Topic – 4 - Difference between General Communication and Technical Communication

Communication is a process in which information are exchanged between or among persons. Sometime communication seems artificial, pre-planned, and intentional while some other time it becomes spontaneous, natural and unintentional. On the basis of this, communication is generally divided into two:

1. General communication

2. Technical communication

(1)   General communication:

       In day to day life, we communicate with many people where our aim of exchanging information is general means not specific. For example; we talk to our father, mother, sister, brother, neighbors, relatives, friends etc. we talk with them very naturally, without any preparation. Such type of communication does not require preplanning or specific structure. We just go to the person and talk to him/her. In general communication, we can use local or dialectical language or words. It means we use informal language.

         

          In most cases, this type of communication is face to face. Since such type of communication takes place in general atmosphere (home, hostel, bazaar, etc.) technical words are not used. In general communication, people are from various fields so it may be possible that the person to whom we are communicating may not be aware of technical words. The style in general communication is formal and less specific.

(2)   Technical Communication:

          Technical communication is the soul of any organization life such as business enterprise, industry, and academic institution. Technical communication is considered as a form of official communication which is used by technical (specific, expert) people. This type of communication is very helpful in technical field where message is very specific and this message should be conveyed within a short span of time without any error. Here, technical words are used therefore there are little chance of misunderstanding or misinterpretation. In this way, technical communication is the soul of any technical field.

           Technical communication mainly bears technical message which is always for a specific purpose. In technical communication standard language is used. We cannot use local or vernacular words in technical communication. Pre planning is very essential for technical communication. For example; seminar or speech which is delivered at meeting is always pre planned. Generally this type of communication can be in both the forms Oral (speech, seminar, report reading etc.) and Written (application, letter, report, memo etc.) Language that is used in technical communication is full of jargons and technical words. Meeting, seminar, conference, dictation, instruction, presentation, group discussion, interviews, etc. are the various places where technical communication is required. In written, technical communication is used in memo, letter, E mail, faxes, notices, circular, newspaper, proposal, research paper, manual etc.

Technical Communication	General Communication
·        Always factual	·   May not be factual
·   Formal elements	·   No formal elements
· Logically organized & structured	·   Not always structured
·   Specific audience	· Not always for specific audience
·   Always formal in style	· Both formal & informal style
·   Technical content	·   General content
·   Special vocabulary	·   General vocabulary