BBC premarital counseling booklet-1 - Flipbook - Page 18
Topic #4
COMMUNICATIONS
Norman Wright, author of Communication: Key To Your Marriage, recognizes the
importance of communication in a relationship. Marriage is the process of getting to know
the other person, thus the importance of communication becomes apparent. For it is the only
way you have of sharing your thoughts, ideas, and feelings.
Communication is composed of several parts. First, there is the sending of a
message. This involves the words used and their denotative and connotative values.
Connotative values are the implied emotions connected with the word. Also, the manner in
which the message is sent (tone, pitch, and rate) effects the meaning. Not only do the words
send a message, but the body does also. Body language can convey a complimentary
message of one all its own.
The second part of communication is receiving the message. Listening: To attend
to the words, the emotions behind them, the body language and the manner in which the
message is sent. You must stop thinking your own thoughts. Listening involves a giving of
yourself to the other person.
The final part of communication is when the listener tells the messenger what he/she
heard. During this feedback process, the messenger is given the opportunity to see if the
intended message is the received message. Likewise, the listener knows whether the
message heard was the correct one.
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