Week 3--Question #3

2). Consider the pragmatic perspective. Does it make sense to think of communication as patterned interaction? How is communication like a game? How is different from a game?

Trenholm states that, “according to the pragmatic viewpoint, the smallest significant unit of communication is the interact, which consists of two sequential acts” (Trenholm, 2008, 33). I think that it does make sense to think of communication as a patterned interaction because when I hear the word pragmatic, the game Checkers and Chess come to mind. I do not know why but I see it as going back and forth in silent communication in order to beat the master mind of another. During these games, we are silently communicating to each other about which one is better and how we can beat them. We go back and forth until the end of the game which also can mean the end of the communication.

There are times when I do not see communication as a game because of the different elements that are involved. When attending seminars and such, we are being talked to and are on a one way road—the reason for this is because communication should be a two way street and when playing a game, there is only one winner.