Communication Magazine Magazine Communication | Page 8

Elements

Communication

C

ommunication process as such must be considered a continuous and dynamic inter-action.

Although it seems simple, communication is actually quite complex, with a number of components.

The communication process begins with the sender, who is also called the communicator or source. The sender has some kind of information—a command, request, question, or idea—that he or she wants to present to others. For that message to be received, the sender must first encode the message in a form that can be understood, such as by the use of a common language or industry jargon, and then transmit it.

The Sender

The Receiver

The person to whom a message is directed is called the receiver or the interpreter. To comprehend the information from the sender, the receiver must first be able to receive the sender's information and then decode or interpret it.

The Message

The message or content is the information that the sender wants to relay to the receiver. Additional subtext can be conveyed through body language and tone of voice. Put all three elements together—sender, receiver, and message—and you have the communication process at its most basic.