Communication of the world of English

Human beings use their language (system of sounds, words, patterns,...) to communicate thoughts and feelings. On the other hand, we also use systems of signs, symbols, gestures for conveying information. Music can be the universal language, we can understand the language of flowers. Like all animals, we have a complex body language of gestures, postures and facial expressions. Our bodies are constantly talking. We smile, frown or make different gestures, shapes with our hands.



Sometimes we join words with gestures, other times our bodies show our feelings or thoughts. When we yawn, we are tired or bored. Sitting with eyes and mouth wide open means that we are fascinated. Banging your fist on the table or stamping your feet expresses anger, shaking hands or hugging conveys pleasure or satisfaction. We produce thousands of signs every day. We are able to understand non-verbal performers like mime artists or dancers who “speak” body language fluently.


According to some scientists a gesture is any action that sends a visual signal to an onlooker. To become a gesture, an act has to be seen by someone else and has to communicate some piece of information to them. While the hand-wave is a primary gesture, the sneeze is a secondary or incidental gesture. We should learn symbolic gestures of other nations as we learn their vocabulary.



Many of us prefer talking to others face-to-face to talking to them over the phone. There are different kinds of conversation: formal, informal, chattering, gossiping. Most of us find it embarrasing to remain silent in company, and feel we have to fill silence by saying something. Others like silence and don`t use a lot of words. Silence can sometimes communicate ideas more powerfully than speech.



Modern technology influences people in such a way that coming back home we switch on TV or radio and they replace our missing communicators. Many people talk to their appliances but they usually do not expect a reaction.



Other possible types of communication are mobile phones or e-mails. They are very popular these days and people can send a message to whom it may concern very quickly. In once seemed that the telephone had made writing to people unnecessary. E-mail has allowed us to find its benefits again, because it respects the demands of more urgent business. E-mails are usually more informal than letters. We can write a two-line message to someone on another continent or send a joke to someone in the next office.



When in danger, we send a mayday. A system of sending messages, using dots and dashes or short and long sounds or flashes of light, is called Morse code. When travelling, we usually read pictograms or drivers find their way from signs.