CAPE COMMUNICATION STUDIES: WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? Edlin Rochford
Communication has been generally defined as the imparting of information (Webster's, 2001). According to the (American Heritage, 2000) communication is, "The exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behavior,"
So you have been trying to get a message to your friend, you have called, texted, written emails, sent the message via another mutual friend and there has been no response. So then, have you communicated with your friend? The answer is "no", your message sending has been one way and thus far totally unsuccessful. Attempted, unsuccessful, unidirectional sending of messages is not communication, but it can be called "attempted communication." "
Communication" is a process (Noun). "Communicate" is an action (Verb). "A
communication" is a message. Sending a message or in this cases, messages is not the same as communicating. You could say that by leaving the messages for your friend, you have initiated communication. It could even be said that you are in the act of communicating. But, until your friend accepts your text message, opens it, reads your message, and understands and give the appropriate response to your wordsonly when all of that happenyou have only attempted communication. As long as your messages remain unanswered, the communication attempt is still in progress. When,
after 15 days your text message is deletedwe can officially declare the process as a failed communication.
Communication can be successful or unsuccessful. Successful communication requires a recipient to understand the message that was sent. Communication is said to be unsuccessful when either the message that was sent did not reach its target, or the message that reached its target was not understood. A message sent and received, but not understood is a "failed or unsuccessful communication."