This document discusses language as communication and the factors that define a communicative situation. It covers spoken and written language, noting that spoken language is more spontaneous while written language allows more time for planning. The document also discusses the elements of communication, including the sender, receiver, message, context and feedback. It analyzes the functions of language and the role of context and nonverbal communication in interactions.

1. TOPIC 1. LANGUAGE AS
COMMUNICATION: SPOKEN AND
WRITTEN LANGUAGE. FACTORS
DEFINING A COMMUNICATIVE
SITUATION: SENDER, RECEIVER,
FUNCTIONALITY AND CONTEXT.

2. 1. INTRODUCTION
Communication is the most powerful
tool in the learning/ teaching process. To
learn another language, increases our
potential to meet other people, cultures and
therefore becoming more competent in this
globalized world.

3. COMMUNICATION
Human communication is an act by
which an individual establishes contact
with another and transmits information
through a common system of symbols.
Interactions take place via spoken or
written language, which use words,
although we can use other means such as
body language (gestures), voice tonality
(pitch), olfactory (perfumes), etc; even our
silences connote some intention.

4. SPOKEN LANGUAGE
Spoken language requires the phonological and
auditory system and brain areas to associate sounds with
objects or situations. The development of spoken language
will follow three periods:
1. Prelinguistic period: during the first year of life the
children imitate sounds, cry, whisper…
2. Linguistic development period: from the 12th to the
18th month the children produce isolated words. Up to
the 24th month involves the “two- words” period.
3. Perfecting period: from the age of 4 onwards,
acquisition of the syntactic rules allows children to
produce an unlimited number of new sentences.

5. WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Written language is the representation of language in a
textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols.
It requires mastering 4 main aspects:
1. Reading is a process of interpreting; a sender encodes
information that a receiver must decode using the same
code.
2. Writing is firstly a technique to become a mean of
expression and an art. It is the process by which a
person encodes textual information.
3. Spelling is the writing of a word with the necessary
letters and in an accepted standard order.
4. Composition is the process of creating written works or
pieces of literature. For example: poetry.

6. SPOKEN AND WRITTEN
LANGUAGE
SPOKEN LANGUAGE WRITTEN LANGUAGE
More spontaneous. It’s basically a conscious process.
Allows real- time modifications. Gives us more time to think, can be planned and
edited.
Requires human link since at least two Can be done alone.
interlocutors are present.
Uses simple sentences: Subject- verb- object Complex sentence structures.
structure.
Repetition is common. Avoids redundancies.
Feedback is immediate. May or not to have feedback.
Less elaborate (but, about…) More elaborate and literary (nonetheless, with
respect to…)
Uses sounds through the voice. Uses textual signs or symbols.
Human language is mainly oral. The command of oral language is necessary for
the later acquisition of written language.
Requires more fluency. Requires more accuracy.

7. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

8. FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE
• Representational: Focused on the contents of the
message, it mainly uses statements and questions. E.g.
“It’s sunny today.”
• Expressive or emotive: When expressing own feelings.
Intonation plays an important role. E.g. “Nice to see you
again!”
• Conative: When the sender wants to alter the receiver’s
behaviour. E.g. “Come here, please.”
• Aesthetic or poetic: When searching beauty.
• Metalinguistic: When the language is used to talk about
the language itself. E.g. “The verb is in the subjunctive.”
• Phatic: The purpose of the message is to check that the
communication circuit is still in place. E.g. “Hum”.

9. THE CONTEXT
Context includes all the linguistic elements surrounding
the speech act. The context will condition the way in which
the conversation takes place.
• Field refers to the situation in which the text is
functioning.
• Mode refers to the function of the speech within
the conversation. It includes the channel and the
way the message is expressed (narrative,
didactic, poetry…).
• Tenors are the participants within a given
communication and the role they play (friends,
colleagues…).

10. NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Non verbal components have a strong
weight within the conversation. According
to recent research, more than 90% of we
want to communicate will relies on non
verbal components. Our gestures, voice
pitch, facial expressions, nodding and
body language in general will enrich and
complete the message between the
participants in a communicative event.