what type of speech context refers to communication

Context in Communication: 10 Important Types with Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Context in communication refers to the environment or setting in which communication takes place, which includes elements like the participants, the physical setting, the psychological environment, and the cultural backdrop.

The context of a communication process shapes the meaning, interpretation, and effectiveness of the encoded messages transmitted between the sender and the receiver.

For example, we can use context to infer whether a phrase is literal or sarcastic, whether we should be communicating formally (e.g. in a job interview) or informally (e.g. among old friends) , and so on.

Contexts we can consider when interpreting messages can include: physical, temporal, situational, historical, socio-cultural, and social-psychological contexts. Each is explored, with examples, below.

Context in Communication

Note that many of these contexts overlap and aren’t completely different to one another.

1. Temporal Context

The concept of temporal context encompasses the timing of the message delivery and the sequence of events.

For instance, a message delivered at the wrong time might not receive the intended reaction, and can lead to misunderstanding or confusion. Just ask a comedian – timing is everything!

Likewise, understanding the chronology or sequence of communicated messages helps in deriving their contextual meaning, preserving the flow and coherence of the communication.

• Daily Briefings: Holding a morning briefing at the start of a workday sets employees up with essential information and tasks needed for that day’s operations, thus harnessing the temporal context.
• Seasonal Product Launch: A company launching a winter clothing line in autumn uses the temporal context to appeal to customers preparing for the colder season.
• Socio-political Announcements: A politician announcing campaign strategies right before election season capitalizes on the temporal context, as the timing of the announcement can garner more attention and potential voting support.

2. Social-Psychological Context

Social-psychological context refers to the climate and environment of a communication interaction shaped by interpersonal communication, relationships, status distinctions, norms, and roles.

The social status , power dynamics, and general sentiments between communicators influence their message delivery, reception, and interpretation.

Respect towards authority, friendliness between friends, adherence to societal norms and values, consideration of gender roles—all of these shape this context.

• Business Communication: The power hierarchy and professional norms affect how messages are interpreted and delivered. A CEO’s message holds different weight and interpretation than a message from an intern.
• Family Conversations: The interplay of roles (parents, children, siblings etc.) and emotions affect the communication within a family. Conversations have different dynamics based on the affection, understanding, or conflicts among family members.
• Online Platforms: In the cyber world, anonymity influences users’ behavior and responses. This new form of social-psychological context leads to distinct communication patterns like trolling, flamewars, etc.

3. Cultural Context

Cultural context refers to the shared beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors of the people within the communicating group. The dominant cultural context in the situation will impact the communication styles expected in the situation.

This context carries substantial weight because people from different cultures often carry different communication etiquettes, norms, and interpretations. Therefore, if there are multiple different cultures at play, there can often be miscommunication due to cultural differences .

Each culture have their own gestures, pauses, conversational distance, eye contact, and many more unspoken rules, which greatly vary from one culture to another.

One key distinction is between high-context and low-context cultures:

• High Context Culture : High-context culture relies heavily on implicit communication and non-verbal cues, with meaning often embedded in the social context.
• Low Context Culture : Low-context culture emphasizes explicit communication, where meaning is primarily derived from the spoken or written word.
• International Diplomacy: In international diplomacy, understanding cultural context is vital. The way one country’s diplomats greet another, symbolize respect, or argue their viewpoints all stem from their own cultural backgrounds , affecting communication outcomes.
• Multicultural Workplaces: In diverse workplaces, cultural context influences how employees interact, negotiate, and collaborate with peers from different cultural backgrounds. Misunderstandings may occur when cultural communication styles clash.
• Global Marketing: Businesses creating global marketing strategies must account for cultural differences. Advertisements must respect cultural norms and use idioms, humor, and references that resonate with the targeted audience’s culture.

4. Physical Context

Physical context refers to the actual location and environment where communication takes place, and includes the presence or absence of physical stimuli.

This type of context has a significant influence on the communication process as certain environments and surroundings can directly impact how messages are sent, received, and interpreted.

The architecture, furniture arrangement, noise levels, level of privacy, temperature, lighting: each of these aspects shape the communication environment and its dynamics.

• Business Meetings: The settings of business meetings, like a formal boardroom versus a casual coffee shop, significantly influence the group communication flow. Boardrooms might encourage more formal and structured conversations, while informal settings might foster free-flowing, creative discussions.
• Social Gatherings: The ambiance, noise level, and size of a gathering can affect interaction. A quiet intimate dinner party might facilitate deep, personal conversations, whereas a loud, crowded party might limit communication to short, superficial exchanges.
• Online Spaces: The physical context also applies to virtual environments. The design and features of an online platform (like a professional webinar room or a relaxed group chat) shape the communication dynamics considering the physical environment of the participants, the efficiency of their electronic devices, and the robustness of their internet connections.

5. Social Context

hge social context refers to the societal structures and systems within which the communication occurs. This isn’t about cultural values but social rules, but the concepts are interlinked .

Society’s structures and systems could include family units, peer groups, organizations, societies, and even broader social-economic systems. The social context provides insight into the social roles and norms that shape the implicit rules of communication.

• Classroom Setting: In an educational institution, students and teachers engage in conversations adhering to the social context of the classroom. Teachers lead, instruct, and discipline, while students follow, learn, and interact within defined norms.
• Corporate Environments: The organizational structure dictates communication within a company. The way a manager communicates with an employee is distinct from the way two colleagues or two executives communicate.
• Digital Platforms: On social media platforms , distinct social contexts emerge. The way users interact on LinkedIn (a professional networking site) vastly differs from interactions on Instagram (a casual, visual-sharing platform). So, understanding the nature of the platform, its audience, and behavior standards is important.

6. Historical Context

Historical context in communication refers to the background, circumstances, or events in the past that influence the understanding and interpretation of the present communication.

Messages are often interpreted through the lens of prior events and experiences, which impact the views and reception of the receiver. Historical context helps in understanding the origins and development of current communication and literature.

Without considering the historical context, communication risks misinterpretation, as messages can be tied to past time frames with distinct norms, societal behaviors, and expected reactions.

• News Stories: When covering ongoing events, news outlets often reference previous happenings to provide their audience with a broader understanding of the issue. Such aliasing to historical context helps make sense of current events.
• Academic Studies: Scholars often delve into the historical context when studying literature, philosophy, or sociology to precisely decipher the intended meanings, allusions, and metaphors rooted in the time when a work was created.
• Political Speeches: Politicians regularly draw on historical events in their speeches to set their agenda, invoke shared sentiments, or justify their policies. Understanding this historical context helps constituents to appreciate and critically analyze their messages.

Read More: 21 Historical Context Examples

7. Relational Context

Relational context in communication refers to the established relationship and shared history between the communicators.

