Communication through the years
The evolution of communication
Non-verbal Communication
At the very beginning, communication was non-verbal. In order to communicate with each other, people would send signals through instruments, such as drums, and smoke. Different patterns in the drums and the smoke would convey different messages and represent different things, such as what we would call "home".
patrisyu. Djembe. Digital Image. Free Digital Photos. 05 February 2014. 6 July 2014.
Verbal Storytelling
Once human-beings developed the ability to speak, they began to communicate facts and stories through verbal storytelling. It allowed them to pass information, articulate their feelings, and communicate better with their families. Verbal speech was a turning point in the communication of human beings.
stockimages. Two Girls Sharing Their Secrets.Digital Image. Free Digital Photos. 15 July 2013. 5 July 2014.
Symbolic Communication
This was the first form of documenting information. Verbal speech at the time was far from perfect, so creating symbols to represent different words and items allowing for communication to improve and last longer. Symbolic communication evolved from cave drawings to petroglyphs to pictograms to ideograms and would eventually lead to the written word.
Rawich. Ancient Painting. Digital Image. Free Digital Photos. 11 January 2011. 5 July 2014.
Written Communication
Writing first appeared around 2700 BC. It consisted of letters and words. With the creation of the alphabet, the printing press, the typewriter, and the computer, communication continued to make huge strides. People were able to communicate better and better and the longevity of information and stories has increased exponentially.
Ambro. Teenage Students Discussing. Digital Image. Free Digital Photos. 26 September 2012. 6 July 2014.