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DHS101 — Communication & Language Notes

1. Skills

Skills are broadly divided into Hard Skills and Soft Skills.

Hard Skills

Skills that can be gained through formal learning and experience.

  • Qualification
  • Experience
  • Diploma

Soft Skills

A set of skills that influence how one interacts with others.

Important soft skills:

  • Communication skills
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Leadership skills
  • Teamwork
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Decision-making
  • Time & stress management
  • Innovation & creativity

2. Communication Skills

Communication skills are divided into:

Receptive Skills

Skills used for receiving information.

  • Listening
  • Reading

Productive Skills

Skills used for producing information.

  • Speaking
  • Writing

3. Stress

Formula

\[ S = P > R \]

Where:

  • S = Stress
  • P = Pressure
  • R = Resources

Key Point

Stress occurs when pressure is bigger than the available resources.

4. Vocabulary & Word Formation

Linguistics:

\[ \text{Linguistics} = \text{Scientific study of language.} \]

Branches of Linguistics

Area Study of
Phonetics Speech sounds
Morphology Words
Syntax Sentences
Semantics Meaning
Lexicography Dictionary

Lexicography

The word lexicography comes from the word lexeme.

5. Word Formation

A word can be divided into:

  1. Root / Stem
  2. Prefix
  3. Suffix

Content Words vs Functional Words

Content Words

  • Carry meaning by themselves.

Functional Words

Examples:

  • an
  • in
  • are
  • have
  • has
  • shall
  • will

These are grammatical words.

Example: Misinformation

misinformation
├── mis-       → Prefix
├── inform     → Root
└── -ation     → Suffix
  1. SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for:

Letter Meaning

S Strength W Weakness O Opportunity T Threat

  1. Communication Barriers

Major communication barriers:

  1. Language & semantic barriers

  2. Physical barriers

  3. Organisational barriers

  4. Socio-psychological barriers

  1. Word Transformation

Verb → Noun

Verb Noun

Transform Transformation Communicate Communication State Statement Manage Management Organise Organisation

Organise

Organise → Organisation → Organisational

Transform

Transform → Transformation → Transformational

  1. Noun / Adjective → Verb

Noun / Adjective Verb

Custom Customise Normal Normalise Practice Practise White Whiten Strength Strengthen Broad Broaden Black Blacken

Note: The notes use practice → practise and white → whiten as examples of transformation.

  1. Root, Prefix & Suffix

Transformation

Transformation
├── Transform → Root / Stem
└── -ation    → Suffix

Unfortunately

Unfortunately
├── un-        → Prefix
├── fortunate  → Root
└── -ly        → Suffix

Mismanagement

Mismanagement
├── mis-       → Prefix
├── manage     → Root
└── -ment      → Suffix
  1. Subject–Verb Agreement

Meaning

Subject–verb agreement means that the subject and the verb in a sentence must agree in number and person.

Example

The boy plays football.

The boy → Subject plays → Verb football → Object

The singular subject boy agrees with the singular verb plays.