The history of interactions and the nature of the relationship between the communicators significantly affect the meaning extracted from their communication. In fact, the established rapport, goodwill, and trustworthiness based on prior interactions often dictate the manner of current and future interactions.

Relational context also affects how messages are presented. Friends will communicate differently than strangers, and long-term colleagues will communicate differently than newly-introduced workmates.

• Friends’ Gatherings: At a friends’ gathering, individuals speak openly, use inside jokes, and demonstrate behaviors governed by their established relational context.
• Teacher-Student Interaction: In an academic setting, the teacher-student relationship—shaped by perceived roles, past encounters, and established rapport—affects how they communicate, impacting the learning experience .
• Negotiations: During business negotiations, the history of business dealings sets a relational context influencing the trust levels, negotiation techniques, and potential outcomes of the negotiation. Understanding this relational context is crucial for successful negotiations.

8. Functional Context

Functional context refers to the intended goal or function of communication.

The function can vary from giving or receiving information, problem-solving, decision-making, persuading, entertaining, expressing feelings, and so forth. This context will affect the method of communication used and the kind of content that’s conducive to achieving the intended goal.

Understanding the function of communication can lead to selecting the right communication practices to facilitate the desired outcomes.

• Educational Courses: In a classroom setting, the functional context is to transfer knowledge and skills from the teacher to the students, shaping the communication forms like lectures, discussions, and evaluations.
• Business Meetings: Business meetings serve multiple functions such as information exchange, decision-making, problem-solving, which govern the meeting’s agenda, protocols, and the participants’ communication.
• Social Media Platforms: The functional context varies across different social media platforms. Platforms like Twitter are more news-centric and involve information sharing, while Instagram focuses more on visual experiences and personal sharing. Each one’s functional context shapes user behavior, communication, and engagement.

9. Situational Context

Situational context refers to the specific circumstances or events that surround a communication act.

These circumstances can include factors like the event that led to this communication, the reason for communicating, and the immediate reactions required by the situation. It shapes the communication and its urgency, formality, and style.

Situational context is important in understanding the nuances of messages that can be lost without understanding the specific circumstances of the situation.

• Emergency Services: In emergencies like natural disasters, the situational context necessitates immediate, clear, and precise communication to coordinate rescue efforts.
• Job Interviews: The situational context of a job interview involves formal communication focusing on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and fit for a job.
• Wedding Toasts: At a wedding, speeches and toasts are guided by the situational context. They focus on celebrating the couple, sharing anecdotes , expressing well wishes, and maintaining a festive atmosphere.

10. Environmental Context

Environmental context in communication encompasses the broader physical, social, and cultural environment impacting the communication process.

This can include the geographical location, cultural norms, societal structures, climatic conditions, and the available communication infrastructure of this environment.

Often, environmental context creates potential barriers or facilitators to effective communication, and understanding it can enhance the adaptation and effectiveness of communication strategies.

• Rural vs. Urban Settings: In a rural setting, limited technological infrastructure can affect the mode and speed of communication compared with an urban context equipped with advanced technology.
• Cross-Cultural Communication: Understanding the cultural and social norms of the environment is crucial in cross-cultural communication to ensure respect and effective communication.
• Climate Communication: In areas prone to natural disasters, communication often involves preparedness measures, safety procedures, and updates about climate conditions, reflecting the environmental context’s influence on communication.

Before you Go

• To learn how to understand context in communication, visit my guide on context clues .
• To learn more about context, visit my guide to the different types of context .
• To learn more about communication, visit my guide to the different communication styles .

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

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Chapter 1: The Speech Communication Process

The Speech Communication Process

• Listener(s)

Interference

As you might imagine, the speaker is the crucial first element within the speech communication process. Without a speaker, there is no process.  The  speaker  is simply the person who is delivering, or presenting, the speech.  A speaker might be someone who is training employees in your workplace. Your professor is another example of a public speaker as s/he gives a lecture. Even a stand-up comedian can be considered a public speaker. After all, each of these people is presenting an oral message to an audience in a public setting. Most speakers, however, would agree that the listener is one of the primary reasons that they speak.

The listener is just as important as the speaker; neither one is effective without the other.  The  listener  is the person or persons who have assembled to hear the oral message.  Some texts might even call several listeners an “audience. ” The listener generally forms an opinion as to the effectiveness of the speaker and the validity of the speaker’s message based on what they see and hear during the presentation. The listener’s job sometimes includes critiquing, or evaluating, the speaker’s style and message. You might be asked to critique your classmates as they speak or to complete an evaluation of a public speaker in another setting. That makes the job of the listener extremely important. Providing constructive feedback to speakers often helps the speaker improve her/his speech tremendously.

Another crucial element in the speech process is the message.  The  message  is what the speaker is discussing or the ideas that s/he is presenting to you as s/he covers a particular topic.  The important chapter concepts presented by your professor become the message during a lecture. The commands and steps you need to use, the new software at work, are the message of the trainer as s/he presents the information to your department. The message might be lengthy, such as the President’s State of the Union address, or fairly brief, as in a five-minute presentation given in class.

The  channel  is the means by which the message is sent or transmitted.  Different channels are used to deliver the message, depending on the communication type or context. For instance, in mass communication, the channel utilized might be a television or radio broadcast. The use of a cell phone is an example of a channel that you might use to send a friend a message in interpersonal communication. However, the channel typically used within public speaking is the speaker’s voice, or more specifically, the sound waves used to carry the voice to those listening. You could watch a prerecorded speech or one accessible on YouTube, and you might now say the channel is the television or your computer. This is partially true. However, the speech would still have no value if the speaker’s voice was not present, so in reality, the channel is now a combination of the two -the speaker’s voice broadcast through an electronic source.

The context is a bit more complicated than the other elements we have discussed so far. The context is more than one specific component. For example, when you give a speech in your classroom, the classroom, or  the physical location of your speech, is part of the context  . That’s probably the easiest part of context to grasp.

But you should also consider that the  people in your audience expect you to behave in a certain manner, depending on the physical location or the occasion of the presentation  . If you gave a toast at a wedding, the audience wouldn’t be surprised if you told a funny story about the couple or used informal gestures such as a high-five or a slap on the groom’s back. That would be acceptable within the expectations of your audience, given the occasion. However, what if the reason for your speech was the presentation of a eulogy at a loved one’s funeral? Would the audience still find a high-five or humor as acceptable in that setting? Probably not. So the expectations of your audience must be factored into context as well.

The cultural rules -often unwritten and sometimes never formally communicated to us -are also a part of the context. Depending on your culture, you would probably agree that there are some “rules ” typically adhered to by those attending a funeral. In some cultures, mourners wear dark colors and are somber and quiet. In other cultures, grieving out loud or beating one’s chest to show extreme grief is traditional. Therefore,  the rules from our culture  -no matter what they are -play a part in the context as well.

