Communication - Period 5 - Thursday Nov 29

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

Mohinder perched on a desk at the front of the classroom, until he felt sure the last of the students had arrived.

"Good afternoon," Mohinder stood up. "I am Dr Mohinder Suresh and, for the remainder of the semester, your replacement communication teacher."

"A red light at a junction. The uniform of a police officer. Even the words I am speaking now. All deliberate human communication depends on a common frame of reference, a convention agreed to by all those involved - however many or few," he paused, smiling. "There is little satisfaction in insulting someone or confessing your heartfelt secrets while the other party remains unknowing."

"But if we want to limit communications we can change our conventions - speaking in code, or another language." Mohinder glanced around, "How else might we limit communication?"

Mohinder picked up a mini-whiteboard and held it up, showing 'V'. He flipped it to show four vertical lines crossed by a fifth. Again, to show five dots as on the face of a die. And finally, he held up the board showing the number '5'. "Humans can express themselves using a variety of symbols. A variety of contexts, all with the same meaning. Yet these signs can be completely arbitrary; I could call this," he tapped the desk, "a hippopotamus; the name of something is only true while we believe it."

"I'd like you to ask each other, or myself, questions - verbally." He gestured to the stack of mini-whiteboards on the desk. "But use one of these to give your answers. Symbols only, no words. With a limited scope, how do you represent yourself so someone else can understand you?"

Please wait for OCD is up.

Comments

Sign in -

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

Over here.

Re: Sign in -

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

Jeff Murdock

Re: Sign in -

[imac-kenzie.livejournal.com]

Cindy Mackenzie

Re: Sign in -

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris Halliwell

Listen to the lecture

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

Or talk during it.

Re: Listen to the lecture

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

There was a new teacher. The one with the breasts was gone.

Jeff would have listened if he hadn't been busy being horribly disappointed.

Re: Listen to the lecture

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris took careful notes during the lecture.

Re: Listen to the lecture

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi listened attentively and took notes.

Re: Listen to the lecture

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

Andrew stared at the new teacher. He was totally mesmerized by foreign men accents.

Re: Listen to the lecture

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

Anemone took notes, and tried not to be too sad that Ms. Next wasn't teaching anymore.

Re: Listen to the lecture

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara listened attentively to the lecture, intrigued by the concept of symbolic communication.

Re: Listen to the lecture

[keds-champion.livejournal.com]

Pam was kind of okay with Ms. Next not being their teacher anymore.

Because mmm.

...not that she said that aloud. Or thought their new teacher was attractive in any way. And she especially did not like the accent.

At all.

Ask each other questions

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

Verbal questions, symbolic answers please.

Re: Ask each other questions

[imac-kenzie.livejournal.com]

Mac picked herself up a whiteboard, and doodled on a corner while she waited for someone to partner up with.

Re: Ask each other questions

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra was looking around the room when she caught sight of Mac. Her head tilted curiously. Partners?

Re: Ask each other questions

[imac-kenzie.livejournal.com]

Mac gave her another headtilt in return, and a little nod.

Then, realising silent head motions were all very well, but not really the easiest way to go about this she added, "I'm Mac."

Re: Ask each other questions

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris wasn't quite sure how to answer symbolically, but he looked for a partner.

Re: Ask each other questions

[inthereflexes.livejournal.com]

Jack looked over and did the Guy Nod with Questioning Head Tilt.

Re: Ask each other questions

[grenfelzer.livejournal.com]

Carmela is using the whiteboard to practice the written form of the Speech while she waits for a partner.

Re: Ask each other questions

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi was intrigued to see the Speech in written form.

Re: Ask each other questions

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara reviewed her notes as she waited patiently for a partner.

Re: Ask each other questions

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John joined her with his white board and marker.

Re: Ask each other questions

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

Naminé looked around for someone to partner with, wondering if she could draw her responses. And if the drawings would be clear to anyone else.

Talk to Mohinder

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

If you want to.

OOC

[offthelisthero.livejournal.com]

For all your non-world-ending needs.