Basic ways of communication involve either oral pronunciation or the written form, of which oral communication, or passing information through word of mouth, is the older. Different cultures separated by time and space developed differing verbal codes to refer to the various items and issues they perceived as important to them.
One basic characteristic of oral communication is that, since there is no evidence or proof that the conversation ever took place, it relies on the memory of each of the people involved. It is constructed through the production of sounds, unlike in writing where the communication is silent. Writing is seen as more static compared to speaking because, in the process of speaking, there can be numerous changes made to the message. Effective speakers are those who have the ability to employ dynamism during communication but more importantly do not go beyond certain limitations (Ferraro & Palmer, par. 3). Through speaking, one is able to engage the audience psychologically and apply other non-verbal forms of communication, unlike written communication where one is limited to a large extent by the use of words to define the tone of the message.
Alphabets as known today were first introduced in the Greek civilization. At that time, only oral communication existed. People had to memorize all the elements of culture and keep repeating them as a way of passing them on to the following generations. A thriving tradition of poetry was used as the medium for passing on information in a condensed and universally agreed-upon code. Information about history, entertainment, education, and trade was embedded in the oral form of communication. As such, the situation demanded a very strong memory from all participants.
This oral tradition posed a great challenge to the various disciplines which were operational in early times. In legal circles, the process of keeping an account of all the information and evidence relating to a case was almost impossible. As such, judgments were based on the ability of the powerful to exercise oratory skills and to remember and repeat events and words from the past to decide the present procedure as well as plan for the future. Trade and commerce probably faced the greatest challenge under this system. Since everything had to be done and agreed upon by word of mouth, there was little evidence on which to base claims in the future. The reliance on memory could not be sustained as trade became more complex by the day (Ferraro & Palmer, par. 5).
The arrival of writing brought a host of changes in the process of communication. Some of the most pronounced advantages of the written word, as opposed to the spoken word, are that the written word is more precise and is less affected by the elements of noise. By being precise, the implication is that, before one engages in the act of writing, he/she has first organized the information to be presented and adopted the right accompaniments, such as the tone of the message. This is unlike oral messages, which may be presented in an unintentional way due to the possibility of engaging emotional reactions in the message. Therefore, the correctness of written words can be verified and counterchecked much more easily than for the oral word.
This being the case, the invention of writing brought about some significant changes to the lives of many in society. At first, writing was reserved for the elite but was later available to lower classes of people. The most significant change brought about by writing was the fact that information could be recorded and stored to be retrieved in the future, a feature that solved many problems encountered by a society that needed accurate record-keeping. The legal system became more just as laws were drafted and citizens were expected to follow them. It became much easier to enforce agreements made in writing. In the area of trade and commerce, losses incurred due to a reliance on memory for recording transactions were greatly reduced. Traders became more confident of the agreements and commitments they made, as evidence was now available in the form of written agreements and contracts. Also, it became easier to record transactions and develop an accurate assessment of the profitability of the trade.
The education sector also gained since it was now possible to record and store academic materials required for learning and to retrieve such information with a high degree of convenience. As such, it became much more possible to impart knowledge to successive generations. Also, the introduction of writing created a channel through which a more silent form of communication, one with greater privacy and confidentiality, was developed. It is thus clear that the invention of writing offered a wide scope of flexibility in the way the affairs of people in earlier ages were conducted.
It has been suggested that today we live in a time that relates to pre-literate societies, mainly because of the presence of a number of similarities between pre-literate societies and the modern-day. Pre-literate societies were characterized mainly by the inability to read and write; these were societies that incorporated little or no written literature in the course of conducting their activities. The power of writing and recording on paper remained largely untapped, and people relied heavily on memory as the only effective tool for recording issues and events (Gibson, par. 4).
The modern-day is witnessing a move from the word written on paper as more and more people, especially in developed countries, are relying on voice and other paperless means of communication. The internet is one such channel. Today it is possible to conduct business without engaging in the use of any paper, from initial meeting up to the completion of a deal. One can instruct a supplier to supply certain products through e-mail and instruct the bank to pay the supplier through the internet and confirm receipt of goods in a similar way.
In this regard, it is clear that pre-literate societies are similar to current societies, especially since both are less reliant on paper for communication and recording of information. Just like in the past, societies nowadays are reducing their reliance on paper albeit the alternatives are different. Citizens in a pre-literate society engaged in oral communication on a face-to-face basis; however, due to the advent of technology, modern people tend to use the electronic media to write to and engage in conversations with people far off. Despite this, there are still cases where the people organize and meet face to face. This explains the rate of increase of travel both local and international. People still value face-to-face meetings. Just the same way the ancient trade was done by face-to-face meetings, business executives are constantly on the move today in a bid to make appearances. The implication is that people still appreciate face-to-face communication just like in the pre-literate times (Gibson, par. 7).
It is clear therefore that, despite the significant technological advancements of the recent past, society seems to be moving away from what once was a notable feature of civilization: direct communication of ideas and information on a written page. While the electronic media have allowed businesses, schools, and individuals to rely less on paper, written communication through such means as email, texting, and websites, still uses the written word, but oral communication in this fast-paced world is evolving away from the more traditional paper forms of the written word.
Works Cited
Ferraro, Vincent, and Kathryn Palmer. Differences Between Oral and Written Communication. 2005. Web.
Gibson, Twyla. Greek Education and the Transition From Oral to Written Culture. n. d. 2010. Web.