Valluvar
on Communication
Dr. R. Prabhakaran
Introduction
The ability to communicate is not unique to human
beings. Scientists and others have observed that animals communicate with other
animals of their own species and sometimes with animals belonging to other
species. The mode of communication by animals is distinctly different from human
beings' verbal and non-verbal communication patterns. Animals use visual,
auditory, tactile, chemical, and electrical communication. However, their
communication is limited to gathering and sharing food, protecting themselves
and their young ones from predators, informing other members of their group of
imminent danger, courting their mates, etc. These communications are aimed at
meeting certain basic necessities for their survival.
On the other hand, human beings can communicate
by a variety of methods, and their communications are not limited to basic
survival or satisfying certain biological instincts. Human beings are endowed
with well-developed brains and intellectual capabilities. They can discuss
abstract ideas and express complex concepts with the use of languages, tools,
and other techniques.
Power of Speech
Human beings can express
love, affection, anger, and other emotions through their speech and body
language. In addition to interpersonal communication, human beings can also
communicate with a multitude of people simultaneously. With the advent of
modern technologies, the power of communication can even transcend the limitations
of space and time. The power of speech can be used for positive as well as
negative purposes. Almost two thousand years ago, Valluvar recognized the power
of speech, and he says that it is the chief among all the gifts a man can
possess.
The gift of speech is
indeed a special gift, and it stands apart from other gifts. (kural– 641)
Speech has the potential
to cause good and bad consequences. While the demagoguery of Adolf Hitler laid
the foundation for hatred and war, the speeches of Sir Winston Churchill
encouraged Great Britain to fight against Adolf Hitler. United States President
John F. Kennedy’s speech motivated the USA to take the lead in space
exploration. The speeches of Rev. Martin Luther King inspired the USA to enact
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which
outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
in the USA. There are other examples of speeches by famous leaders that
have altered the course of human history. The impact of speech is equally
powerful in interpersonal communications also. A kind and gentle word from a
friend is a great consolation in times of distress. Whereas an unkind, harsh
and offending word stays like a wound that never heals. The following kural by
Valluvar warns us to guard against blemishes in our speech.
Since good and evil
consequences may arise from speech, it is wise to
guard against blemishes
in speech. (kural – 642)
Valluvar on Public Speaking
Public speaking is the
act of performing a speech by an individual to a live audience. The objective
of public speaking is to inform, persuade, or entertain the audience. The art
of public speaking was highly developed in ancient Greece and Rome. There were
experts who taught public speaking techniques to others for a fee. In ancient
Greece, citizens spoke on their own behalf rather than having professionals
like modern lawyers speak on their behalf. Any citizen who wished to succeed in
court, politics, or social life had to learn the techniques of public speaking.
Techniques for public speaking were first taught by a group of teachers called
Sophists, who were notable for teaching paying students how to speak
effectively using the methods they had developed. Apart from the sophists,
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle also developed their own theories of public
speaking and taught those principles to students who wanted to learn the skills
necessary for public speaking. Plato and Aristotle taught these principles in
schools they founded, The Academy and The Lyceum, respectively.
Like the ancient Greek
philosophers Plato and Aristotle, Valluvar also offers his own advice for
effective public speaking. In the Kural, Valluvar’s ideas on public speaking
can be found in the section dealing with the characteristics, duties, and
responsibilities of a minister. In those days, it was the minister's duty to
carry out the orders of the king. This aspect of the minister’s job required
considerable skills in the art of diplomacy. He had to persuade others to
accept the king’s mandate and even negotiate terms with the king’s enemies. So,
the minister had to be adept in the art of public speaking. But, nowadays,
public speaking is a necessary skill for most professionals and politicians.
Valluvar’s advice on public speaking was appropriate not only for the ministers
of his day but it is still useful to anyone who needs to perform the act of
public speaking. Valluvar was a genius in offering advice on many matters, and
his advice is eternally valid and universally applicable. His advice on public
speaking is no exception. In the following paragraphs, Valluvar’s ideas on
public speaking are presented.
Mastery of the Subject: Dale Carnegie (1888 –1955) was
an American writer, lecturer, and developer of famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. In his book, The
Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking, he lists several guidelines for
effective public speaking. His first advice is: Speak about something you have
earned the right to talk about through experience and study. This is precisely
what Valluvar said almost 2000 years ago. Valluvar strongly favors education
and mastery of the subject matter for a speaker before he would venture to
address an assembly of learned men. He says that if a man is not adequately
learned, he should keep his silence in the assembly of wise men. He believes
that even if a man is wise, he will not be recognized if he does not have
proper education. According to him, the self-esteem of an uneducated man will
fade away when he begins to address an assembly of educated men.
