The etymology of "communication" reveals how its meaning has expanded from a very physical act to encompass the abstract and technological. The Root: Latin Communis The journey begins with the Latin word communis, which means "common, public, shared by all or many." This core idea of "sharing" or "making common" is the absolute foundation of the word's meaning. The Verb: Communicare From communis, Latin formed the verb communicare. This verb meant: 1. To share, to impart, to make common. 2. To participate, to fellowship. 3. To unite, to join. Originally, this sharing was often very tangible. A Roman soldier might communicare his rations with his comrades. A citizen might communicare information or news. Entry into English The word entered the English language in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, primarily through Old French (comunication). Its early meanings in English stayed very close to the Latin roots: · The act of sharing or imparting (e.g., sharing of possessions, feelings, thoughts). · A means of access or passage (this survives in terms like "lines of communication" in a military context). · Participation in the Eucharist (the Holy Communion), which is a sacred act of sharing. The words "communication" and "communion" are, in fact, doublets—they come from the same Latin root but entered English through different paths. The Great Expansion of Meaning The meaning of "communication" began to broaden significantly from the 15th century onward, driven by several key developments: 1. The Rise of Media: With the invention of the printing press and later the telegraph, telephone, and radio, "communication" became less about physically sharing an object and more about the transmission of signals, messages, and information over a distance. 2. The Field of Study: In the 20th century, "Communication" became a formal academic field of study (Communication Studies). This led to the development of precise models (e.g., the transmission model: sender -> message -> channel -> receiver) and a focus on the processes and effects of mass media. 3. The Digital Age: The late 20th and 21st centuries have made "communication" virtually synonymous with digital and networked technologies (e.g., "communications technology," "instant communication"). The Crucial Shift: From "Sharing" to "Transmission" This historical journey highlights a crucial, and often overlooked, shift in the word's meaning: · Original Implication (Sharing): The Latin root communis implies a mutual, collaborative process of creating a "common" understanding. It has a social, almost communal, flavor. It's a two-way street that builds relationship and common ground. · Modern Dominant Meaning (Transmission): In its most common usage today, "communication" often implies a one-way transfer of information from a sender to a receiver. We "communicate" a policy, a memo, or a piece of data. The Link to Niklas Luhmann This etymological background is essential for understanding Niklas Luhmann's systems theory, which is discussed in [[The Ghost in the Machine is Us]]. Luhmann deliberately rejects the "transmission" model of communication (sending a message to a receiver). For him, communication is not about the intentions of people (senders). Instead, he returns to a more systemic and sociological understanding that is closer to the original idea of communicare. In Luhmann's theory: · Communication is a three-part unity of, information (the "what"), utterance (the "how"), and understanding (the shared meaning that emerges). · It is an autopoietic (self-creating) process that produces shared meaning within a social system. · The "success" of communication is not that a message is received, but that a further communication can connect to it, thereby creating a chain of shared understanding that constitutes the social system itself. So, in a way, Luhmann's radical theory brings the concept of "communication" full circle—back to its etymological roots of "making something common." He just argues that this "making common" is done not by people, but by the recursive network of communications itself. `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`