How Communication Has Evolved | From stone to email
By: Adarsh Kushwaha
Tags: Language, Communication, Communication Skills, Communication History, Skills

In this blog, I am not going to tell what is communication or how to improve communication and all other kinds of stuff but instead of this, I am going to tell you the history of communication.

How we started communication?

So it’s all started millions of years ago, when I was doing research on this topic the first question that arises on my mind is that why only we started communicating in large groups, we are such open-minded species that we can talk to anyone from any corner of the world but same doesn't found in animals.

And what we found listen,

Our first day of communication started when our ancestor decided to get out of trees and starts there journey in search of food, but the reality is that we are so much feeble than other animals and if anything we want to hunt it is necessary to work in the group and for directing group there is need to communicate between members.

Soon our ancestors realized “alone we are nothing”.

So this is how the first way of communication started known as Non-Verbal Communication in which early human can express their thoughts and feeling by sign or gesture.

Soon they started communicating through a voice like crying, hooting, whistling and this type of communication is called Verbal Communication but till now they do not have any official language.

Language Era

The development of the primitive language-like system started during Homo-habbils (1.8 million years ago) but this primitive language is a symbolic representation of action, but anyhow this is not official.

Around 5000 years ago the first official language invented in India Tamil and then Sanskrit.

Why We Need Language?

Let me first tell you why we required primitive language because there is the need to send messages between groups also it is the only way to give instructions. Also most of the time sapiens male-Sapien busy in hunting and symbolic way of communication is the only way to teach their children what they do.

Also, everyone wants to leave a legacy and a symbolic way is the best way to describe why they are great and it also helps modern humans to know about them or how they survive.

But why formal language? As I mentioned before with time groups of sapiens become huge and huge and to direct a group of millions we need a formal language that is understandable by everyone. And the main idea behind formal language is to introduce the idea of spirituality or I say the idea of God. We need this because at this time we are at the top of the food chain and there should be something beyond us. So this is how intellectual people start writing religious texts or I say history.

This idea adopted by many groups and soon these groups turned into civilization.

Innovation In Communication

Before understanding the Innovation let us talk about the process of communication how it works?

The process of communication is a cyclic one as it begins with the sender and ends with the sender in the form of feedback. It takes place upward, downward, and laterally throughout the organization as shown in the figure.

Printing press

The first printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450. The first newspaper was printed in 1609 in Germany and this is how Mediated Communication started.

Telephone

The first telephone invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray.

Radio

Radio was discovered in 1890 by Marconi

Computers

Charles Babbage in 1991

Mobile and Smartphone

IBM by 1992

Now it's the age of Social Media.

Is Communication is the best way to express yourself

Before answering this you should know that communication is the world that you choose to convey your message but body language, tone of voice, rate of speech etc. Remember your message can be misunderstood if words are not used correctly and your message also depends on the perception of listner.

There are many ways to express your thoughts and emotion but honestly there is no perfect way to express yourself and often it comes down to choosing which option will be best help you to meet your goals.