Why Communications is Not Communication

If you are a student of communication or a communication professional or you are in the business of communication, you may have been using the terms “communication” and “communications” interchangeably without caring much about the difference between the two. Even curious minds in this profession seldom question or debate if there should be an “s” after “communication”. When a student says s/he is attending a course at a certain “School of Communications” or when a practitioner says that s/he is employed as a “Manager – Communications” they disregard the difference between Comm and Comms.

Comm Vs Comms

Is there a difference at all? Do the two terms mean the same or are they mutually exclusive? Is it such a big deal? Let’s try to find out what’s what…

Yes, it is critical to differentiate between the terms “communication” and “communications” because they have two distinct meanings:

“Communication is concerned with an exchange of symbols/messages/meanings among humans and is a most common method for exercising leadership. In contrast, communications is concerned with the means, technologies, channels, and media people use when communicating. Communication is a strategic message creation activity; communications is a focus on the methods and channels selected for transmitting the message. Communication, along with leadership and conflict management, are inextricably intertwined elements within organizational processes that impact on outcomes.”

[Handbook of Research on Effective Communication, Leadership, and Conflict Resolution]

So, the next time you read a job description that says, “The candidate must possess good spoken and written communications skills,” don’t forget to ask them to brush up their own communication skills. And if you’re a seasoned professional having a fancy designation, proudly proclaiming on LinkedIn that you’re a “Communications Specialist,” make sure to quickly correct it to save yourself the embarrasssment of an extra “s”.

If you still have an iota of doubt, do refer to the dictionary. According to Merriam-webster, ‘communication’ is “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else”. It also refers to “a message that is given to someone: a letter, telephone call, etc.” Whereas, ‘communications’ is defined by the same dictionary as: “The ways of sending information to people by using technology.”

Different 'Schools' of Comms!

Sometimes, even the world of academics tends to ignore the minute mistake they make in the not-so-subtle difference between the study of Comm and Comms. Two such prominent universities, for instance, that have perhaps got it incorrect in naming their schools of communication are Howard University, (Cathy Hughes School of Communications) Washington DC and Syracuse University, (New House School of Communications) New York.

On the flip side, there are universities, which take the difference between the two terms so seriously that they have dedicated a page on their websites to call it out explicitly. For example, Cornell University’s Department of Communication explains why they are "Communication" and not "Communications" – in these terms:

“You may wonder why we call ourselves the Department of Communication and not Communications. The simple answer is that we use the term “communication” to reflect our department’s focus on the social scientific study of communication—specifically, the process by which humans use symbols, verbal and nonverbal, to create meaning and form relationships with other humans in face-to-face or mediated environments. This is the essence of what we teach, research, and do in our department. “Communications,” in contrast, is often used to refer to the products—the messages that are transmitted or distributed—or to the equipment (like wireless or fiber optic cables) that conducts the transmission. While these are integral elements of communication study, they do not form the basis for our program. People tend to use the terms interchangeably, and even some social science departments like ours use communications with the "s." But we prefer “communication” and, incidentally, have been the Department of Communication since 1987, when we changed the name from Communication Arts to emphasize our focus on the scientific study of communication rather than the more applied “art” of communicating.”

[Cornell University, Department of Communication]

The California State University at San Marcos has a rather descriptive and well-researched article for students on “Communication vs. Communications: What’s the Big Deal?” To help students clear up the misconception upfront, Kendra Rivera, Ph.D., offers the following definitions from scholars and experts that may be useful to both professors and professionals alike:

Communication: 

• “How messages are received and interpreted… Communication is about forming relationships with others. A human element. Communication is something that we do on a daily basis.”  Dr. Wagner, Xavier University
• “The communicating of information. The exchange of information between individuals, for example, by means of speaking, writing, or using a common system of signs of behavior.” Dr. Larson, University of Utah
• “Communication is a systemic process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret messages” Dr. Julia Wood, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Communications:

• “The distribution of messages… Communications is a technical term that defines the act of mass communications. It is things such as radio transmissions and technology.” Dr. Wagner, Xavier University
• “The technology and systems used for sending and receiving messages, for example, postal, telephone, radio, TV and the Internet. The tactics used to execute a marketing strategy, for example, advertising, PR, Sales promotion, events…” Dr. Larson, University of Utah
• “…Communication is the strategy and creativity. It is the planning and managing that takes place first, and then communications are employed (through various media, whether the medium is print or Web or whatever) to get those formulated messages across.” Joshua De Lung, Executive Editor, Relatively Journalizing [Source: California State University-San Marcos]

Another scholar, Michelle Mazur, Ph.D. in her oft-quoted discourse to differentiate between ‘communication’ and ‘communications’ goes to the extent of facetiously saying, “Buyer beware – if you’re reading an article or considering hiring a coach and you see the extra “S,” keep looking unless you need your TV or telephone fixed.”

So, the bottom line is that practitioners of communication need to drop the “s” from their titles and academics and students of communication need to do the same for their school, department, or course of study – to become a better communicator :-)