Every speaker hopes that her/his speech is clearly understood by the audience. However, there are times when some obstacle gets in the way of the message and interferes with the listener’s ability to hear what’s being said.  This is  interference  , or you might have heard it referred to as “noise. ”  Every speaker must prepare and present with the assumption that interference is likely to be present in the speaking environment.

Interference can be mental, physical, or physiological.  Mental interference  occurs when the listener is not fully focused on what s/he is hearing due to her/his own thoughts.  If you’ve ever caught yourself daydreaming in class during a lecture, you’re experiencing mental interference. Your own thoughts are getting in the way of the message.

A second form of interference is  physical interference  . This is noise in the literal sense -someone coughing behind you during a speech or the sound of a mower outside the classroom window. You may be unable to hear the speaker because of the surrounding environmental noises.

The last form of interference is  physiological  . This type of interference occurs when your body is responsible for the blocked signals. A deaf person, for example, has the truest form of physiological interference; s/he may have varying degrees of difficulty hearing the message. If you’ve ever been in a room that was too cold or too hot and found yourself not paying attention, you’re experiencing physiological interference. Your bodily discomfort distracts from what is happening around you.

The final component within the speech process is feedback. While some might assume that the speaker is the only one who sends a message during a speech, the reality is that the  listeners in the audience are sending a message of their own, called  feedback  .  Often this is how the speaker knows if s/he is sending an effective message. Occasionally the feedback from listeners comes in verbal form – questions from the audience or an angry response from a listener about a key point presented. However, in general, feedback during a presentation is typically non-verbal -a student nodding her/his head in agreement or a confused look from an audience member. An observant speaker will scan the audience for these forms of feedback, but keep in mind that non-verbal feedback is often more difficult to spot and to decipher. For example, is a yawn a sign of boredom, or is it simply a tired audience member?

Generally, all of the above elements are present during a speech. However, you might wonder what the process would look like if we used a diagram to illustrate it. Initially, some students think of public speaking as a linear process -the speaker sending a message to the listener -a simple, straight line. But if you’ll think about the components we’ve just covered, you begin to see that a straight line cannot adequately represent the process, when we add listener feedback into the process. The listener is sending her/his own message back to the speaker, so perhaps the process might better be represented as circular. Add in some interference and place the example in context, and you have a more complete idea of the speech process.

Fundamentals of Public Speaking Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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1.3 Communication in Context

Learning objective.

• Identify and describe five types of communication contexts.

Now that we have examined the eight components of communication, let’s examine this in context. Is a quiet dinner conversation with someone you care about the same experience as a discussion in class or giving a speech? Is sending a text message to a friend the same experience as writing a professional project proposal or a purchase order? Each context has an influence on the communication process. Contexts can overlap, creating an even more dynamic process. You have been communicating in many of these contexts across your lifetime, and you’ll be able to apply what you’ve learned through experience in each context to business communication.

Intrapersonal Communication

Have you ever listened to a speech or lecture and gotten caught up in your thoughts so that, while the speaker continued, you were no longer listening? During a phone conversation, have you ever been thinking about what you are going to say, or what question you might ask, instead of listening to the other person? Finally, have you ever told yourself how you did after you wrote a document or gave a presentation? As you “talk with yourself” you are engaged in intrapersonal communication.

Intrapersonal communication involves one person; it is often called “self-talk.” (Wood, 1997) Donna Vocate’s book on intrapersonal communication explains how, as we use language to reflect on our own experiences, we talk ourselves through situations. For example, the voice within you that tells you, “Keep on Going! I can DO IT!” when you are putting your all into completing a five-mile race; or that says, “This report I’ve written is pretty good.” Your intrapersonal communication can be positive or negative, and directly influences how you perceive and react to situations and communication with others.

What you perceive in communication with others is also influenced by your culture, native language, and your world view. As the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas said, “Every process of reaching understanding takes place against the background of a culturally ingrained preunderstanding.” (Habermas, 1984)

For example, you may have certain expectations of time and punctuality. You weren’t born with them, so where did you learn them? From those around you as you grew up. What was normal for them became normal for you, but not everyone’s idea of normal is the same.

When your supervisor invites you to a meeting and says it will start at 7 p.m., does that mean 7:00 sharp, 7-ish, or even 7:30? In the business context, when a meeting is supposed to start at 9 a.m., is it promptly a 9 a.m.? Variations in time expectations depend on regional and national culture as well as individual corporate cultures. In some companies, everyone may be expected to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the announced start time to take their seats and be ready to commence business at 9:00 sharp. In other companies, “meeting and greeting” from about 9 to 9:05 or even 9:10 is the norm. When you are unfamiliar with the expectations for a business event, it is always wise to err on the side of being punctual, regardless of what your internal assumptions about time and punctuality may be.

Interpersonal Communication

The second major context within the field of communication is interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication normally involves two people, and can range from intimate and very personal to formal and impersonal. You may carry on a conversation with a loved one, sharing a serious concern. Later, at work, you may have a brief conversation about plans for the weekend with the security guard on your way home. What’s the difference? Both scenarios involve interpersonal communication, but are different in levels of intimacy. The first example implies a trusting relationship established over time between two caring individuals. The second example level implies some previous familiarity, and is really more about acknowledging each other than any actual exchange of information, much like saying hello or goodbye.

Group Communication

Have you ever noticed how a small group of people in class sit near each other? Perhaps they are members of the same sports program, or just friends, but no doubt they often engage in group communication.

“ Group communication is a dynamic process where a small number of people engage in a conversation.” (McLean, 2005) Group communication is generally defined as involving three to eight people. The larger the group, the more likely it is to break down into smaller groups.

To take a page from marketing, does your audience have segments or any points of convergence/divergence? We could consider factors like age, education, sex, and location to learn more about groups and their general preferences as well as dislikes. You may find several groups within the larger audience, such as specific areas of education, and use this knowledge to increase your effectiveness as a business communicator.

Public Communication

In public communication , one person speaks to a group of people; the same is true of public written communication, where one person writes a message to be read by a small or large group. The speaker or writer may ask questions, and engage the audience in a discussion (in writing, examples are an e-mail discussion or a point-counter-point series of letters to the editor), but the dynamics of the conversation are distinct from group communication, where different rules apply. In a public speaking situation, the group normally defers to the speaker. For example, the boss speaks to everyone, and the sales team quietly listens without interruption.

