VERBAL AND NONVERBAL ASPECTS IN COMMUNICATION RHETORIC
Rhetoric is a form of public communication, because the speaker or person speaking is
speaking before the public1, in this communication it is necessary to develop principles from
verbal and nonverbal aspects, because the speaker will be more required to make personal
meaning into shared meaning.
Verbal and nonverbal communication is a unity that cannot be separated, in a sense. the two
languages work together.2
As previously studied, verbal is when messages are conveyed using words, or
sentences. While nonverbal, namely messages conveyed using body language or gestures. Both
are associated with verbal, vocal, and visual which will be discussed in detail below.
A. Verbal Communication Principles
The communication process includes the delivery of messages from one person's
nervous system to another person's nervous system, with the intention of producing a meaning
similar to what the sender thought. Verbal messages do this with words, which are the basis of
language, and words are, of course, verbal symbols.3
There are several principles in verbal communication that must be considered by
communicators:
a. Interpretation creates meaning
The ability of humans to create symbols proves that humans already have a high culture in
communicating, starting from simple symbols to modified symbols.4
b. Communication is rule guided
- Verbal communication is patterned with rules that are not spoken but are understood
with a broad meaning, such as personal meaning and shared meaning. In our personal
1
Sunarto AS,da'wah rhetoric,(Surabaya: JAUDAR PRESS, 2014), hlm. 20
2
Urged Putu Yuli Kurniati,Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Module,UNUD, p. 8
3
Deddy Mulyana, Human Communication, (Bandung: PT Juvenile Rosdakarya, 2008), p. 72
4
Hafied Cangara, Introduction to Communication Studies,(Jakarta: PT RAJAGRAFINDO PERSADA, 2006), p. 94
, meaning, we can use language specifically, give it whatever meaning we want, and the
specific language we use applies.5
- As for shared meaning, if we give a special meaning to a word, we realize that we can use
it to communicate with someone only if we tell that person the reference to that word.6
c. Emphasis affects meaning
- We emphasize communication to create meaning.
- When writing, we use periods to describe where ideas stop and begin.7
B. Principles of Nonverbal Communication
To understand more deeply nonverbal communication, of course, you must know how
nonverbal communication occurs. Therefore, according to Julia T. Wood there are 5 principles of
nonverbal communication in her bookCommunication Mosaics: An Introduction to the Field of
Communication - Kindle.
1. Nonverbal communication is ambiguous
Like verbal communication, nonverbal communication is ambiguous. Not all humans can
understand what other people convey through their nonverbal behavior. The attention of
experts studying nonverbal language has been estimated since 1873, especially with the
emergence of Charles Darwin's writings on the language of human facial expressions.8
2. Interaction of nonverbal communication with verbal communication
Communication researchers identify 5 ways nonverbal behavior interacts with verbal
communication (Andersen, 1999; Guerrero & Floyd, 2006).
First, nonverbal behavior may repeat verbal messages, for example when we say "yes"
then when we nod our heads.9
5
Deddy Mulyana, Human Communication, (Bandung: PT Juvenile Rosdakarya, 2008), p. 78
6
Ibid, hlm. 78
7
Urged Putu Yuli Kurniati,Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Module,
(https://simdos.unud.ac.id/uploads/file_pendidikan_dir/), hlm. 3
8
Deddy Mulyana, Human Communication, (Bandung: PT Juvenile Rosdakarya, 2008), p. 99
9
Hafied Cangara, Introduction to Communication Studies,(Jakarta: PT RAJAGRAFINDO PERSADA, 2006), p. 95
Rhetoric is a form of public communication, because the speaker or person speaking is
speaking before the public1, in this communication it is necessary to develop principles from
verbal and nonverbal aspects, because the speaker will be more required to make personal
meaning into shared meaning.
Verbal and nonverbal communication is a unity that cannot be separated, in a sense. the two
languages work together.2
As previously studied, verbal is when messages are conveyed using words, or
sentences. While nonverbal, namely messages conveyed using body language or gestures. Both
are associated with verbal, vocal, and visual which will be discussed in detail below.
A. Verbal Communication Principles
The communication process includes the delivery of messages from one person's
nervous system to another person's nervous system, with the intention of producing a meaning
similar to what the sender thought. Verbal messages do this with words, which are the basis of
language, and words are, of course, verbal symbols.3
There are several principles in verbal communication that must be considered by
communicators:
a. Interpretation creates meaning
The ability of humans to create symbols proves that humans already have a high culture in
communicating, starting from simple symbols to modified symbols.4
b. Communication is rule guided
- Verbal communication is patterned with rules that are not spoken but are understood
with a broad meaning, such as personal meaning and shared meaning. In our personal
1
Sunarto AS,da'wah rhetoric,(Surabaya: JAUDAR PRESS, 2014), hlm. 20
2
Urged Putu Yuli Kurniati,Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Module,UNUD, p. 8
3
Deddy Mulyana, Human Communication, (Bandung: PT Juvenile Rosdakarya, 2008), p. 72
4
Hafied Cangara, Introduction to Communication Studies,(Jakarta: PT RAJAGRAFINDO PERSADA, 2006), p. 94
, meaning, we can use language specifically, give it whatever meaning we want, and the
specific language we use applies.5
- As for shared meaning, if we give a special meaning to a word, we realize that we can use
it to communicate with someone only if we tell that person the reference to that word.6
c. Emphasis affects meaning
- We emphasize communication to create meaning.
- When writing, we use periods to describe where ideas stop and begin.7
B. Principles of Nonverbal Communication
To understand more deeply nonverbal communication, of course, you must know how
nonverbal communication occurs. Therefore, according to Julia T. Wood there are 5 principles of
nonverbal communication in her bookCommunication Mosaics: An Introduction to the Field of
Communication - Kindle.
1. Nonverbal communication is ambiguous
Like verbal communication, nonverbal communication is ambiguous. Not all humans can
understand what other people convey through their nonverbal behavior. The attention of
experts studying nonverbal language has been estimated since 1873, especially with the
emergence of Charles Darwin's writings on the language of human facial expressions.8
2. Interaction of nonverbal communication with verbal communication
Communication researchers identify 5 ways nonverbal behavior interacts with verbal
communication (Andersen, 1999; Guerrero & Floyd, 2006).
First, nonverbal behavior may repeat verbal messages, for example when we say "yes"
then when we nod our heads.9
5
Deddy Mulyana, Human Communication, (Bandung: PT Juvenile Rosdakarya, 2008), p. 78
6
Ibid, hlm. 78
7
Urged Putu Yuli Kurniati,Verbal and Non Verbal Communication Module,
(https://simdos.unud.ac.id/uploads/file_pendidikan_dir/), hlm. 3
8
Deddy Mulyana, Human Communication, (Bandung: PT Juvenile Rosdakarya, 2008), p. 99
9
Hafied Cangara, Introduction to Communication Studies,(Jakarta: PT RAJAGRAFINDO PERSADA, 2006), p. 95
