WRITING AS A TOOL OF COMUNICATION

Writing is form of communication and a process of transferring ideas into product of writing; translating out thought into language. The dictionary says that communication in “the act of imparting, transmitting, or interchanging thoughts, opinions, or information by speech or writing”. That meaning seems quite simple. Just open your mouth and speak, or else jot a few words on paper. After all, most of us communicate hundreds of times each day, and most of our needs are met, part of the time. Although we may have the capacity to create and use good communications techniques, most of us rarely do so with anything like complete effectiveness.

All communications consist of three essential elements:

1. The sender;
2. The message;
3. The receiver.

A successful communication transfers an idea in one person’s head into another person’s head with as little change from the original thought as possible. Every message, whether it is written or spoken, has to pass through seven steps, called the communication process.

1. The sender must perceive a reason to send the message;
2. The sender must encode the message;
3. The sender must actual transmit the message;
4. The message must be physically received by someone;
5. The receiver must decode the message;
6. The receiver must understand the message;
7. The receiver must respond in some ways.

Though writing we are able to share ideas, arouse feelings, persuade and convince other people. We are able to discover and articulate ideas in ways that only writing make possible (White & Arndt, 1991). Writing as a tool of communication is different from speaking, because writing involves work. For most purposes, to write the way one talk is not to write at all, in this case, Mc Roberts (1981) says that the different between using talk and using writing to communicate is like the different between snakes-and-ladders and chess: their objective is essentially the same but the degree of control, thought and style is radically different (1981:5).

Although writing and speaking are equally used for communication, but they have differences, namely:

1. Writing is usually permanent and written texts cannot usually be changed once they have been printed / printed out.

Speech is usually transient, unless recorded, and speakers can correct themselves and change their utterances as they go along.

2. A written text can communicate across time and space for as long as the particular language and writing system is still understood

Speech is usually used for immediate communication.

3. Written language tends to be more complex and intricate than speech with longer sentences and many subordinate clauses. The punctuation and layout of written texts also have no spoken equivalent. However some forms of written language, such as instant messages and email, are closer to spoken language.

Spoken language tends to be full of repetition, incomplete sentences, corrections and interruptions, with the exception of formal speeches and other scripted forms of speech, such as news reports and scripts for plays and films.

4. Writers receive no immediate feedback from their readers, except in computer-based communication. Therefore, they cannot rely on context to clarify things so there is more need to explain things clearly and unambiguously than in speech, except in written correspondence between people who know one another well.

Speech is usually a dynamic interaction between two or more people. Context and shared knowledge play a major role, so it is possible to leave much unsaid or indirectly implied.

5. Writers can use punctuation, headings, layout, colors, and other graphical effects in their written texts. Such things are not available in speech.

Speech can use timing, intonation, volume, and timbre to add emotional context.

6. Written material can be read repeatedly and closely analyzed, and notes can be made on the writing surface.

Only recorded speech can be used in this way.

7. Some grammatical constructions are only used in writing, as are some kinds of vocabulary, such as some complex chemical and legal terms.

Some types of vocabulary are used only or mainly in speech. This include slang expressions, and tags such as y’know, like, etc.