Noise and Interference in Various Types of Communication

Noise and Interference in Various Types of Communication In communication studies and information theory, noise  refers to anything that interferes with the communication process between a speaker and an audience. It is also called interference. Noise can be external (a physical sound) or internal (a mental disturbance), and it can disrupt the communication process at any point. Another way to think of noise, says Alan Jay Zaremba, is as a factor that reduces the chances of successful communication but does not guarantee failure. (Crisis Communication: Theory and Practice, 2010) Noise is like second-hand smoke, says Craig E. Carroll, having negative impacts on people without anyones consent. (The Handbook of Communication and Corporate Reputation, 2015) Examples and Observations External noises are sights, sounds and other stimuli that draw peoples attention away from the message. For instance, a pop-up advertisement may draw your attention away from a web page or blog. Likewise, static or service interruptions can play havoc in cell phone conversations, the sound of a fire engine may distract you from a professors lecture or the smell of donuts may interfere with your train of thought during a conversation with a friend. (Kathleen Verderber, Rudolph Verderber, and Deanna Sellnows, Communicate! 14th ed. Wadsworth Cengage 2014) Kinds of Noise There are four kinds of noise. Physiological noise is a distraction caused by hunger, fatigue, headaches, medication and other factors that affect how we feel and think. Physical noise is interference in our environments, such as noises made by others, overly dim or bright lights, spam and pop-up ads, extreme temperatures, and crowded conditions. Psychological noise refers to qualities in us that affect how we communicate and interpret others. For instance, if you are preoccupied with a problem, you may be inattentive at a team meeting. Likewise, prejudice and defensive feelings can interfere with communication. Finally, semantic noise exists when words themselves are not mutually understood. Authors sometimes create semantic  noise by using jargon  or unnecessarily technical language. (Julia T. Wood, Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters, 6th ed. Wadsworth 2010) Noise in Rhetorical Communication Noise...refers to any element that interferes  with the generation of the intended meaning in the mind of the receiver...Noise may arise in the source, in the channel; or in the receiver. This factor of  noise  is not an essential part of the rhetorical  communication process. The  communication process  is always hampered to some degree if noise is present. Unfortunately, noise is almost always present. As a cause of failure in rhetorical communication, noise in the receiver is second only to noise in the source. Receivers of rhetorical communication are people, and no two people are exactly alike. Consequently, it is impossible for the source to determine the exact effect that a message will have upon a given receiver...The noise within the receiver- the psychology of the receiver- will determine to a great extent what the receiver will perceive. (James C McCroskey, An Introduction to Rhetorical Communication: A Western Rhetorical Perspective, 9th ed.; Routledge, 2016) Noise in Intercultural Communication For effective communication in an intercultural interaction, participants must rely on a common language, which usually means that one or more individuals will not be using their native tongue. Native fluency in a second language is difficult, especially when nonverbal behaviors are considered. People who use another language will often have an accent or might misuse a word or phrase, which can adversely affect the receivers understanding of the message. This type of distraction referred to as semantic noise, also encompasses jargon, slang  and even specialized professional terminology. (Edwin R. McDaniel et al., Understanding Intercultural Communication: The Working Principles. Intercultural Communication: A Reader, 12th ed., ed. by Larry A Samovar, Richard E Porter and Edwin R McDaniel, Wadsworth, 2009)

Poetry Rhythm And Metre †Part 1

Poetry Rhythm And Metre – Part 1 Poetry Rhythm And Metre Part 1 Poetry Rhythm And Metre Part 1 By Simon Kewin Previous poetry writing tips have looked at rhyme and alliteration. Another fundamental aspect of poetic language is its rhythm. This post is the first of two that will look at this topic and the related notion of metre (or, if you prefer, meter). In the English language, rhythm is created by a series of stressed and unstressed syllables. This is something we all do quite naturally when we speak, often without even realizing we are doing it. In the word â€Å"poetry†, for example, most readers would naturally stress the first syllable and not the second or third. Using capitalization to indicate the stressed syllable you could spell the word out like this : PO-e-try. Saying it with different stresses – po-E-try or po-e-TRY – will probably sound completely wrong. The poet has always to have an ear for how her or his words will sound when read out aloud. As with rhyme, the reader will automatically pick out any repeated patterns in the words of a poem and react to them. The words will start to sound more musical, more significant. More attention will be paid to stressed syllables and this, perhaps in combination with rhyme or another device, will lend weight to certain words and ideas. To illustrate the use of rhythmic language in poetry, take for example the opening lines from Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard: The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly oer the lea, Chances are, most readers would read those lines with these stressed syllables : The CURfew TOLLS the KNELL of PARting DAY, The LOWing HERD winds SLOWly Oer the LEA, As you can see, the pattern is very regular. The lines consist of a repeated pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Gray has chosen each word with great care, to ensure that they fit into this rhythm. The rhythm is not arbitrary; rather it reflects the meaning of the words. Its slow regularity chimes well with the sound of the ringing bell (the â€Å"curfew†) and also with the plodding steps of the cattle as they trudge home. Where there is a clear pattern like this throughout a poem, this is referred to as the poem’s metre. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a poem has to slavishly follow that pattern. Some poetry dispenses with metre completely – for example Anglo-Saxon verse (such as Beowulf) or more modern free verse. But, even where there is a metre, poets will often depart from it to a degree, for example dropping or adding syllables here and there, perhaps to make the language sound more naturalistic. The metre may be considered the primary rhythm of a poem, but variations to it can still be introduced. You’ll find the ear can still pick out an overall rhythmic effect even when there is quite a lot of variation from it. This can be a fine balance to strike for the poet. Poetry that follows its metre too slavishly can start to sound sing-song and comic. Too little adherence to the metre and the musical effect of the rhythm is lost. Consider, for example, the following lines from the opening of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 : Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love If you read this out aloud you should able to hear an overall metre similar to that of Gray. At the same time, there is considerable variation and a strictly metrical reading would sound very odd. Shakespeare was well aware of his metre but allowed himself to deviate from it. There are, in fact, numerous standard metres often employed by poets, and some useful terms to get to grips with to discuss them. These will be looked at in a subsequent post. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"Best Websites to Learn English