The New International Webster's Pocket Grammar, Speech & Style Dictionary of the English Language [antikvár]

! I INTRCMXJCTiaS Fbr real communication to take place two or more pe(^le must, for a time at least, share some portion of themselves with another. It is irrelevant whether the sharing is intellectual or personal and whether the communication is unspoken, spdcen, or written. Communication is more than a two-way street: it is a meetii^ of minds. Whether listeners and readers agree or disagree vehemently with another person's statements, an interactH>n takes place, or there has been no communication. Effective speakers often ask their audiences to partkipate in some way; a sp^er may request a show of hands or a verbal response. An audience may spontaneously commu-nkate its amusement, restlessness, or appreciation laughter, coughs and noisy movement, or applause. Even written communication—by necessity a rather solitary activity—implies involvement of at least one other human being whose comprehension of what has been written is necessary for communication to take place. For the reader to singly see words is not sufficient: that person must understand what has been written. The word communication is derived from the Latin word com-municare, which means to impart or participate. It is the participation inched in the origin of this word that holds the key to success for ai^one who would communicate by whatever means. No one ever communicates pei^tly—as anyone who has ever played the children's game known in some areas as "gossip" or "teleiAone" knows all too well. But, to the degree that the meaning received matches the meaning intended by the sender, communication does take place. In academic settings, the efficacy of communication between instructor and student is put to the test, literally and frequently. Conmiunication skills are also tested daily in the workplace and in the home. In the workplace, letters, memos, and reports must express clearly the thoughts and facts each writer is seeking to communicate regardless of whether the writer is employer or en^loyee. Failure to do so can harm one's career and drastically affect the size of one's bank account. Equally inçortant are the unwritten forms of communication. The salesperson's success depends on his or her ability to hear what the