Purposive Communication Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, principles, communication models, registers, public speaking styles, business letters, and résumé formats from the Purposive Communication lecture material.

Communicare

The Latin word from which communication is derived, meaning 'to impart', 'to share', or 'make common'.

Encoding

The process of converting a message into groups of words, symbols, gestures, or sounds that present ideas or concepts.

Decoding

The process by which the receiver interprets the symbols used by the source of the message by converting them into concepts and ideas.

Schramm's Model of Communication

A two-way circular communication model between sender and receiver demonstrating that interlocutors share a field of experience.

Speech Communication

Also called oral communication, it involves the production of sounds used in spoken language to get a message across using verbal, non-verbal, or non-linguistic symbols.

Paralanguage

Non-verbal or non-linguistic symbols used in communication, such as facial expressions, body language, voice quality, and speaking style.

Prosodic Features

Non-verbal vocal features in communication that include rhythm, intonation, and stress.

Source

The component of the communication process where the sender carefully crafts the message.

Message

The reason behind any interaction, representing the shared meaning between the sender and the receiver.

Channel

The means by which a message is conveyed between the sender and the receiver.

Receiver

The person who receives the transmitted message and is expected to listen, read carefully, provide responses, and ask clarifying questions.

Feedback

An essential element in any communication scenario expressed in varied forms to confirm recipient understanding.

Environment

The physical set-up, space, objects, feeling, mood, mindset, and condition of both sender and receiver during communication.

Context

The expectations of the sender and receiver and their common or shared understanding through environmental signals.

Interference

Also known as a barrier or block that prevents effective communication from taking place.

Psychological Barriers

Interference dealing with intellect or mental thoughts that hamper the message from being intercepted correctly by the receiver.

Physical Barriers

Interference including competing stimulus, weather and climate, health, and ignorance of the medium.

Mechanical Barriers

Interference raised by channels employed for interpersonal, group, or mass communication, such as cellphones and laptops.

Linguistic and Cultural Barriers

Interference stemming from language and its cultural environment where words may have different meanings in different cultures.

Clarity

A principle of communication that makes speeches understandable and forbids fuzzy language, jargon, clichés, euphemisms, and doublespeak.

Concreteness

A principle that reduces misunderstandings by supporting messages with facts, research data, statistics, or figures while avoiding abstract words.

Courtesy

A principle that builds goodwill through a polite approach and respectful manner of addressing an individual.

Correctness

A principle emphasizing proper grammar and language use to avoid obscuring sentence meaning or damaging speaker credibility.

Consideration

A principle requiring messages to be geared towards the audience's background, education, race, ethnicity, age, and interests.

Creativity

The ability in communication to craft interesting messages in terms of sentence structure and word choice.

Conciseness

A principle achieved through simplicity and directness, avoiding lengthy expressions and confusing words.

Cultural Sensitivity

An essential standard for effective communication focused on empowering diverse cultures, lifestyles, races, and gender equality.

Captivating

A principle focused on striving to make messages interesting to command more attention and better responses.

Ethics

A branch of philosophy that focuses on issues of right and wrong in human affairs.

Globalization

Communication and assimilation among individuals, ethnicities, races, institutions, and governments of various nations, supported by technology and compelled by international trade.

Cultural Relativism

The idea that a person's beliefs, values, and practices should be understood based on that person's own culture, rather than judged against the criteria of another.

Intercultural Communication

Interaction with people from diverse cultures; a discipline that studies how culture affects communication across different cultures and social groups.

Interracial Communication

A form of intercultural communication that involves communicating with people from different races.

Interethnic Communication

A form of intercultural communication that involves interacting with people of different ethnic origins.

International Communication

A form of intercultural communication that involves communicating between representatives from different nations.

Intracultural Communication

Interaction with members of the same racial or ethnic group or co-culture.

High-Context Communication

A tradition-linked communication system that adheres strongly to being indirect.

Low-Context Communication

A communication system that works on straightforward communication.

Local Everyday Written Domain

Language variation involving local written usage found in neighborhood materials such as posters for bed spacers.

Local Everyday Oral Domain

Language variation occurring in local communication among neighbors using informal, local varieties of language.

Local Specialized Written Domain

Language variation found in publications and websites of local societies, such as local newspapers.

Local Specialized Oral Domain

Language variation involving neighborhood specialized discourses, such as gaming vocabulary in a local computer shop.

Global Everyday Written Domain

Language variation in international texts that avoids local colloquialisms to make written content accessible to wider readers.

Global Everyday Oral Domain

Language variation occurring in oral interactions between people from different parts of the world discussing casual topics.

Global Specialized Written Domain

Language variation expanded to international readers without local colloquialisms, such as international research journal articles.

Global Specialized Oral Domain

Language variation occurring when people from different parts of the world discuss specialized topics, such as international academic conference presentations.

Language Register

The level of formality with which a person speaks based on different situations and audiences.

Frozen Register

A static level of language frozen in time and form that does not change and is repeated by rote, such as biblical verses or pledges.

Formal Register

An impersonal speaking style that follows a prescriptive format using complete sentences, academic vocabulary, and no slang or contractions.

Consultative Register

The register used when consulting an expert, characterized by precise language and addressing the expert by a title.

Casual Register

Conversational language used among friends featuring general words, slang, and colloquialisms.

Intimate Register

The most intimate form of language used by lovers or in sexual harassment, which is best avoided in public and professional settings.

Informative Communication

Communication that involves giving information to reduce or eliminate ignorance and expand awareness without aiming to change behavior.

Persuasive Communication

The art of gaining fair and favorable considerations for a point of view, advocating something through supporting material to make the audience agents of change.

Argumentative Communication

A type of communication that relies heavily on sound proof and reasoning.

Mythos

A dimension of proof that appeals to cultural traditions, values, legends, and folktales.

Public Speaking

A process of speaking in a structured, deliberate manner to inform, influence, or entertain an audience.

Reading from a Manuscript

A delivery mode appropriate when a speech is long and complex in detail, or when delivering on behalf of another speaker.

Memorized Speech

A delivery mode requiring the speaker to commit everything to memory, excellent for short messages or literary contests.

Extemporaneous Speaking

A delivery mode where the speaker uses an outline for organization while formulating sentences spontaneously during delivery.

Impromptu Speaking

Speaking at the spur of the moment on the spot without prior preparation.

Inquiry Letter

Considered the simplest business letter, written to seek specific information about products, services, prices, or job vacancies.

Full Block Format

A business letter format where all elements are aligned to the left margin, separated by double line spaces between paragraphs.

Semi-block Format

A business letter format where all elements are left-aligned except for paragraph beginnings, which are indented five spaces.

Modified Block Format

A business letter format where the date, sign-off, and signature lines begin at the center point of the page.

Application Letter

Also called a cover letter, it introduces a résumé and aims to sell the applicant's services, qualifications, character, and personality.

Solicited Application Letter

An application letter written in direct response to an advertised job vacancy.

Unsolicited Application Letter

Also called prospecting or cold application, it is written on the belief or rumor that a vacancy exists without an official advertisement.

Résumé

An outlined formal summary of an applicant's background in a clear format, ideally limited to one page.

Chronological Résumé

A résumé format presenting work history in reverse time sequence to demonstrate work stability and promotions.

Functional Résumé

A résumé format that focuses primarily on skills and accomplishments, relegating broken employment history to the background.

Combination Résumé

A résumé format that combines features of chronological and functional styles to highlight both job history and capabilities.