This generalization is changing as norms and expectations change, and many cultures have a tradition of “call outs” or interjections that are not to be interpreted as interruptions or competition for the floor, but instead as affirmations. The boss may say, as part of a charged-up motivational speech, “Do you hear me?” and the sales team is expected to call back “Yes Sir!” The boss, as a public speaker, recognizes that intrapersonal communication (thoughts of the individual members) or interpersonal communication (communication between team members) may interfere with this classic public speaking dynamic of all to one, or the audience devoting all its attention to the speaker, and incorporate attention getting and engagement strategies to keep the sales team focused on the message.

Mass Communication

How do you tell everyone on campus where and when all the classes are held? Would a speech from the front steps work? Perhaps it might meet the need if your school is a very small one. A written schedule that lists all classes would be a better alternative. How do you let everyone know there is a sale on in your store, or that your new product will meet their needs, or that your position on a political issue is the same as your constituents? You send a message to as many people as you can through mass communication. Does everyone receive mass communication the same way the might receive a personal phone call? Not likely. Some people who receive mass mailings assume that they are “junk mail” (i.e., that they do not meet the recipients’ needs) and throw them away unopened. People may tune out a television advertisement with a click of the mute button, delete tweets or ignore friend requests on Facebook by the hundreds, or send all unsolicited e-mail straight to the spam folder unread.

Mass media is a powerful force in modern society and our daily lives, and is adapting rapidly to new technologies. Mass communication involves sending a single message to a group. It allows us to communicate our message to a large number of people, but we are limited in our ability to tailor our message to specific audiences, groups, or individuals. As a business communicator, you can use multimedia as a visual aid or reference common programs, films, or other images that your audience finds familiar yet engaging. You can tweet a picture that is worth far more than 140 characters, and you are just as likely to elicit a significant response. By choosing messages or references that many audience members will recognize or can identify with, you can develop common ground and increase the appeal of your message.

Key Takeaway

Communication contexts include intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, public, and mass communication. Each context has its advantages and disadvantages, and its appropriate and inappropriate uses.

• Please recall a time when you gave a speech in front of a group. How did you feel? What was your experience? What did you learn from your experience?
• If you were asked to get the attention of your peers, what image or word would you choose and why?
• If you were asked to get the attention of someone like yourself, what image or word would you choose and why?
• Make a list of mass communication messages you observe for a one hour period of time. Share your list with classmates.

Habermas, J. (1984). The theory of communicative action (Vol. 1, p. 100). Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

McLean, S. (2005). The basics of interpersonal communication (p. 14). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Vocate, D. (Ed.). (1994). Intrapersonal communication: Different voices, different minds . Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Wood, J. (1997). Communication in our lives (p. 22). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.

Business Communication for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

1 Introduction to the Public Speaking Context

Learning objectives.

• Identify the three components of getting your message across to others.
• Describe elements in the transactional model of communication.

Communication is a Process

Communication is a process, not a singular event. A basic definition of communication is “sharing meaning between two or more people.” By definition of a process, we must take a series of actions or steps in order to reach a defined end goal. When we follow this process, we carefully consider how to best present information to reach our goals in a given context. When we do not follow the process, we leave our speaking success up to chance.

How do you get your message heard?

We live in a world with a lot of noise. Getting your message heard above others depends on three fundamental components: message, skill, and passion .

Message: When what you are saying is clear and coherent, people are more likely to pay attention to it. On the other hand, when a message is ambiguous, people will often stop paying attention. Working through the speechmaking process in the next chapter will help us to create clear and coherent messages.

Effective communication skills:  You may have the best ideas in the world, but if you do not possess the skills to communicate those ideas effectively, you’re going to have a problem getting anyone to listen. In this book, we will address the skills you must possess to effectively communicate your ideas to others.

Passion: One mistake that novice public speakers make is picking topics in which they have no emotional investment. If you are not interested in your message, you cannot expect others to be. Passion is the extra spark that draws people’s attention and makes them want to listen to your message. Your audience can tell if you don’t really care about your topic, and they will just tune you out. We will explore how to choose topics in the next chapter.

Public Speaking Elements

Most who study the speech communication process agree that there are several critical components present in nearly every speech. Understanding these elements can provide us with information that will help us to navigate any speaking context successfully.

All communication is a process composed of certain necessary elements:

• Senders (encoders)
• Receivers (decoders)
• feedback; and

With all these elements working together, the act of communication can be very complex. Let’s examine each element.

Sender: The sender creates a message through the process of encoding. Encoding entails putting thoughts and feelings into words or other symbols to share with the audience.

Receiver: The receiver decodes by listening and understanding those words and symbols and making meaning of them personally.

Context : There are four major types of context happening simultaneously in any communication act.

• Historical: What has gone on between the sender(s) and receiver(s) before the speech. The historical elements can be positive or negative, recent or further back in time. These contexts can influence the speaker’s credibility with the audience, as well as their understanding.
• Cultural: This may be ethnic, racial, religious, and/or regional cultures or co-cultures. Culture is defined (Floyd, 2017) as “the system of learned and shared symbols, language, values, and norms that distinguish one group of people from another.”
• Social: The kind of relationship the sender(s) and receiver(s) are involved in, such as teacher-student, co-workers, employer-employee, or members of the same civic organization, faith, profession, or community.
• Physical: Where the communication is taking place and the attributes of that location. The physical context can have cultural meaning (a famous shrine or monument) that influences the form and purpose of the communication or attributes that influence audience attention (temperature, seating arrangements, or external noise).

Message: Messages are the content of what you are communicating. They may be informal and spontaneous, such as small talk, or formal, intentional, and planned, such as a commencement address. In public speaking, we focus on the creation of formal and deliberate messages.

Channel: The channel is the means through which the message travels. In face-to-face communication the channel involves all of our senses, so the channel is what we see, hear, touch, smell and perhaps what we taste. When we’re communicating with someone online, the channel is the computer; when texting the channel is the cell phone; and when watching a movie on cable, the channel is the TV.

Noise: Noise refers to anything that interferes with message transmission or reception (i.e., getting the image from your head into others’ heads). There are four types of noise.

• Physiological noise : Physiological processes and states that interfere with a message. For instance, if a speaker has a headache or the flu, or if audience members are hot or they’re hungry, these conditions may interfere with message accuracy.
• Psychological noise: This refers to the mental states or emotional states that impede message transmission or reception. For example, audience members may be thinking about what they want to eat for lunch, or about a date they had last night. Or a speaker may be anxious about the speech.
• Physical noise : This is the actual sound level in a room. There may be noise from the air conditioner or the projector. Or maybe the person next to you clicking their pen.
• Cultural: Message interference that results from differences in people’s worldviews is cultural noise. The greater the difference in worldview, the more difficult it is to understand one another and communicate effectively.

