THE POINT OF CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE

Definition of Terms

            Culture is defined as the whole way of life of a people which include their customs, habits, beliefs, religious and craft, language, technology, dance etc. culture is all that man has added to nature.

Communication

            It is the act of transmitting an understandable information, ideals or attitude from one person (source) to another (receiver).

The point of Convergence Between Culture and Communication

            Communication is used to teach and transfer cultural and artistic products for the purpose of preserving the past heritage of the people. Communication also help in the development of culture by awakening and stimulating the imagination and aesthetic creativity of individuals which eventually lead to the production of cultural artifact.

            Culture is both informally and formally constructed and maintained through the instrumentality of communication. It is in communication that cultural power resides. Communication is seen as an integral part of every society and this is because, it serves as the channel through which we transmit norms and values of the culture of a society.

            We learn acts of behaviours by observing the actions of others and listen to them through understable expression or language that is communicated thus culture is transmitted and learned, communication is a cultural instrument which supply the culture fare and shape the experience of many members of the society. Ineji (2003) says that the media of communication have been described as cultural instruments which promote or influence attitudes, communication serves as principal means of access to culture and all forms of creative expressions. Culture includes the language, the philosophy, the religion, the values and ideologies to be found among a people, and the way of dressing which can be taught and transferred through communication.

            Augustine Oghenemeruo Ubuara (2015) asserts that while culture is the amplifier and the microphone, communication on the other hand is the loud speaker without which culture is not heard and practiced. For culture to be practice it must be taught, in other words culture cannot survive without communication and communication need culture to be taught  a content that the society need. Function effectively.

For example, the point of divergence between culture and communication.

The natural differences between environment in which individual and groups are conditioned will determine their functions.

A typical example of what we are talking about is the family, the parent inculcate into their children what thy believe in their social milliew and this is carried out through the instrument of communication via an understandable language, the new born child according to John Lock is TABULARAZA meaning that the mind of a new born baby is a “Clean Slate”

People in Ijaw land teach their little children how to swim in the river. Parents teach their children their culture during meal, especially in the evenings. Therefore no man is a complete man until he learns and practice culture.