to communicate thoughts and feelings.
OR
 Use language to create new words to describe new experiences.

20. I-STATEMENTS — OWNING
YOUR LANGUAGE

21. I-STATEMENTS—OWNING YOUR LANGUAGE
 Basic building block of communication
 Messages
 Specific
 Clear
 To avoid confusion and ambiguity

22.  “I believe school is difficult.”
OR
 “It is believed that school is difficult.”
I-STATEMENTS—OWNING YOUR LANGUAGE
 I-statements provide several advantages.
 Indicate the owner or source of the thought or idea.
 Otherwise the ownership of the message may often be uncertain or
overstated.
 Provides a target for the receiver of the message to respond to.

23.  “I get upset when you call me ‘lame’.”
OR
 “You make me upset.”
I-STATEMENTS—OWNING YOUR LANGUAGE
 Prevent people from speaking for others.
Prevents misunderstandings and misconceptions
 Discourages blaming the receiver.
 I-statements make the tone of each statement different than when they are
phrased as “you” messages?
 Emphasis is on the perceptions and feelings of the speaker and not on the
receiver.

24. 4 Levels of Communication
1) SURFACE TALK
2) REPORTING FACTS
3) GIVING OPINIONS
4) SHARING FEELINGS

25. 4 Levels of Communication
 Each level represents a different category of information.
 Based on differing degrees of intimacy in terms of the information
shared.
 During the course of one conversation, we can communicate at all
four levels of sharing.

26.  “AoA!”“WA!”
 “How are you?” “I am fine. You?”
 “Alhamdulillah”………..
Surface Talk
 1st Level of Sharing
 Minimum Disclosure
 The purpose is NOT deep sharing, but rather acknowledgement of another person in
a socially acceptable manner without providing any personal information
 Greetings, acknowledgment of strangers and acquaintances
 Superficial conversations with a coworker

27.  “Where are you from?”
 “Lahore”
 “Oh! My brother lives in Lahore”………..
Reporting Facts
 2nd Level of Communication
 Sharing of Factual Information
 These facts are tangible and verifiable.

28.  “I believe you should cut your hair”
 “I think this dress suits you.”
 “I believe I could write a book.”
Giving Opinions
 3rd Level of Communication.
 Exposing more of yourself by sharing your opinions, attitudes, and beliefs.
 Effective communication involves risk and trust.
 Risk of disagreement, disapproval, and conflict brought about by sharing differences of
opinions with others.
 Trust that there is an atmosphere of safety and acceptance.

29.  “I believe you should cut your hair”
 “I think this dress suits you.”
 “I believe I could write a book.”
Giving Opinions
 To create more effective communication, we can choose to disagree
without disliking the other person.
 As you disagree, you may discover that you are wrong or misinformed.
But that’s all part of communicating.
 Keep open to hearing the other side. You just may learn something

30. Sharing Feelings
 Deepest Level of Communication.
 With Close Friends And Intimates.
 Reporting Facts & Opinions presents a 2-d Figure
 Sharing of Feelings paints a 3-d Picture of our deeper selves.
 It’s at the sharing-feelings level that people develop and
maintain their intimate relationships.

31.  “I feel happy.”
 “I’m proud of your efforts.”
 “I love you.”
Sharing Feelings
Direct Feeling Statements:
Most basic way
I-statement containing a feeling word.

32.  “I’ve felt angry, ever since my license was revoked.”
 “I feel so happy, now that we are talking again.”
Sharing Feelings
 Explanation Feeling Statements:
By making an explanation feeling statement.
Not only own the feeling but you also include information
about the feeling.

33.  “I feel like I’m floating on a cloud.”
 (I feel relaxed.)
 “I feel as if I’m chained to this desk.”
 (I feel restricted by my job.)
Sharing Feelings
 Picture Feeling Statements:
 Using a simile – Alternate way of conveying feeling.
 Use of “as if” or “like.”
 Communicate in a loving manner, regardless of level of depth.
 Even feedback should be gentle and loving fashion.