Defining Communication: From Commonness to Social Process

What does it truly mean to communicate? At its core, communication is about creating something shared between people. Before diving into complex theories and academic definitions, understanding the word’s origin helps us grasp why communication matters so deeply in social work and human relationships.

Where the word communication comes from 🔗

The term “communication” traces back to the Latin word communis, meaning “common” or “shared by all”. This etymological root reveals something profound about the nature of communication itself. The word evolved from the Latin verb communicare, which means “to make common” or “to share.” This wasn’t just about transmitting messages-it was about creating commonality, establishing shared understanding between individuals.

When we communicate, we’re doing more than sending information from one person to another. We’re actively working to establish a common ground of meaning and experience. This historical understanding becomes especially important in social work, where building shared understanding with clients, communities, and colleagues forms the foundation of effective practice.

What dictionaries tell us about communication 🔗

Standard dictionaries offer practical definitions that help us understand communication in everyday terms. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines communication as “the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information”. This definition emphasizes the active nature of communication and its role in sharing both factual information and emotional content.

Similarly, Merriam-Webster describes communication as “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behavior to express or exchange information or to express thoughts, feelings, etc., to another person”. Notice how both definitions highlight exchange and mutuality. Communication isn’t a one-way street-it involves giving and receiving, speaking and listening, sharing and understanding.

These dictionary definitions serve as practical starting points, but scholars have developed more nuanced understandings that reveal communication’s role in shaping social relationships and communities.

Communication as a process that increases commonality 🔗

Denis McQuail, one of the most influential communication theorists of the 20th century, offered a particularly insightful perspective. He defined communication as “a process which increases commonality” while also requiring some common ground to begin with. This definition connects directly back to the Latin roots we discussed earlier.

McQuail’s framework helps us understand communication as fundamentally social. It’s not just about transmitting messages through technical channels-it’s about people interacting through meaningful exchanges that build shared understanding. For social workers, this perspective is invaluable. When working with diverse communities or supporting individuals in crisis, recognizing that communication requires and creates common ground helps practitioners approach conversations more thoughtfully.

This view challenges us to think about what commonality we share with those we communicate with. Do we share language? Cultural references? Lived experiences? Understanding these shared foundations helps social workers bridge differences and build stronger connections with the people they serve.

The social nature of communication 🔗

When we view communication as a social process rather than a mechanical transmission of data, we recognize its power to shape communities and relationships. Every conversation, every message, every gesture contributes to building or breaking down the social bonds that hold groups together. This understanding transforms how social workers approach their daily interactions-each communication becomes an opportunity to strengthen understanding and trust.

From broad concepts to specific signs 🔗

Charles Morris, an American philosopher and semiotician, contributed influential definitions that show communication’s range. He offered both a broad definition of communication as “the establishment of a commonage” and a narrower one as “the use of signs to establish a commonage of signification.”

The broad definition emphasizes the fundamental goal-creating something held in common between people. The narrower definition gets more specific about how this happens: through signs and symbols that carry meaning. These signs can be words, gestures, images, sounds, or any other element that conveys significance from one person to another.

Morris’s work in semiotics-the study of signs and symbols-helps us understand how meaning gets constructed and shared. In social work practice, this awareness matters tremendously. Practitioners must recognize that communication involves not just what is explicitly said, but also the symbols, gestures, and cultural codes that shape how messages are understood.

Why signs and symbols matter 🔗

Think about a simple nod of the head. In many cultures, it signals agreement or acknowledgment. But this same gesture can mean something entirely different in other cultural contexts. Social workers operating across diverse communities need to understand that the signs and symbols they use-and those used by others-carry culturally specific meanings. Effective communication requires awareness of these symbolic systems and how they shape understanding.

Communication as the essential human connection 🔗

Ashley Montagu and Floyd Matson brought a deeply humanistic perspective to understanding communication. In their influential work “The Human Connection,” they argued that communication is more than symbols and messages-it is “the essential human connection” that serves as “the ground of meeting and the foundation of community”.

This perspective moves beyond technical definitions to emphasize communication’s role in making us truly human. Montagu and Matson recognized that we communicate through countless means-not just words and formal language, but through touch, expression, movement, and presence. All these forms of communication work together to create the bonds that unite people into communities.

For social work professionals, this understanding is transformative. It reminds us that effective practice isn’t just about mastering interview techniques or communication skills in a narrow sense. It’s about showing up fully as human beings, connecting authentically with others, and recognizing that every interaction either strengthens or weakens the human bonds that support individual and community wellbeing.

The foundation of community 🔗

When Montagu and Matson describe communication as the foundation of community, they’re pointing to something vital. Communities don’t exist simply because people live near each other. They exist because people communicate-sharing beliefs, activities, concerns, and connections. Without communication, there can be no true community, only isolated individuals.

This insight has practical implications for community organization work. Building strong communities requires fostering rich, multidirectional communication where all voices can be heard and where shared meaning can emerge. Social workers facilitating community development must create spaces and processes that enable this kind of deep, connecting communication.

Why these definitions matter for social work 🔗

Understanding communication as fundamentally about creating commonality, establishing shared meaning, and building human connection transforms how social workers approach their practice. Rather than viewing communication as a technical skill to master, these definitions reveal it as the very substance of social work itself.

When meeting with a client, conducting a community assessment, or collaborating with colleagues, social workers are always engaged in the work of establishing commonality and strengthening human connection. Recognizing this helps practitioners bring greater intentionality and care to every interaction.

The various definitions we’ve explored-from etymological roots to scholarly frameworks-all point toward the same truth: communication creates the common ground on which all social work happens. It’s not just what social workers do; it’s the medium through which change, healing, and empowerment become possible.

What do you think? How might viewing communication as a process of creating commonality change the way you approach conversations in your own life or work? What shared foundations do you need to establish before meaningful communication can occur with the communities you serve?

References

1. https://www.etymonline.com/word/communication
2. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/communication
3. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication
4. https://testbook.com/question-answer/denis-mcquail-defines-communicationas-lsquo–5f8ac473e834e2f7f87cc759
5. https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17383/1/Unit-2.pdf
6. https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Human_Connection.html?id=g2UoAAAAMAAJ