Out of the Woods; Multimodal
Multimodal Human Communication
Of course, human communication is not limited to the use of one’s voice and another’s ears. Henry Bunt (1998) considers human communication to be naturally multimodal; that is human communication makes use of several communication systems both verbal and non-verbal including spoken and written language, non-linguistic sounds, and physical gestures. In his essay, “Issues in Multimodal Human-Computer Communication,” Bunt shares that digital technology can contribute to communication. In today’s world, technology is becoming increasingly relevant in human communication.
Becky and James can communicate in a variety of different ways without using their voices. Instead of shouting words to alert Becky to the danger of the toppling tree, James might try waving his arms wildly, or, if that fails, he might try letting out a high-pitched scream. If James and Becky are anything like the teenagers of our culture, James might not even consider shouting at Becky, instead reaching immediately for his cellular phone and rapidly “texting” her the message, “Move or U B kilt!” to which she might reply to James’s dismay, “Yah, rite. Lol ;).”