To speak in an assembly of the learned without the fullness of knowledge
is like playing chess on a board
without the squares being marked. (kural
– 401)
The desire of the uneducated to speak in an assembly is like a
woman without breasts desiring to enjoy her womanhood. (kural – 402)
The uneducated men are excellent if they know how to keep their
silence before the learned. (kural
– 403)
Although the wisdom of an uneducated man happens to be very good, the
learned will not accept it. (kural
– 404)
The self-esteem of an uneducated man will fade away when he begins to
interact with the learned. (kural
– 405)
From the above
kurals, it is clear that Valluvar expects education and knowledge of the
subject matter as sine qua non for anyone wanting to speak in front of
an audience.
Overcome the fear of public speaking: According
to Dale Carnegie, eighty to ninety percent of college students have a fear of
public speaking. He says that the percentage of adults who are afraid of public
speaking is probably higher than that of college students who fear public
speaking. Valluvar also agrees that it is a rare individual who is not afraid
of public speaking.
Many indeed may face death on the battlefield, but only a few can face
an
audience without fear. (kural – 723)
So, what exactly is the solution to overcome this fear of public
speaking? First, mastery of the subject is extremely helpful in developing
confidence which is necessary to overcome fear. Another recommendation for
overcoming the fear is practice. Dale Carnegie and many other modern authors
agree that persistent practice will be very helpful in overcoming stage fear.
Valluvar does not precisely say that practice is essential to overcome fear. But
his general advice in another context is applicable here as well. Valluvar
believes that persistent perseverance, tireless effort, and not succumbing to
setbacks are essential to succeed in any endeavor.
One should not feel disheartened when a job seems impossible; persistent
efforts will result in success. (kural
– 611)
In this context, it is worth noting the story
of Demosthenes, one of the greatest orators of ancient Greece. Demosthenes (384 BC - 322 BC) was
a contemporary of Plato and Aristotle. He was the son of a wealthy sword maker. His
father died, leaving him with a huge inheritance. But his unscrupulous guardians
usurped most of his inheritance. Demosthenes decided to sue his guardians. In
those days, there were no lawyers. He had to plead his own case in court. But,
according to the Greek historian and biographer Plutarch, Demosthenes was
inarticulate in his expression, and he had persistent stammering in his pronunciation.
He overcame his handicaps by speaking with pebbles in his mouth and reciting
verses when running. He also practiced speaking before a large mirror. Eventually,
he became one of the greatest orators of all time and a famous speechwriter in
Greece. Demosthenes’ story is an example to show that persistent effort will
lead to success. It does not really matter whether we call it training or
simply dogged perseverance, as Valluvar refers to it.
Understanding the
audience: The
speaker in an assembly is like a salesman trying to promote a product to his
customers. In order for the salesman to be effective, he should be aware of the
product's features, the mood of his audience, the level of interest of the
audience in the product, and the audience's ability to understand the product's
features. So, the salesman will judge the audience and adjust his presentation
to suit the audience's interest and ability to understand the product's
features. A public speaker is in a similar situation. He should assess the caliber,
requirements, and mood of his audience and make his presentation so that it
appeals to his audience.
First and foremost, he
should understand the audience. His speech should have the right content. Also,
in his speech, he should use the right words, the right delivery style, and the
proper pronunciation in the right tone with appropriate modulation in his
voice. In the following kurals, Valluvar conveys the importance of
understanding the audience and his suggestions for proper diction for the delivery
of the presentation.
Men with eloquent speech,
and precision in words, will choose their
words and their presentation
style based on the audience and their disposition. (kural – 711)
Competent and eloquent
speakers will suit their contents and the diction of their
presentation in
accordance with the mood of the audience. (kural – 712)
Valluvar encourages the
speaker to demonstrate his superior knowledge in the assembly of learned men
and suggests that the speaker should assume a low profile, like an ignorant man
in the company of those who are not very knowledgeable. He suggests that the
speaker should exhibit modesty in his behavior and should not attempt to outshine
when he is in the company of elders who possess superior knowledge. He assures
that the knowledge and wisdom of the speaker will be appreciated by men of
learning and critical judgment. He says that when a learned man addresses an
assembly of other learned men, they will eagerly absorb his speech, like
growing plants absorbing the water. He also warns that a speaker capable of
delivering impressive lectures to a learned audience should never consider
giving such presentations to an audience who is incapable of understanding him.
