Metacommunication

Metacommunication is when one communicates about communication itself. In other words, one communicates about communication. This can take place, for example, in the form of a comment, a more detailed explanation or also in nonverbal winks for the purpose of an ironic marking. (cf. Glück, p. 428) These forms of communication are already so internalized that they can hardly be distinguished from a normal course of conversation and are characterized by smooth transitions (cf. Nünning, p. 490). Their goal is to support the process of understanding and to locate the reasons for misunderstandings.

Communication square

Friedemann Schulz von Thun’s communication square (also called the four-sided model) offers an analysis model for communicative disorders. According to this model, both sender and receiver can mean and understand a message in four different ways:  As

– factual information (data, facts, circumstances)

– Self-disclosure (implicit or explicit statements about feelings, values or characteristics)

– Relational (attitude toward the other person)

– Appeal (instructions for action)

A metacommunicative conflict can arise when both sides do not communicate on the same level. For example, it could be interpreted by a religious person as a negative relational cue if another, with the intention of self-disclosure, reveals to him his atheistic position. Conversely, a self-disclosure by the believing person could be understood appellatively by the other. Through metacommunicative reflection on what level the two are at, this misunderstanding can be resolved.

Thus, metacommunication forms the explicit counterpart to implicit metasensitivity.

Literature

Glück, Helmut/Rödel, Michael (2016): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 5th ed. Stuttgart: Metzler.

Nünning, Ansgar (2008): Metzler Lexikon Literatur- und Kulturtheorie. 4th, updated and enlarged ed. Stuttgart: Metzler.

Schulz von Thun’s Communication Square: https://www.schulz-von-thun.de/die-modelle/das-kommunikationsquadrat