Verbal communication is carried out through words.
The idea of communication , which comes from the Latin word communicatio , refers to the transmission of a message by appealing to a code shared by the sender and the receiver. Verbal , meanwhile, comes from the late Latin verbālis and refers to that linked to the word: a linguistic unit that has meaning and is separated from others with blank spaces in the writing and with pauses in the pronunciation.
Verbal communication is what is established through linguistic signs . It is possible to differentiate between oral verbal communication (which appeals to speech) and written verbal communication (concretized with signs that are captured on a medium).
Characteristics of verbal communication
It can be said that verbal communication is based on the use of words , whether oral or written. Non-verbal communication, on the other hand, is developed through gestures and body movements and postures.
Despite what one might assume, words make up a smaller percentage of communication, even if it is a conversation. According to experts, paraverbal components (tone of voice, for example ) and non-verbal elements make up the majority of what is communicated.
In any case, linguistic signs are essential for the generation, transmission and reception of messages. The words must be selected and used in the appropriate way and have to be framed in the code shared with the receiver for the communicative act to be carried out successfully.
An exchange of texts through emails involves the establishment of verbal communication.
Some examples
Suppose a person walking down the street wants to know where a certain restaurant is. In this way, he approaches another individual and asks: “Excuse me, could you tell me where the Pipo restaurant is?” . The interlocutor answers: “Yes, it is located at 500 San Juan Street.” The dialogue continues like this:
– “Oh, and that's far from here? Would you tell me how to get there?”
– “Sure, it's only two blocks away. When you reach the corner, turn left and walk straight, you will soon see the sign”
– “Perfect, thank you very much for your help!”
– “Nothing, see you later”
As you can see, this dialogue involves the establishment of verbal communication. Both subjects use words (in this case, spoken) to exchange messages.
Let's now see what happens with an employee who sends an email to his boss, writing: “Dear Lic. Gómez, I am attaching the report you requested from me with the sales statistics. As you can see, we have recorded monthly growth of 18% and a year-on-year increase of 31%. If you have any questions, I am at your disposal. Greetings" .
The message, this time, is written. The sender expresses what he wants to say in the words he writes through a keyboard , with which the receiver must read them for the communicative process to be completed.
Considerations about verbal communication
As can be seen in the examples mentioned, verbal communication can take place in real time (live) or take place in a deferred manner . If two subjects are talking face to face or on the telephone , the communicative act takes place in the moment.
In contrast, in an exchange of emails or postal letters, there is a temporal distance between the production, emission and reception of messages. This time can range from a few seconds to several months.