Feedback: This is the message sent from the receiver back to the sender. Feedback in public speaking is usually nonverbal, such as head movement, facial expressions, laughter, eye contact, posture, and other behaviors that we use to judge audience involvement, understanding, and approval. These types of feedback can be positive (nodding, sitting up, leaning forward, smiling) or less than positive (tapping fingers, fidgeting, lack of eye contact, checking devices). There are times when verbal feedback from the audience is appropriate. You may stop and entertain questions about your content, or the audience may fill out a comment card at the end of the speech.

Outcome: The outcome is the result of the public speaking situation. For example, if you ask an audience to consider becoming bone marrow donors, there are certain outcomes. They will either have more information about the subject and feel more informed; they will disagree with you; they will take in the information but do nothing about the topic; and/or they will decide it’s a good idea to become a donor and go through the steps to do so. If they become potential donors, they will add to the pool of existing donors and perhaps save a life. Thus, either they have changed or the social context has changed, or both.

Now that we have looked at the process of communication, let’s apply it to public speaking. The speaker originates and creates a structured message and sends it through the visual/oral channel using symbols and nonverbal means to the audience members as a group, who provide (mostly nonverbal) feedback. The speaker and audience may or may not be aware of the types of interference or noise that exist, and the speaker may try to deal with them. As a result of public speaking, the audience’s minds, emotions, and/or actions are affected.

The Transactional Model of Public Speaking

The transactional model of communication illustrates the elements in public speaking visually so we can understand how meaning is co-crated. Transactional communication means that there is a continuous and simultaneous exchange of information between people. The process of encoding and decoding is an important consideration because it takes into account misunderstandings. How often have you had a message that you thought you shared effectively only for the receiving party to completely misinterpret your meaning? Although interpreting a speaker’s message may sound easy in theory, in practice many problems can arise. A speaker’s verbal message, nonverbal communication, and mediated presentation aids can make a message either clearer or harder to understand. For example, unfamiliar vocabulary, speaking too fast or too softly, or small print on presentation aids may make it difficult for you to figure out what the speaker means. Conversely, by providing definitions of complex terms, using well-timed gestures, or displaying graphs of quantitative information, the speaker can help you interpret his or her meaning. Once you have interpreted what the speaker is communicating, you then evaluate the message. Was it good? Do you agree or disagree with the speaker? Is a speaker’s argument logical? These are all questions that you may ask yourself when listening to a speech.

The idea that meanings are cocreated between people is based on a concept called the “field of experience.” According to West and Turner, a field of experience involves “how a person’s culture, experiences, and heredity influence his or her ability to communicate with another” (West & Turner, 2010). Our education, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, personality, beliefs, actions, attitudes, languages, social status, past experiences, and customs are all aspects of our field of experience, which we bring to every interaction. For meaning to occur, we must have some shared experiences with our audience; this makes it challenging to speak effectively to audiences with very different experiences from our own. Our goal as public speakers is to build upon shared fields of experience so that we can help audience members interpret our message.

Key Takeaways

• Getting your message across to others effectively requires attention to message content, skill in communicating content, and your passion for the information presented.
• The interactional models of communication provide a useful foundation for understanding communication and outline basic concepts such as sender, receiver, context noise, message, channel, feedback, and outcomes.
• Examining each public speaking situation using the elements of public speaking will help us to create more effective messages for our audience.

Arnett, R. C., & Arneson, P. (1999).  Dialogic civility in a cynical age: Community, hope, and interpersonal relationships . Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Bakhtin, M. (2001a). The problem of speech genres. (V. W. McGee, Trans., 1986). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.),  The rhetorical tradition  (pp. 1227–1245). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Original work published in 1953.).

Bakhtin, M. (2001b). Marxism and the philosophy of language. (L. Matejka & I. R. Titunik, Trans., 1973). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.),  The rhetorical tradition  (pp. 1210–1226). Boston, MA: Medford/St. Martin’s. (Original work published in 1953).

Barnlund, D. C. (2008). A transactional model of communication. In C. D. Mortensen (Ed.),  Communication theory  (2nd ed., pp. 47–57). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

DeVito, J. A. (2009).  The interpersonal communication book  (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Geissner, H., & Slembek, E. (1986).  Miteinander sprechen und handeln  [Speak and act: Living and working together]. Frankfurt, Germany: Scriptor.

Mortenson, C. D. (1972).  Communication: The study of human communication . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Schramm, W. (1954). How communication works. In W. Schramm (Ed.),  The process and effects of communication  (pp. 3–26). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Shannon, C. E., & Weaver, W. (1949).  The mathematical theory of communication . Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Understanding the Process of Public Speaking. (2021, February 20). https://socialsci.libretexts.org/@go/page/17728

West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2010).  Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application  (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, p. 13.

Wrench, J. S., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (2008).  Human communication in everyday life: Explanations and applications . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, p. 17.

Yakubinsky, L. P. (1997). On dialogic speech. (M. Eskin, Trans.).  PMLA ,  112 (2), 249–256. (Original work published in 1923).

Public Speaking Copyright © by Dr. Layne Goodman; Amber Green, M.A.; and Various is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Speech Context Meaning, Different Types, and Examples

What is speech context meaning and its different types..

SPEECH CONTEXT MEANING – Defining speech context and determining the different types of speech context with examples.

Communication does not only happens between two people. It can be between a person and a group or two groups of people exchanging ideas and thoughts. And speech context is about where the communication happens and how is the message relayed in the whole communication process.

Here are the types of speech context:

• Intrapersonal The communication that happens within oneself. This appears that the source and the receiver of the message is the speaker himself. Often times, this is done when a person does self-reflection and analyzing his own feelings and thoughts. This is also one way in assessing yourself. Example: When choosing what course in college you would want to take. Before coming up with a decision, you’d have to assess your interests, talents, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Interpersonal The communication happens between two or more persons. Depending on the relationship of these people, the communication can be formal, casual, informal, or intimate. 2 types of interpersonal communication: – dyad communication that happens between two people. Example: You and your doctor during consultation. – small group where three or more people are involved but not over 12. Example: You and your groupmates in research sharing ideas.
• Public Communication This happens when a person delivers a message or talks in front of bigger number of people or listeners. Example: A politician presenting his platforms in a grand rally.
• Mass Communication This happens when television, social media, newspaper, magazines, and the likes were used as channels to relay the message. Example: A weatherman discussing the path of the strong typhoon in television.
• Who Am I As Person – A Sample Essay Of “Who Am I As A Person”
• Lie Versus Lay – Grammar Rules and Proper Uses Of “Lie” and “Lay”

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BUS210: Business Communication

Interpersonal Communication

Read this article, which explains interpersonal communication. Consider the ways in which you can apply this knowledge in your own interactions.

