The Evolution of Communication
"I am sick and tired of my phone r-ringing," - Lady GaGa
What is Communication?
Communication is commonly defined as the ways human beings convey meaning and knowledge through symbolic interaction. There are two main forms of communication, Verbal, and Non-Verbal. Verbal meaning through spoken or written words, and non-verbal meaning through gestures or body language.
What's that sound?
Some of the earliest forms of non-verbal communication took place using intricate drumming patterns or smoke signals to convey messages between tribes. These were quick methods to disperse information without the accessibility of a spoken or written language.
Storytime!
Before written languages were perfected, traditions and stories were passed down orally from person to person. Every member of a community or family had to do their own part to keep their history alive without the convenience of preservable and copy-able written documents. The first English alphabet was created sometime around 1700 BC.
Hello? Who is this?
In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, revolutionizing the way human beings communicate forever. Combined with the invention of the computer in 1951 and the internet in 1973, we now have the ability to produce and own smartphones.
Citations
African Drum 1. Digital image. WP Clipart. WPClipart, n.d. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://www.wpclipart.com/music/instruments/percussion/african_drum_1.jpg>.
Washington Family. Digital image. WP Clipart. WPClipart, n.d. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://www.wpclipart.com/American_History/revolution/George_Washington/Washington_2/Washington_family.jpg>.