The third level of communication is the most fun, but also the most challenging to execute well.

In the construction metaphor, we discussed how construction starts with building materials (or "materials science", the first level) and then proceeds to engineering for functional requirements (the second level). The third level in construction is called architecture.

The idea of architecture is to create a certain feeling. That feeling operates in two aspects - overall impression and movement flow. For example, if you approach a beautiful house, there is an overall impression caused by the total picture of the landscaping, structural design, and colors. Then, when you open the front door, you are entering into the movement flow - basically a sequence of feelings. You may have one feeling at the front door, which leads into a slightly different feeling in the main room. Side rooms, bedrooms, and the kitchen will also have unique feelings which arise at a certain time as a person moves through and experiences the space. Each piece of the movement flow contributes to the overall impression, but also has a relationship with the overall impression - either in harmony or in contrast.

The two aspects of architecture of communication are voice tone and plot. Voice tone, even in written text, is the overall impression given by the communication. This overall impression is given by subtleties of how narrative and vocabulary elements are placed next to each other. For example, the phrase "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" has a tone aspect which is separate from the narrative content (weather patterns in Spain) and the vocabulary (simple nouns, verbs, and common linking parts of speech in this case). The rhyming of words and the meter of the syllable emphasis creates an additional effect beyond vocabulary and narrative.

The effect would not be the same if we said, "Rain falls in Spain, for the most part, on the plains area." The vocabulary is similar, and the narrative content is the same, but the tone suggests a textbook rather than an artistic piece.

The plot of communication indicates how vocabulary and narrative relate to each other either in harmony or contrast. For example, the phrase "it was a dark and stormy day" has a strange contrast, because the reader expects the phrase "it was a dark and stormy night". The unexpected switch from night to day creates a feeling in the reader which stands apart from the literal content and vocabulary choices. This is a plot example inside of a very short piece of text - a single phrase. Of course, the more usual meaning of the term plot extends this idea of harmonious and contrasting elements across the length of a whole story. A good joke uses contrasting plot to establish humor with an unexpected ending in just a few sentences. A good proverb uses harmonious plot to provide a strong metaphor which carries broader wisdom in just a few sentences ("don't count your chickens before they hatch").

Having established three levels of communication (vocabulary, narrative, and architecture in the two aspects of tone and plot), we can talk about where to focus efforts for better communication. When communication goes awry, it is due to a failure at one or more of these three levels - and often due to the communicator focusing too much on the wrong level.

More on this in part 4...

As I shared in the last post, we can understand communication better by looking at three levels of it. I enjoy using a construction metaphor to explore the layers. In this post, I'll talk in more detail about the second layer, narrative.

First, a quick review. The first level of communication is vocabulary. In the language of construction, vocabulary corresponds to the materials used to build something. They can be simple or complex depending on the need. Highly specialized environments (very hot, very acidic, etc.) require complex materials. Highly specialized communication environment (courtroom, medical textbook) require sophisticated vocabulary.

The second level of communication, narrative, is about how the vocabulary is put together to create meaning. More simply, words put together make sentences and paragraphs. The organization of the sentences and paragraphs is a skill unto itself, seperate from the issues of word choice (vocabulary).

In contruction, this corresponds to engineering. Once the qualities of the materials are known (or estimated), engineering is the skill of putting the materials together in such a way that the function of the building is possible. In other words, if the building is meant to keep out the weather, engineering creates a design which can do that. If the building must be very tall, or hold a lot of weight, engineering accomplishes that using the materials at hand.

To some degree, engineering can even compensate for less-than-ideal materials. Examples are often found in nature, where birds makes nests out of the lightweight materials which are not individually strong but collectively are secure enough for their eggs. Modern houses also work this way - they keep out the weather fairly effectively, even though if the materials themselves were just left out in the sun and rain, they would degrade quickly.

In the same fashion, great narrative can compensate for simple vocabulary. Well constructed sentences and paragraphs can communicate great meaning with simple words - and in fact, we consider this to demonstrate great narrative skill. Narrative can also support specialized vocabulary so that the meaning is clear. For example, I could say, "He just never gives up; he is that pernicious." Now the meaning of "pernicious" is clear to those who don't know the word, but I didn't have to break the narrative flow to define the word explicitly - it still refines the content for those who already knew the word.

Meaning in communication is akin to function in construction. Just as the function of a building is often considered the primary point of construction, the meaning of an expression is usually considered the primary point in communication.

However, that's not always the whole point. A home, as opposed to a house, involves a feeling which is greater than just the weather-shielding function of a house. Communication too is often about passing on a feeling, not just expressing the direct meaning. In our most important relationships (family, friendship, and even sales relationships), the feeling is actually more important than the literal meaning (content).

"Feeling" is the concern of the third layer of communication. More on that in the third post in the series... Stay tuned!