Understanding the context of a situation may lead to an awareness of necessary precautions. Context refers to environmental factors that influence the outcomes of communication. These include time and place, as well as factors like family relationships, gender, culture, personal interest and the environment. Any given situation may involve many interacting contexts, including the retrospective context and the emergent context. The retrospective context is everything that comes before a particular behavior that might help understand and interpret that behavior, while the emergent context refers to relevant events that come after the behavior. Context can include all aspects of social channels and situational milieu, the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the participants, and the developmental stage or maturity of the participants.

Situational milieu

Situational milieu can be defined as the combination of the social and physical environments in which something takes place. For example, a classroom, a military conflict, a supermarket checkout, and a hospital would be considered situational milieus. The season, weather, current physical location and environment are also milieus. To understand the meaning of what is being communicated, context must be considered. Internal and external noise can have a profound effect on interpersonal communication. External noise consists of outside influences that distract from the communication. Internal noise is described as cognitive causes of interference in a communication transaction. In the hospital setting, for example, external noise can include the sound made by medical equipment or conversations had by team members outside of patient's rooms, and internal noise could be a health care professional's thoughts about other issues that distract them from the current conversation with a client. Channels of communication also affect the effectiveness of interpersonal communication. Communication channels may be either synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous communication takes place in real time, for example face-to-face discussions and telephone conversations. Asynchronous communications can be sent and received at different times, as with text messages and e-mails. In a hospital environment, for example, urgent situations may require the immediacy of communication through synchronous channels. Benefits of synchronous communication include immediate message delivery, and fewer chances of misunderstandings and miscommunications. A disadvantage of synchronous communication is that it can be difficult to retain, recall, and organize the information that has been given in a verbal message, especially when copious amounts of data have been communicated in a short amount of time. Asynchronous messages can serve as reminders of what has been done and what needs to be done, which can prove beneficial in a fast-paced health care setting. However, the sender does not know when the other person will receive the message. When used appropriately, synchronous and asynchronous communication channels are both efficient ways to communicate. Mistakes in hospital contexts are often a result of communication problems.

Cultural and linguistic backgrounds

Linguistics is the study of language, and is divided into three broad aspects: the form of language, the meaning of language, and the context or function of language. Form refers to the words and sounds of language and how the words are used to make sentences. Meaning focuses on the significance of the words and sentences that human beings have put together. Function , or context , interprets the meaning of the words and sentences being said to understand why a person is communicating. Culture is a human concept that encompasses the beliefs, values, attitudes, and customs of groups of people. It is important in communication because of the help it provides in transmitting complex ideas, feelings, and specific situations from one person to another. Culture influences an individual's thoughts, feelings and actions, and therefore affects communication. The more difference there is between the cultural backgrounds of two people, the more different their styles of communication will be. Therefore, it is important to be aware of a person's background, ideas and beliefs and consider their social, economic and political positions before attempting to decode the message accurately and respond appropriately. Five major elements related to culture affect the communication process:

Communication diagram showing types of communication between cultures, including verbal and non-verbal communication.

• Cultural history
• Value (personal and cultural)
• Social organization

Communication between cultures may occur through verbal communication or nonverbal communication. Culture influences verbal communication in a variety of ways, particularly by imposing language barriers. Each individual has their own languages, beliefs and values that must be considered. Factors influencing nonverbal communication include the different roles of eye contact in different cultures. Touching as a form of greeting may be perceived as impolite in some cultures, but normal in others. Acknowledging and understanding these cultural differences improves communication. In the health professions, communication is an important part of the quality of care and strongly influences client and resident satisfaction; it is a core element of care and is a fundamentally required skill. For example, the nurse-patient relationship is mediated by both verbal and nonverbal communication, and both aspects need to be understood.

Developmental Progress (maturity)

Pie chart of verbal (20%) and non-verbal (80%) communication in infants. Communication skills develop throughout one's lifetime. The majority of language development happens during infancy and early childhood. The attributes for each level of development can be used to improve communication with individuals of these ages.

Module 1: Introduction to Public Speaking

Elements of the communication process, encoding and decoding.

Encoding refers to the process of taking an idea or mental image, associating that image with words, and then speaking those words in order to convey a message. So, if you wanted to explain to your aunt the directions to your new apartment, you would picture in your mind the landscape, streets and buildings, and then you would select the best words that describe the route so your aunt could find you.

Decoding is the reverse process of listening to words, thinking about them, and turning those words into mental images. If your aunt were trying to find her way to your apartment, she would listen to your words, associate these words with streets and landmarks that she knows, and then she would form a mental map of the way to get to you. Ramsey’s “Using Language Well” (Chapter 10) provides additional insight into the encoding and decoding process.  

Communicator

The term communicator refers to all of the people in the interaction or speech setting. It is used instead of sender and receiver, because when we are communicating with other people we are not only sending a message, we are receiving messages from others simultaneously. When we speak, we observe others’  nonverbal behavior to see if they understand us and we gauge their emotional state. The information we gain from these observations is known as feedback. Over the telephone, we listen to paralinguistic cues, such as pitch, tone, volume and fillers (i.e., “um,” “uh,” “er,” “like,” and so on). This means that communication is not a one-way process. Even in a public speaking situation, we watch and listen to audience members’ responses. If audience members are interested, agree, and understand us, they may lean forward in their seats, nod their heads, have positive or neutral facial expressions, and provide favorable vocal cues (such as laughter, “That’s right,” “Uh huh,” or “Amen!”). If audience members are bored, disagree, or are confused by our message, they may be texting or looking away from us, shake their heads, have unhappy or confused expressions on their faces, or present oppositional vocal cues (like groans, “I don’t think so,” “That doesn’t make sense,” or “You’re crazy!”). Thus, communication is always a transactional process—a give and take of messages.  

The message involves those verbal and nonverbal behaviors, enacted by communicators, that are interpreted with meaning by others. The verbal portion of the message refers to the words that we speak, while the nonverbal portion includes our tone of voice and other non-vocal components such as personal appearance, posture, gestures and body movements, eye behavior, the way we use space, and even the way that we smell. For instance, the person who gets up to speak wearing a nice suit will be interpreted more positively than a person giving the exact same speech wearing sweats and a graphic t-shirt. Or if a speaker tries to convince others to donate to a charity that builds wells in poor African villages using a monotone voice, she will not be as effective as the speaker who gives the same speech but speaks with a solemn tone of voice. If there is ever a conflict between the verbal and the non-verbal aspects of a message, people will generally believe the nonverbal portion of the message. To test this, tighten your muscles, clench your fists at your sides, pull your eye brows together, purse your lips, and tell someone in a harsh voice, “NO, I’m NOT angry!” See if they believe your words or your nonverbal behavior.

