Importance of language in communication - Essay Example

Your full December 11, Importance of Language in Communication Deborah Tannen talks about howmen and women complain about lack of communication with their spouses, and how this affects their marital bonds. Women think that men are not good listeners, because they do not look into the eyes; they keep switching the topics; they are silent listeners; and thus, they do not try to understand women’s feelings. However, men grow up with the habit of being bossy. They do things rather than sitting down to listen.

They are actually listening hard in their own way. Men also have complaints against their wives. Hence, cross-cultural understanding must be fostered within families. Language plays a main role in communication. To eliminate ethnic conflicts, it is important to understand the importance of language in communication. For me, communication does not only involve what we say, but also how we say it. Once, my mother hired a maid, who was from some other ethnic background. Although she understood English, and spoke a little too, we had to adjust our verbal, vocal, and body language, in order for her to understand what we told her to do.

We had to choose words that she understood. We had to adjust the pitch, articulation, and resonance of our tone, which suited the level she was at. We also had to adopt some body language, like we had to use hand gestures for the maid to better understand what we said. This way, she understood us better, and we succeeded in overcoming the language barrier in communication. Works CitedTannen, Deborah. Sex, Lies and Conversation; Why Is It So Hard for Men and Women to Talk to Each Other? The Washington Post, 1990. Web. 11 Dec 2012. .