In fact, he says that indulging in highly intellectual discussions with those
who do not have the capacity to understand or appreciate what is said is like
pouring life-saving nectar into a gutter. These valuable and practical guidelines
from Valluvar to an aspiring speaker can be seen in the following kurals:
Speak intelligently in
the assembly of the wise; assume the color of white
lime mortar before the
ignorant. (kural – 714)
In the assembly of elderly
wise people, it would be an outstanding virtue
to be modest, exercise
restraint, and not seek to outshine them. (kural – 715)
A learned person’s
erudition will shine in the assembly of learned men
with critical judgment. (kural
– 717)
Speaking to those who
have the ability to understand is like watering a
bed of growing plants. (kural – 718)
Those who are capable of
speaking impressively to the learned audience
should not make the
mistake of addressing the audience who are incapable
of understanding him. (kural
– 719)
Indulging
in learned discourses before an audience who are not your
intellectual
equals is like pouring life-saving nectar into the gutter. (kural
– 720)
In kural 714, the expression ”assume the color of
white lime mortar” is an idiomatic expression for becoming one with the
surroundings. In this case, if the speaker is among those who are not very
learned, he should talk at their level so that they can understand.
Choice of words and
delivery of the speech: Valluvar emphasizes that the speaker should carefully prepare
his speech so that no one can refute his statements. This implies that the
speaker should thoroughly prepare his speech so that it is factually correct
and logically consistent and that others cannot dispute his statements. This is
very important when the speaker is in a debate or in a courtroom situation where
there is a possibility of someone challenging his remarks. The relevant kural
is as follows:
Deliver your speech after
assuring yourself that no counterargument can defeat
your statements. (kural
– 645)
Valluvar states that one should speak in such a
manner that those present should be completely attracted and spellbound, and
those who were absent should feel that they should have listened to the speech.
A speech should captivate
the audience, and even those who were absent
should long to hear it. (kural – 643)
This may appear to be a
tall order for a speaker. However, there have been several speakers whose
speeches have even outlived them. The Gettysburg address of President Abraham
Lincoln and the “I have a dream speech” of Rev. Martin Luther King are two
well-known examples of such speeches. One example of such a captivating speaker
is Mr. C. N. Annadurai (1909 – 1969). Mr. Annadurai, affectionately referred to
as Anna by his followers, was a politician during the second half of the
twentieth century in Tamil Nadu, where Valluvar lived 2000 years ago. Anna was
a successful politician. He rose from virtual obscurity to become the Chief
Minister of Tamil Nadu. His meteoric rise and his party’s victory in the
elections were primarily due to the phenomenal public speaking prowess of Anna
and his close associates.
During the late 1950s, I
was a student at Loyola College in Chennai (the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu),
pursuing my undergraduate studies. Loyola college is one of the premier
educational institutions in India, run by Jesuit priests. Loyola College was
not only known for its academic excellence, but it was also known for its strict
enforcement of discipline among the students. When I was at Loyola College, I stayed
in the dormitory. There was a strict rule that the students in the dormitory
were supposed to be in their rooms from 8 PM each night till 6 AM the following
day. Anyone who violated the rule was subject to heavy penalties, including eviction
from the dormitory.
Anna used to speak often at
Marina beach in Chennai. The beach could accommodate thousands of people. Anna
was an outstanding speaker. He had a great sense of humor. He was always very convincing
in his speech. Even his political adversaries would love to listen to his
speeches. He had the remarkable ability to make thousands of his listeners
laugh, think, and even be motivated to act on his behalf. His diction was
excellent. Alliteration was his specialty. Usually, his speeches were in the
early part of the night. On several occasions, some of my friends and I violated
the dormitory rules and went to Marina beach to listen to Anna’s speech and
sneaked back into our rooms without the knowledge of the dormitory warden. The following
day, my friends who did not attend Anna’s meeting would gather around me and
ask me to imitate his speech. Of course, Anna was inimitable. I used to try my
best.
If I had been caught for my transgression, I
would have been in severe trouble with my college and my father. But my
interest in Anna’s speech got the better of me. The point of this anecdote is
to illustrate that there are and there have been speakers who met Valluvar’s dictum
in kural 643.
Brevity in speech: Valluvar
remarks that only those who do not know how to be brief tend to make long
speeches. It is said that Sir Winston Churchill mentioned that it took him more
time to prepare a short speech than the time it took to prepare a long speech.
For a speech to be effective and sustain the audience's interest, it should be
brief and to the point. Some of the great speeches are indeed very short. For
example, President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was less than three
minutes. Sir Winston Churchill’s “Never give in“ speech was less than five
minutes. President Delano Roosevelt’s “Infamy Speech “was less than three
minutes. Rev. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech was about fifteen
minutes. These speeches are available on the Internet, and the interested
reader can listen and admire the brevity and profundity of these speeches.