The message can also be intentional or unintentional. When the message is intentional, this means that we have an image in our mind that we wish to communicate to an audience or a person in a conversation, and we can successfully convey the image from our mind to others’ minds with relative accuracy. An unintentional message is sent when the message that we wish to convey is not the same as the message the other person receives. Let’s say you are returning from an outing with your significant other and she or he asks, “Did you have a good time?” You did have a good time but are distracted by a TV commercial when asked, so you reply in a neutral tone, “Sure, I had fun.” Your significant other may interpret your apathetic tone of voice and lack of eye contact to mean that you did not enjoy the evening, when in fact you actually did. Thus as communicators, we cannot always be sure that the message we wish to communicate is interpreted as we intended.

The channel is very simply the means through which the message travels. In face-to-face communication the channel involves all of our senses, so the channel is what we see, hear, touch, smell and perhaps what we taste. When we’re communicating with someone online, the channel is the computer; when texting the channel is the cell phone; and when watching a movie on cable, the channel is the TV. The channel can have a profound impact on the way a message is interpreted. Listening to a recording of a speaker does not have the same psychological impact as listening to the same speech in person or watching that person on television. One famous example of this is the 1960 televised presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. According to History.com (2012), on camera, Nixon looked away from the camera at the reporters asking him questions, he was sweating and pale, he had facial hair stubble, and he wore a grey suit that faded into the set background. “Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley reportedly said [of Nixon], ‘My God, they’ve embalmed him before he even died.” [1] Kennedy, on the other hand, looked into the camera, was tanned, wore a dark suit that made him stand out from the background, and appeared to be calm after spending the entire weekend with aides practicing in a hotel room. Most of those who listened to the radio broadcast of the debate felt that it was a tie or that Nixon had won, while 70% of those watching the televised debate felt that Kennedy was the winner.

“Kennedy Nixon Debate” by United Press International. Public domain.

The next aspect of the model of communication is noise. Noise refers to anything that interferes with message transmission or reception (i.e., getting the image from your head into others’ heads). There are several different types of noise. The first type of noise is physiological noise , and this refers to bodily processes and states that interfere with a message. For instance, if a speaker has a headache or the flu, or if audience members are hot or they’re hungry, these conditions may interfere with message accuracy. The second type of noise is psychological noise. Psychological noise refers to mental states or emotional states that impede message transmission or reception. For example, if someone has just broken up with a significant other, or if they’re worried about their grandmother who is in the hospital, or if they are thinking about their shopping list, this may interfere with communication processes as well. The third type of noise is actual physical noise, and this would be simply the actual sound level in a room. Loud music playing at a party, a number of voices of people talking excitedly, a lawnmower right outside the window, or anything that is overly loud will interfere with communication. The last type of noise is cultural noise. Cultural noise refers to message interference that results from differences in peoples’ worldviews. Worldview is discussed in more detail below, but suffice it to say that the greater the difference in worldview, the more difficult it is to understand one another and communicate effectively.  

“The 2nd most famous face in Pushkar” by Shreyans Bhansali. CC-BY-NC-SA .

Most people don’t give a lot of thought to the communication process. In the majority of our interactions with others, we are operating on automatic pilot. Although the encoding and decoding process may appear to be fairly straightforward, it is actually much more complicated than it seems. The reason for this is because we all have different worldviews. Worldview is the overall framework through which an individual sees, thinks about, and interprets the world and interacts with it. There are five core components to our worldview.

1. Epistemology is the way that we acquire knowledge and/or what counts as knowledge. Think about the process of conducting research. Thirty years ago, to find a series of facts one had to use a card catalogue and scour the library stacks for books. Now researchers can access thousands of pages of information via their computer from the comfort of their own home. Epistemology is linked to public speaking because it governs audience members’ preferred learning styles and who or what they consider to be credible sources.

2. Ontology refers to our belief system, how we see the nature of reality or what we see as true or false. We may (or may not) believe in aliens from outer space, that butter is bad for you, that the Steelers will win the Superbowl, or that humans will be extinct in 200 years. Speech writers should be careful not to presume that audience members share the same beliefs. If a speaker claims that illness can be aided with prayer, but several people in the audience are atheists, at best the speaker has lost credibility and at worst these audience members could be offended.

3. Axiology represents our value system, or what we see as right or wrong, good or bad, and fair or unfair. One of the ways that you can tell what people value is to ask them what their goals are, or to ask them what qualities they look for in a life partner. Our values represent the things that we hope for—they do not represent reality. Values can have an impact on multiple levels of the public speaking process, but in particular values impact speaker credibility and effectiveness in persuasion. For instance, some cultures value modest dress in women, so a female speaker wearing a sleeveless blouse while speaking could cause her to lose credibility with some audience members. Or if audience members value the freedom to bear arms over the benefits of government regulation, a speaker will have a difficult time convincing these audience members to vote for stricter gun control legislation.

4. Cosmology signifies the way that we see our relationship to the universe and to other people. Cosmology dictates our view of power relationships and may involve our religious or spiritual beliefs. Controversial speech topics (like universal health care and the death penalty) are often related to this aspect of worldview as we must consider our responsibilities to other human beings and our power to influence them. Interestingly, cosmology would also play a role in such logistical points as who is allowed to speak, the order of speakers on a schedule (e.g., from most to least important), the amount of time a speaker has to speak, the seating arrangement on the dais, and who gets the front seats in the audience.

“NFL Superfans” by HMJD02. CC-BY-SA .

5. Praxeology denotes our preferred method of completing everyday tasks or our approach to solving problems. Some speech writers may begin working on their outlines as soon as they know they will need to give a speech, while others may wait until a few days before their speech to begin preparing (we do not recommend this approach). Praxeology may also have an impact on a speaker’s preference of delivery style, methods of arranging main points, and choice of slideware (i.e., Power Point versus Prezi).

It is always good to explore the stuff you don’t agree with, to try and understand a different lifestyle or foreign worldview. I like to be challenged in that way, and always end up learning something I didn’t know. – Laura Linney

It is important to understand worldview because it has a profound impact on the encoding and decoding process, and consequently on our ability to be understood by others. Try this simple experiment. Ask two or three people to silently imagine a dog while you imagine a dog at the same time. “Dog” is a very concrete word (a word that describes a tangible object that can be perceived through the senses), and it is one of the first words children in the United States learn in school. Wait a few seconds and then ask each person what type of dog they were thinking of. Was it a Chihuahua? A greyhound? Golden retriever? Rottweiler? Or some other dog? Most likely each person you asked had a different image in his or her mind than you had in yours. This is our worldview at work.

“Lasagna” by David K. CC-BY-SA .

