The Communication Process and Language Functions by Faoposiciones

0. INTRODUCTION AND JUSTIFICATION

Communication between humans is an extremely complex phenomenon, with many variables - the participants, context, purpose and channel are some of the factors that are present in a communicative act. Whenever communication takes place, there is a speaker (or writer) and a listener (or reader) who has a communicative purpose: having a conversation, giving information, greeting someone, etc .; and they will use a medium (channel) for doing so: a letter, face to face, telephone, and so on.

Learning a foreign language involves mastering both "competence" and "performance" from linguistic and communicative perspectives. Chomsky's distinction between linguistic competence (knowledge of grammar rules) and linguistic performance (actual language use) highlights this process, as he analyzed in his work Aspects of the Theory of Syntax (1965:3). However, Dell Hymes (1972) expanded on this by introducing "communicative competence," which includes understanding not only grammatical rules but also the social rules of language use.

In this topic, a survey of communication and its components is proposed, especially in relation to language and its use in communication. As language is always used in a context, it is not only our means for thought, but a tool for doing, for acting on the world. Language is functional, and for that reason our second section will deal with the functions of language and will briefly analyze the major proposals in the history of linguistics. Thirdly, we will offer different approaches to the concept of language in use, which can be focused under different perspectives, but always taking into account the almost centenary distinction between langue and parole. Finally, since pragmatic meaning is firmly linked to the communicative situation, a reflection on the negotiation of meaning and its relevant factors will try to account for the difficulties on conveying a univocal meaning despite the efficiency of our natural languages.

Our current Educational System has incorporated this functional and communicative potential of language in its objectives and methodology. The ultimate goal is the development of the students' communicative competence. The communicative competence not only refers to the ability to use the language, but also to aspects related to the communicative context. The social dimension of language is also taken into consideration. Aligned with the Andalusian legislation in Secondary Education (Decree 102/23 and Order 30 May, 2023) and Upper Secondary Education (Decree 103/23 and Order 30 May, 2023) which underscores the importance of providing inclusive, quality education that empowers students to reach their full potential, the topic of developing the communicative competence of our students holds paramount significance. By placing students at the heart of the learning process, educators in Andalusia aim to cultivate a supportive and engaging environment in the classroom where every learner can thrive. We will also consider the educational directives outlined in the LOMLOE, which amends the LOE (LEA), as well as the pedagogical principles set in Article 6 of RD 217/22 and RD 243/22.

1. THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

1.1 LANGUAGE AS COMMUNICATION

Language is a crucial tool for human communication in their daily interactions. According to Roman Jakobson in (Chandler, 2007, p.5) language is central and most important among all human semiotic systems. Language is created by human civilization in a row with the development of culture, thought, and also technology. It is one of the most important things in human life because humans are social beings, humans cannot live without having an interaction with other living things.

Language becomes a medium for the human to communicate with each other. Through this communication, either they try to deliver a message or get the message, language is one of the tools to utter it.

Language is a complicated phenomenon that can be studied from many points of view (Shaumyan, 1987, p.1). Language is also the object of linguistics study. It is focused on the main point of language itself as it is applied to natural languages. According to Lanigan (2010, p.186), linguistics is the scientific study of language itself. Linguistics has so many branches under its scope. It is divided into two sides, the first one is theoretical linguistics. There are phonology, morphology, semantics, pragmatics, syntax, discourse analysis, semiotics, and so on. On the other hand, there are applied linguistics, for instance; sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, historical linguistics, and etcetera.

Saussure, one of the most influential linguists, proposes that language is a system comparable to alphabets, writing, symbolic rites, military signals and so on. According to him, the life of signs can be learned inside the social and general psychology framework (Noth, 1990, p.6). He also said that even though it had a right to exist, such a science did not exist as yet. Through this definition, language is basically a symbolic system, and semiotics is the study of sign which is one of the linguistic branches. That is why language is very close to semiotics and very interesting to be known deeply.

To summarize, language is a patterned system of arbitrary sound signals characterized by displacement, duality, creativity, cultural transmission and structure dependence. AII these features show that acquiring a language is a complicated process which is unconscious and effortless when children learn their mother language, but conscious and difficult when learning a foreign one.

1.2 DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION

Communication is a complex phenomenon which is mainly carried out through language in humans, but that is also present in the animal world, as research on communication on marine animaIs has proved in the case of dolphins. Moreover, not all forms of human communication are by means of language, and many meanings can be conveyed by non-verbal language or by icons or symbols, especially in contemporary society. Therefore, a brief survey on the communication process must not refer exclusively to language, but to all the factors involved in the process.

In an attempt to describe all kinds of communication, Richards and Rodgers (2001) defined communication as taking place when one mind so acts upon its environment that another mind is influenced, and in that other mind an experience occurs which is like the experience in the first mind, and it is caused in part by that experience. Despite Richards's definition is ambiguous and too general, it has the virtue of not limiting the notion of communication to a linguistic act.

Lewandowski defines communication as «interpersonal understanding, intentional participation or information sharing by means of signaIs, sign systems, and above all through language».

In another attempt to provide a general definition of the phenomenon of communication, we may describe it as the intentional transmission of information by means of any established system of signs. In the theory, what the sender communicates and what the receiver understands is supposedly similar. In fact, there are many cases of misunderstandings that must be solved out by using alternative signals - in language, by means of rephrasing or negotiation of meaning strategies. This situation is especially important in the field of language learning, where the different interlanguages possessed by learners may vary, though they are not unique.

Focusing on human communication, in what has already become a classical definition, Halliday (1973) defined communication as «the exchange and negotiation of information between at least two individuals through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, oral and written, and production and comprehension processes.» In a similar sense, Canale (1980) defined communication as «the exchange and negotiation of information between at least two individuals through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, oral and written/visual modes, and production and comprehension processes». Through the use of negotiation, and with the mutual cooperation of both addresser and addressee - for example, by following interactional rules such as those established by Grice's Cooperative Principle - authentic communication can be achieved in what has been considered by some scholars as a reduction of uncertainty on behalf of the participants: from a possible range of topics and meanings, both participants reduce the possibilities until a certain set of meanings is conveyed.

1.3 TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

The phenomenon of communication is one of the main issues within the field of Semiotics, which investigates the structure of all possible sign systems, and the role they play in the way we create and perceive patterns (meaning) in socio-cultural behaviour.

Communication can be categorized into several types based on various factors such as the nature of the message, the channels used, the participants involved, and the purpose of communication. Here are some common types of communication:

1. Verbal Communication: . Verbal communication involves using spoken or written words to convey a message. . It includes face-to-face conversations, phone calls, video calls, speeches, presentations, and written text such as emails, letters, and memos.
2. Nonverbal Communication: . Nonverbal communication involves conveying messages without using spoken or written words. · It includes body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, eye contact, and tone of voice.
3. Written Communication: · Written communication involves conveying messages through written words.