Meanings Depend on Context

Verbal and nonverbal communications exist in a context, and that context to a large extent determines the meaning of any verbal or nonverbal behavior. The same words or behaviors may have totally different meanings when they occur in different contexts. For example, the greeting "How are you?" means "Hello" to someone you pass regularly on the street but means "Is your health improving?" when said to a friend in the hospital. A wink to an attractive person on a bus means something completely different from a wink that says "I'm kidding." Similarly, the meaning of a given signal depends on the other behavior it accompanies or is close to in time. Pounding a fist on the table during a speech in support of a politician means something quite different from that same gesture in response to news of a friend's death. Focused eye contact may signify openness and honesty in one culture and defiance in another. In isolation from the context, it's impossible to tell what meaning was intended by merely examining the signals. Of course, even if you know the context in detail, you still may not be able to decipher the meaning of the message.

Messages Are Culturally Influenced

As noted in the introductory passage above, verbal messages must follow, in large part, the rules or grammar of the language. Another set of rules is cultural, however. Cultural rules focus on the customs and values that your culture considers important. When you follow these principles in communicating, you're seen as a properly functioning member of the culture. When you violate the rules, you risk being seen as deviant or perhaps as insulting. Let's consider how these cultural principles or maxims work in verbal communication.

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