To further illustrate, you may tell a co-worker, “I can’t wait to go home this weekend—we are having lasagna!” Seems like a fairly clear-cut statement, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it is not. While “lasagna” is also a concrete word, our worldviews cause us to interpret each word in the statement differently. Where is “home?” Who is making the meal? What ingredients will be used in the lasagna? Is this dish eaten as a regular meal or for a special occasion? Will there be leftovers? Are friends invited? Since everyone who has eaten lasagna has had a different experience of the cuisine, we all acquire a different image in our mind when we hear the statement “…we are having lasagna!”

Complicating matters is the fact that the more abstract the word becomes, the more room there is for interpretation. Abstract words (words that refer to ideas or concepts that are removed from material reality) like “peace,” “love,” “immoral,” “justice,” “freedom,” “success,” and “honor” can have a number of different meanings; each of which is predicated on one’s worldview. Communicators have their own unique worldviews that shape both the encoding and decoding processes, which means that we can never be completely understood by another person. People from the Midwest may call carbonated beverages “pop,” while those from the East Coast may say “soda,” and those from Georgia may say “coke.” Even when simple terms are used like “oak tree” or “fire hydrant,” each listener will form a different mental image when decoding the message. Never take communication for granted, and never assume your listener will understand you. It takes hard work to make yourself understood by an audience.

Context is worth 80 IQ points.- Alan Kay

“Talking technique” by The U.S. Army. CC-BY .

The last element of the communication process is the context in which the speech or interaction takes place. In the 1980’s context was taught as the actual physical setting where communication occurred, such as in a place of worship, an apartment, a workplace, a noisy restaurant, or a grocery store. People communicate differently in each one of these places as there are unwritten rules of communication (called norms ) that govern these settings. More recently the concept of context has evolved and expanded to include the type of relationships we have with others and the communicative rules that govern those relationships. So you do not speak the same way to your best friend as you do to a small child, your parent, your boss, your doctor or a police officer. And you may speak to your best friend differently in your apartment than you do in your parents’ home, and your communication may also change when you are both out with friends on the weekend. In sum, the context refers to the norms that govern communication in different situations and relationships.

• History.com. (2012). The Kennedy-Nixon Debates. History.com. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/kennedy-nixon-debates ↵
• Chapter 1 Elements of the Communication Process. Authored by : Lisa Schreiber, Ph.D. and Morgan Hartranft. Provided by : Millersville University, Millersville, PA. Located at : http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html . Project : The Public Speaking Project. License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
• the 2nd most famous face in Pushkar. Authored by : Shreyans Bhansali. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/7mWPS6 . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• lasagna. Authored by : David K. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/9fmq9J . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• NFL Superfans. Authored by : HMJD02. Located at : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NFL_Superfans.jpg . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• The U.S. Army - Talking technique. Provided by : The U.S. Army. Located at : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_The_U.S._Army_-_Talking_technique.jpg . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Kennedy Nixon Debat 1960. Authored by : United Press International. Provided by : Wikimedia Commons. Located at : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kennedy_Nixon_Debat_(1960).jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright

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Types of Speech Context | Oral Communication in Context

Every day we deal with various kinds of conversations. Many of us wake up checking our phones if there are new messages in chat groups and email apps. Some have the confidence to take photos of themselves and posting them on their Facebook or Instagram accounts with the caption “Woke up like this” which surely gain reacts and comments from their friends. I bet many of us look in the mirror when we leave our bed and check our faces. If you are living with your family, mornings are filled with greetings and talks about food and activities for the day. When eating breakfast, some prefer to watch the morning news program while chewing the sumptuous meal.

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During the pre- pandemic time, you engage with your classmates in group works and reporting. You answer your teacher’s questions and you inquire for the things unclear to you. During break time, you exchange stories with your friends while enjoying your snacks. In eight hours you stay in the school, you communicate multiple times with various people. When you home, you talk with your family and narrate what happened the whole day. Before sleeping, some of you have activities like writing a diary, meditation or prayer, writing to-do list and the like.

Now that we are in the pandemic, physical interaction became limited. We miss going out with our friends and relatives and share moments with them. Good thing that there are social media platforms we use to reach out and enjoy things even we are confined to our houses. With the advancement of technology, we can connect to thousands of people wherever we are and in real time. Thus, communication is diverse in terms of the situations or environment we are in. This is speech context comes in.

Speech context is about the environment where the communication happens and how the message is relayed during the process. By knowing the speech context of a conversation, we can easily understand the message and we can make feedback clearly and appropriately.

There are four types of speech context: intrapersonal, interpersonal, public, and mass communication.

Intrapersonal - this communication happens within oneself. This means that the speaker acts as the source and the receiver of the message. When you do self- reflection, you analyze your thoughts and feelings. By knowing what you feel, you can assess yourself on how to react on it.

When you are asked what degree program you want to pursue in the college, you think of your interests and talents, and your strengths and weaknesses before answering.

You make yourself calm after realizing that you lost the food container while you are on your way back home.

Interpersonal - this communication involves two or more people. The conversation can be formal or informal, intimate or casual depending on the relationship people involved have.

There are two types of interpersonal communication: dyad and small group.

Dyad communication - two people are involved in this communication.

You talked to your mother that you need an illustration board for your activity tomorrow.

Your doctor asks about what you want to consult it.

Small group - three but not more than twelve people are part of the conversation. This type of communication is present during brainstorming or collaborating with other people.

Your group is pitching ideas for the research title to be presented.

Your father told the whole family that the trip to Hundred Islands will not push through because of the tropical depression.

Public - in this type of communication, you can deliver a message to bigger number people in a venue. When someone is giving a message to the public, he/ she usually inform or persuade people.

You express your message of thanks during the commencement exercises in the school.

A candidate tells his/ her platform in a grand rally.

Mass communication - this communication has television, social media, newspaper, magazines, and the like as channels. This type of communication reaches millions of people.

A weather forecaster informs the audiences about the location of the typhoon.

A blog entry about the Tondol White Sand Beach became trending on social media.

Now that you learned about the different types of speech context, it is time to take this short test to know how much you learned from this lesson.

Direction: Identify the type of speech context in the following situations.

• The town doctor does a live broadcast on Facebook about the latest COVID-19 update.
• Your parents are talking about the monthly bills.
• A pastor gives his sermon to the attendees.
• You exclaimed “I can do this” before your turn to sing on the stage.
• DepEd TV airs TV lesson.

Sources: 

Domingo, M. & Liboon, K. (2020). Oral communication in context quarter 1- module 5: types of speech context . Department of Education- Region IV-A CALABARZON: Rizal

Sipacio, P. J. & Balgos, A. R. (2016). Oral communication in context for senior high school . C & E Publishing, Inc.: Quezon City

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