Communication

Communication can be defined as the exchange of information between objectss, and as such can include both technical topics like telecommunication and societal issues like mass media. Several scientific journals have this word in their title, for example Communications of the ACM.

In alternative meta-language terms, communication can be described as a disturbance in space-time.Other definitions are equally valid.

There is a viewpoint that Communication can be treated like a language and a subject unto itself, or as the name of a field of study.

To some people "Communication" implies two different, and sometimes conflicting, things.On the one hand, it means to have a thoughtful exchange of views (dialogue) with a small number of people, perhaps just one. But it can also mean to disseminate broadly a simple message (compare broadcasting), without deep thought or appeals for feedback. The Latin root word comunicare means "to make common."

Communication as a field of study emerged in the mid-20th century. Arguably, it encompasses journalism, public relations, media studies (which might include the study of television, radio, and film), and rhetoric, among other fields.

In more technical senses, see also telegraphy, telephone, computer network, psychology, linguistics.

As regards human communication these diverse fields can be divided into those which cultivate a thoughtful exchange between a small number of people (debate, talk radio, e-mail, personal letters) on the one hand; and those which disseminate broadly a simple message (public relations, television, Hollywood films.)

Our indebtedness to the Romans in the field of communication does not end with the root "communicare". They devised what might be described as the first real mail or postal system in order to control the empire from Rome by gathering knowledge about events in faroff places.

As the Romans well knew, communication is as much about taking in towards the centre as it is about putting out towards the extremes.

In virtual management an important issue is computer-mediated communication.

The view people take to communication is changing, as new technologies change the way they communicate and organize. This new trend in communication, decentralized personal networking, is termed smartmobbing.

Table of contents

1 Overview
2 Communication models
3 Communication technology
4 The study of communication

4.1 External link