Verbally or non-verbally? Have you heard such expressions? Many people still do not know what is meant by these concepts, or simply confuse them with other terms.
In this article we will go into detail about what constitutes verbal and non-verbal communication.
What does verbal and non-verbal mean
The word "verbally" comes from the Latin "verbalis", which translates as - "verbally". Therefore, verbal communication occurs through words and can be of 3 types:
- verbal speech;
- written communication;
- inner speech - our inner dialogue (forming thoughts).
Non-verbal communication includes other types of communication - body language, in addition to verbal:
- gestures, facial expressions;
- intonation of the voice (timbre, volume, cough);
- touching;
- emotions;
- smells.
It is worth noting that in the process of a conversation or speech (verbal communication), a person often resorts to a non-verbal way of communication. For example, an individual can enhance his speech through gestures, facial expressions, body postures, etc.
People can perceive huge amounts of information through purely non-verbal communication. For example, silent film actors or artists working in the pantomime genre are able to convey their thoughts to the viewer without words.
While talking on the phone, we often gesticulate, knowing full well that this is pointless. This suggests that for any person, non-verbal communication plays an important role in life. An interesting fact is that even blind people use gestures when talking on the phone.
At the same time, non-verbal signals are typical for many animals. Looking at a cat or dog, the owner can understand its mood and desires. That only one tail wagging is worth, which can tell a lot to a person.
