Oral Communication

Pyaaj aur Peekal

What is communication

• Definition: Communication is the transmission and reception of ideas and feelings and attitudes, both verbally and non-verbally eliciting a response.

• <insert pics of people talking to each other, email, chat, etc>

Human Communication

Oral Communication

• Communication by way of speech

• One of the oldest means of communication

Advantages

• Promotes two-way interaction

• Flexible as immediate feedback is possible

• Simplifies & facilitates easy transmission of info

• Allows convey of emotions

Disadvantages

• Not open to everyone

• Speaker should be good in delivery, pronunciation and clarity

• Tone plays an important role

Oral communication in Ancient India

• Narad Muni: news giver, omnipresent communication activist

• Sanjaya: war reporter

• Kautilya in Arthashastra: news collection through spies

• Vedas were recited & transmitted orally

• Budhha, Mahavira, Nanak used oral medium

Medieval India

• Mughals developed 3 categories in news reportage:

– Vaquila Navis

– Swanih Navis

– Khufia Navis

• Harkara: Oral reporters

• Siraj-ud-daula had 22,000 harkaras

Modern Era

• Today, you can ‘tweet’ your conversation

• Mobile phones have taken oral comm to a whole new level

• Distance no longer a barrier due to social media

In Pre Print Era

• Plato, in Phaedrus, explains how writing tends to diminish power of recollection

• Epics of Homer, Vyasa & Valmiki were learnt by professional bards & minstrels

• Every court throughout the world had a professional royal minstrel to chant the dynastic history

• Persistence of war or natural catastrophe could destroy the collective wisdom of a race