Power of Language and Humour - Essay Example

Power of Language Essay Word Count Affiliation: Formal and informal communication is an inevitable practice that people engage in, voluntarily or involuntarily. Humans are social beings that need to interact and communicate from time to time, but the extent of socialization varies from one individual to another. However, the common denominator is that people can hardly avoid engaging in communication for whatever reason. Communication serves different purposes from one person to another, but it is important that the communicating parties do so as clearly as possible1. To achieve this, factoring in the interests of all persons involved in any given form of communication is fundamental. In order to communicate clearly, effectively, and efficiently, both formal and informal modes of communication have to account for certain factors that influence either mode in one way or another. One of the most outstanding factors in this line is humour. This is one critical practice that is deeply rooted in conversations. It is essentially found in both formal and informal communication modes. This makes humour part and parcel of communication, whether or not it interferes with clarity in communication. The role of humour in communication can be diverse and dynamic. While some people would argue that humour enhances clarity in communication, others are of a different opinion2. This is a concept that is highly likely to occur, especially in relation to the fact that communicating as clearly as possible is not accounted for by the same variables across all parties bound to a given form of communication. As a result, differentiated arguments arise in the context of humour and communication clarity. Formal communication is one of the forms of communication that is expected to least accommodate humour. This is a form of communication that entails a given level of seriousness relative to the matters being dealt with. On the same note, the communicating parties are expected to behave and conduct themselves in a given way that meets the set standards of interaction. Humour in that context introduces as aspect of jokes, which are in most cases not welcome. Humour limitation in formal communication does not imply that it cannot be used at all. Some parties to a formal communication are humorous and cannot avoid using hilarious communication aspects in formal or informal communication. This is because the use of humour depends on the message that one intends to pass. This means that if the person speaking perceives humour as an effective way of passing his/her message or point, then this person goes ahead and employs humour at that point of communication. In so doing, the communication is only enhanced as opposed to being ruined. In this respect, striving to communicate as clearly as possible is not ruined by the humour aspect. On the other hand, informal communication does not take any specific procedure. Also, it does not observe any set rules as to making communication clear, precise, or general. Parties bound to informal communication can freely communicate without paying attention to the environment within which they are communicating. For this reason, the humour aspect would essentially enhance communication. Terming communication as informal does not imply that people cannot communicate clearly. Rather, even informal communication need to be clear so that everybody on board can be part of what is going on. Humour does not ruin clarity in communication. Rather, it enhances the environment within which people are communicating. Although clarity in communication is relatively a broad concept, arguing that humour negatively affects communication clarity means that it is an unwanted practice. However, this is the opposite of what actually humour does when people communicate. Communication is all about getting engaged in the real action. Every individual involved have to be factored in the activity. Essentially, individual exhibit personal differences in the way they communicate. This diversity need to be provided for when people communicate. Individuals who make their point(s) through humour when they communicate should be allowed to do so in both formal and informal communication. Providing for individual differences while communicating is an effective way to ensure that each person communicates clearly through the means that one considers being the most clear at that instance. Humour enlightens the environment within which the communicating persons interact. On the same note, as much as the communicating parties consider their communication to be as clear as possible with or without humour, then the implication of humour on communication can only be best addressed by the persons involved. Humour is employed in communication to break the complexity and seriousness related to making communication as clear as possible. Humour is not the only aspect that makes communication effective or ineffective and efficient or inefficient. It is one of the many factors and variables that influence communication in one way or another. The clarity of communication is not determined by the level of seriousness involved. Note that seriousness implies that no jokes are involved as people communicate. Essentially, it is hard to control humorous communication due to the diversity in defining humour under communication contexts. There are other variables employed in communication that enhance how people communicate. These variables include, but are not limited to, irony, satire, and sarcasm3. The three work alongside humour to enhance interaction between persons for whatever reason. Humour can only be said to interfere with clear communication in the event that it is used to disrupt the attention of the communicating persons. On the same note, if it is used to ridicule certain people for whatever motive, then communication at that instance cannot be said to be as clearly as possible. Also, if humour is used to negate the ground under which people are communicating and result in interpersonal conflicts, then at that instance it can be said to interfere with clarity of communication. Humour is essentially used to control the direction of the subject matter between the parties involved in any given form of communication. It can be used to note the funny and serious parts of the matter. As a result, parties in that communication can move from one stage to another at par with the objective that their communication is set to achieve. On the same note, when two or more people are communicating, anxiety and tension often build up as the discussion intensifies. To harmonize the effects of anxiety and tension, humour is factored in. It allows the parties involved in communication to take some time off their anxiety and tension, thus relieve them of the two before the conversation or discussion continues. In the above context, humour erases some variables that lessen clarity in communication, as opposed to humour itself making communication less and less clear. It is important to note that commination can be verbal or nonverbal. Humour essentially fits in both, as it can be spoken or expressed physically. Most often than not, a hilarious moment in communication does not necessary have to involve actual speaking. A person can physically express a concern that pertains to the conversation or discussion at hand, translating to a humorous moment to the rest of the people involved. In conclusion, the development of humour and its characteristics in communication show that it enhances communication as opposed to ruining clarity in communication. Humour also serves many and differentiated purposes when people communicate. In this respect, it is part and parcel of both formal and informal communication. Removal of humour from communication and interaction of persons only make the situation too serious to be clear. Therefore, humour is fully embedded in communication as people try to communicate as clearly as possible, Reference Ross, A., The Language of Humour, Routledge, London, 1998. Read More