Symbolic Communication and Language

Language is a communication system comprising grammar, sounds, letters, and symbols. Language plays a critical role in enhancing communication and relationships. However, culture, social structure, and social interactions shape communication as people use symbols and language to express their thoughts and feelings.

Symbols and language are crucial in society to enhance communication. Communities create and communicate their traditions and values through symbols. Symbols and language could also identify individuals belonging to a particular culture, helping people comprehend the world around them and embrace diversity (Keblusek et al., 2017). Also, social relationships and structure help in shaping communication as people in different areas such as family settings, workplaces, and markets, among others, use different types of communication to express their thoughts and feelings, which helps in enhancing their self-esteem, confidence, cooperation, and reduce cases of anxiety and stress (Keblusek et al., 2017). Furthermore, social structures such as family, education, economy, social class, religion, and workplace shape communication by guiding how people should communicate and behave in different locations and situations, creating different attitudes and perceptions. It also creates order in communication and predictability of one's reaction toward a particular behavior or attitude (Keblusek et al., 2017). In addition, interactions help in enhancing one's mental health as people find comfort in communicating their needs and worries to people they can trust. Thus, symbols and language play a critical role in enhancing communication which is further shaped by social interactions and structures by guiding how people should behave or talk on different occasions and locations.

Language is a communication system comprising grammar, sounds, letters, and symbols. Language and symbols play a critical role in establishing traditions and cultural systems in society. However, social relationships and social structures shape communication.

References

Keblusek, L., Giles, H., & Maass, A. (2017). Communication and Group Life: How Language and symbols shape intergroup relations. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 20(5), 632–643. doi.org/10.1177/1368430217708864