These speeches were made at critical junctures in human history. So, Valluvar’s
emphasis on brevity in public speaking is appropriate. The relevant kural is as
follows:
Those
who do not know how to convey their ideas in a few faultless words
will desire to utter many words. (kural –
649)
Interpersonal Communication
The
other aspect of human communication involves interpersonal communication. Only
a few people have the need and opportunity to engage in public speaking. Whereas
everyone is involved in interpersonal communication on a daily basis. Valluvar
has thought about various aspects of interpersonal communication and offers his
ideas on the subject.
Self-restraint: Among
the several virtues advocated by Valluvar, self-restraint is one of them. He
believes that one should control one’s tongue and exercise self-restraint when
speaking to others. He says that a single hurtful word would destroy all the
positive outcomes from all the good and kind words (kural – 128). The injury
caused by a burn heals, but not the scar caused by an offending word (kural –
129). Therefore, one should take steps to control one’s tongue, even if one
cannot control other things (kural – 127).
Understanding one’s mind:
In public speaking, the speaker is advised to
observe the level of understanding and the audience's mood so that he can
adjust his remarks. So also, during interpersonal communications, it is
advantageous to be able to understand what is in the other person’s mind.
Valluvar observes that an individual's face clearly depicts what is in his mind,
like a mirror reflecting the objects in front of it. According to him, through
our eyes, it is possible to read the facial expressions of others and thereby understand
what is in their mind. In fact, he claims that it is the primary purpose of the
eyes to observe others’ faces and decode what is in their minds. Perhaps
everyone may not be so observant. That is why Valluvar says that it is a rare
ability to read others’ minds by observing their faces and a person with such a
gifted ability is indeed divine.
As
the mirror reflects what is in front of it, the face portrays what is in the
mind. (kural – 706)
Is
there anything more intelligent than the face to reveal one’s joy or ire? (kural
– 707)
What
use are the eyes if they cannot sense others’ minds? (kural – 705)
He
who can read others’ minds beyond doubt is comparable to God. (kural
– 702)
Speaking kind and
pleasing words: In addition to exercising self-restraint,
Valluvar suggests that one should use kind and pleasing words. He says that
humility and pleasant speech are the real ornaments for a man and other
ornaments are not real ornaments (kural – 95). When a man knows that kind words
bring joy and happiness, he wonders why he should resort to harsh words (kural
– 99). He also asserts that using harsh words instead of kind and pleasant ones
is like preferring raw fruits when ripe ones are available (kural – 100). From
these statements, it is clear that Valluvar advocates the use of kind and pleasant
words in conversation with others.
Listening during interpersonal
communication: It is important that during a conversation,
one should listen to the other person with whom one is trying to communicate instead
of focusing attention only on expressing oneself. In other words, the
communication should be bilateral instead of being one-sided.
When
flawless people speak, they speak in such a manner that the listener
is
eager to listen, and they also grasp useful ideas from the listener. (kural – 646)
The above kural implies
that the ideal way to communicate should be based on useful exchange of ideas
among the people involved in the conversation.
Avoiding idle talk and
slander: When people are engaged in conversations, it is not
unusual for them to talk about themselves or about other people. Valluvar
advises against indulging in useless conversations and slanderous talks about
others. He has reserved a chapter for “Idle Talk” and another for “Slander,”
where he condemns them in very strong terms. The following two kurals are
samples from those chapters, and they clearly show his disapproval of idle talk
and slander.
Call him not a man who utters vain words. He is indeed a
chaff among men. (kural – 196)
It
is better to die than to live by backbiting, as death may confer the fruit
of
righteousness. (kural
– 183)
Being truthful and
credible: Being truthful is a virtue. Valluvar has a rather
liberal definition of truth. According to him, truth is speaking that which is
free from even the slightest taint of evil (kural - 291). This definition of
truth excludes all evil that can result from one’s speech. For example, his
definition of truth excludes uttering statements that could cause any harm or
hurt to anyone. A person who says things that mentally hurt another person or
cause physical harm cannot be effective in interpersonal communication. Such a
person loses his credibility, and therefore others will shun him. Another type
of people who cannot be effective in interpersonal communication are those
whose words do not match their deeds. Valluvar says that association with those
whose words and deeds do not match is bitter, even in the dream (kural - 819).
So, credibility and truthfulness are necessary to be effective in interpersonal
communications.
Conclusion
It
is truly amazing that 2000 years ago, Valluvar could think of analyzing many
aspects of communication, including public speaking and interpersonal
communication, and his observations are valid even today. His ideas regarding
the importance of mastery of the subject matter, being unafraid before an
audience, understanding the audience, using the right words, and captivating the
audience are indeed valid and valuable advice to a public speaker, even in the modern
days. Similarly, using kind and pleasant words, establishing credibility by
being truthful, and having the ability to read others’ minds through their
facial expressions are truly useful advice in the context of interpersonal
communication.
