Definition (CBC): “nonverbal communication involves those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source [speaker] and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver [listener] (Samovar et al). Basically it is sending and receiving messages in a variety of ways without the use of verbal codes (words). It is both intentional and unintentional. Most speakers / listeners are not conscious of this. It includes — but is not limited to:
touch
glance
eye contact (gaze)
volume
vocal nuance
proximity
gestures
facial expression ? pause (silence)
intonation
dress
posture
smell
word choice and syntax
sounds (paralanguage)
Broadly speaking, there are two basic categories of non-verbal language:
nonverbal messages produced by the body;
nonverbal messages produced by the broad setting (time, space, silence)