How miscommunication is more rampant than you think

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 Why Gen-Y cant read non-verval cues

In the article  tittled “Why Gen-Y Johnny Can’t Read Nonverbal Cues” by Mark Bauerlein,  Bauerlein asserts that in this internet-savy generation, youths may be skilled with their literal skills but they are certainly not so in their “silent fluency” in face-to-face interaction that can result in miscommunication in many ways.

  

    

 

 

 

Back in 1959, anthropologist Edward T. Hall labeled these expressive human attributes “the Silent

Language.” Hall passed away last month in Santa Fe at age 95, but his writings on nonverbal

communication deserve continued attention. He argued that body language, facial expressions and

stock mannerisms function “in juxtaposition to words,” imparting feelings, attitudes, reactions and

judgments in a different register.

  

   

 

 

 

Above is an extract from the article where Bauerlein discussed about how our physical reaction -apart from the verbal reaction- in a conversation play a significant role in our communication with others. I concede with Bauerlein argument as communication is a harmony of our words and manners that is used to express it. A man (encoder) who says “I love you” to a receiver (decoder) might have been well-receieved online as shown in the cartoon below. But should he meet the reciever face-to-face and says the same phrase in a disgruntled tone with a constipated-looking face, the whole message would have been tremendoulsy different. Hence the channel carrying the message is certainly a fundamental in communication. Communication is not entirely accurate in a virtual environment. Even in the most accurate representation of the communication process -transactional model- that is parallel to face-t0-face communication, miscommunication can still happen.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

This is why, Hall explained, U.S. diplomats could enter a foreign country fully competent in the native

language and yet still flounder from one miscommunication to another, having failed to decode the

manners, gestures and subtle protocols that go along with words. And how could they, for the “silent

language” is acquired through acculturation, not schooling. Not only is it unspoken; it is largely

unconscious. The meanings that pass through it remain implicit, more felt than understood.

  

    

 

 

The excerpt above also reveals that even adults who are able in face-to-face communication in one society may not necessarily be capable in another society. This is due to the difference in the social constructionist perspective between any two countries. The foreigner to a country might not be capable in responding  in a suitable or respectable way in accordance to the country’s culture. Hence miscommunication might occur in this circumstance where there is a contact of people with different communication skills. Hence we ought to be especially careful with our words and mannerism when travelling in a foreign country or conversing with foreigners.

Despite the magnitude of difficulties that we encounter in communication with people both in and outside our society, it is nevertheless crucial that we do not give up attempts to improve our communication skills. The will to communicate with others to bring your ideas across is a basic instinct that we all have. And since speaking is also a characteristic of being alive, it is important that we should constantly find ways to understand more about the process of communication. This is to improve ourselves to minimise the possibility of others misunderstanding us.

The last thing any of us want to do is to have a fatal miscommunication as illustrated by the classic video below!

 

 

References:

(1) “Why Gen-Y Johnny Can’t Read Nonverbal Cues” by Mark Bauerlein. The Wall Street Journal, 28 August 2009

(2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noUyaoGlvBg

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