Communicative Strategy

Since engaging in conversation is also bound by implicit rules, Cohen (1990) states that
strategies must be used to start and maintain a conversation. Knowing and applying grammar
appropriately is one of the most basic strategies to maintain a conversation. The following are some
strategies that people use when communicating.

1. Nomination

A speaker carries out nomination to collaboratively and productively establish a topic. Basically, when
you employ this strategy, you try to open a topic with the people you are talking to. When beginning a
topic in a conversation, especially if it does not arise from a previous topic, you may start off with news
inquiries and news announcements as they promise extended talk. Most importantly, keep the
conversational environment open for opinions until the prior topic shuts down easily and initiates a
smooth end. This could efficiently signal the beginning of a new topic in the conversation.

2. Restriction.

Restriction in communication refers to any limitation you may have as a speaker. When communicating
in the classroom, in a meeting, or while hanging out with your friends, you are typically given specific
instructions that you must follow. These instructions confine you as a speaker and limit what you can
say.

For example, in your class, you might be asked by your teacher to brainstorm on peer pressure or
deliver a speech on digital natives. In these cases, you cannot decide to talk about something else. On
the other hand, conversing with your friends during ordinary days can be far more casual than these
examples. Just the same, remember to always be on point and avoid sideswiping from the topic during
the conversation to avoid communication breakdown.

3. Turn-taking

Sometimes people are given unequal opportunities to talk because others take much time during the
conversation. Turn-taking pertains to the process by which people decide who takes the conversational
floor. There is a code of behavior behind establishing and sustaining a productive conversation, but the
primary idea is to give all communicators a chance to speak.

Remember to keep your words relevant and reasonably short enough to express your views or feelings.
Try to be polite even if you are trying to take the floor from another speaker. Do not hog the
conversation and talk incessantly without letting the other party air out their own ideas. To acknowledge
others, you may employ visual signals like a nod, a look, or a step back, and you could accompany these
signals with spoken cues such as “What do you think?” or “You wanted to say something?”

4. Topic Control

Topic control covers how procedural formality or informality affects the development of topic in
conversations. For example, in meetings, you may only have a turn to speak after the chairperson directs
you to do so. Contrast this with a casual conversation with friends over lunch or coffee where you may
take the conversational floor anytime.
Remember that regardless of the formality of the context, topic control is achieved cooperatively. This
only means that when a topic is initiated, it should be collectively developed by avoiding unnecessary
interruptions and topic shifts. You can make yourself actively involved in the conversation without overly
dominating it by using minimal responses like “Yes,” “Okay,” “Go on”; asking tag questions to clarify
information briefly like “You are excited, aren’t you?”, “It was unexpected, wasn’t it?”; and even by
laughing!

5. Topic Shifting

Topic shifting, as the name suggests, involves moving from one topic to another. In other words, it is
where one part of a conversation ends and where another begins. When shifting from one topic to
another, you have to be very intuitive. Make sure that the previous topic was nurtured enough to
generate adequate views. You may also use effective conversational transitions to indicate a shift like
“By the way,” “In addition to what you said,” “Which reminds me of,” and the like.

6. Repair

Repair refers to how speakers address the problems in speaking, listening, and comprehending that they
may encounter in a conversation. For example, if everybody in the conversation seems to talk at the
same time, give way and appreciate other’s initiative to set the conversation back to its topic. Repair is
the self-righting mechanism in any social interaction (Schegloff et al, 1977). If there is a problem in
understanding the conversation, speakers will always try to address and correct it. Although this is the
case, always seek to initiate the repair.

7. Termination

Termination refers to the conversation participants’ close-initiating expressions that end a topic in a
conversation. Most of the time, the topic initiator takes responsibility to signal the end of the discussion
as well.

Although not all topics may have clear ends, try to signal the end of the topic through concluding cues.
You can do this by sharing what you learned from the conversation. Aside from this, soliciting agreement
from the other participants usually completes the discussion of the topic meaningfully.

Types of Speech Context

1. Intrapersonal – This refers to communication that centers on one person where the speaker acts both
as the sender and the receiver of message. “The message is made up of your thoughts and feelings. The
channel is your brain, which processes what you are thinking and feeling. There is feedback in the sense
that as you talk to yourself, you discard certain ideas and replace them with others.” (Hybels & Weaver,
2012, p 16)

Examples:

• You spent the night thinking and analyzing why a student from the other class talked to you on
the way home and you decided it probably meant nothing.
• You felt happy while thinking about how your teacher appreciated you for submitting your
project before the due date and you reflected on why this was so.

2. Interpersonal – This refers to communication between and among people and establishes personal
relationship between and among them. Solomon and Theiss (2013) state that “the inter part of the
word highlights how interpersonal communication connects people… when you engage in interpersonal
communication, you and another person become linked together… The personal part means that your
unique qualities as a person matter during interpersonal communication…” (p. 5)

Types of Interpersonal Context

Dyad Communication – communication that occurs between two people

Example: • You offered feedback on the speech performance of your classmate.

• You provided comfort to a friend who was feeling down.

Small Group – This refers to communication that involves at least three but not more than twelve
people engaging in a face-to-face interaction to achieve a desired goal. In this type of communication, all
participants can freely share ideas in a loose and open discussion.

Example: • You are participating in an organizational meeting which aims to address the concerns of
your fellow students.

• You are having a discussion with your group mates on how to finish the assigned tasks.

3. Public – This type refers to communication that requires you to deliver or send the message before or
in front of a group. The message can be driven by informational or persuasive purposes. “In public
communication, unlike in interpersonal and small group, the channels are more exaggerated. The voice
is louder and the gestures are more expansive because the audience is bigger. The speaker might use
additional visual channels such as slides or a Power Point presentation.” (Hybels & Weaver, 2012, p 19)

Example: • You deliver a graduation speech to your batch.

•You participate in a declamation, oratorical, or debate contest watched by a number of

people.

4. Mass Communication – This refers to communication that takes place through television, radio,
newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, internet, and other types of media.

Example: • You are a student journalist articulating your stand on current issues through the school’s

newspaper.

Types of Speech Style

The context dictates and affects the way people communicate, which results in various speech styles.
According to Joos (1968), there are five speech styles. These are (1) intimate, (2) casual,
 (3) consultative, (4) formal, and (5) frozen. Each style dictates what appropriate language or vocabulary
should be used or observed.

1. Intimate – This style is private, which occurs between or among close family members or individuals.
The language used in this style may not be shared in public.

2. Casual – This style is common among peers and friends. Jargon, slang, or the vernacular language are
used.

3. Consultative – This style is the standard one. Professional or mutually acceptable language is a must in
this style. Examples of situations are communication between teachers and students, employers and
employees, doctor and patient, judge and lawyer, or President and his/her constituents.

4. Formal – This style is used in formal settings. Unlike the consultative style, this is one-way. Examples
are sermons by priests and ministers, State of the Nation Address of the President, formal speeches, or
pronouncements by judges.

5. Frozen – This style is “frozen” in time and remains unchanged. It mostly occurs in ceremonies.
Common examples are the Preamble to the Constitution, Lord’s Prayer, and Allegiance to country or
flag.