Communication Theories and Printing Technology - Literature review Example

Running Header: Printing Development and Impacts Name of the Student: Name of the Instructor: Name of the course: Code of the course: Submission date: Introduction The development of printing technology has played a major role in enhancing communication. Information that was traditionally held in scribes presented challenges in spreading it as well as in improving its quality. Furthermore, the use of oral based information was characterized by lack of professionalism. This is due to the fact that information could be easily distorted thereby creating a difference from the initial meaning. According to Fussel (2005,p. 26), the development of the printing press enabled mass production hence this helped in spreading information. Moreover, it assisted churches to print enormous number of pamphlets which served as an important means of enhancing religious practice. Therefore, the development of printing technology facilitated the production of quality information on papers. This paper is going to describe the significance of the revolution associated with printing technology as well as its impact on orality and oral traditions. Printing technology continues to experience revolution hence the need to evaluate its significance. In addition, there is need to assess its effect on the oral tradition which illustrates the history and culture of humankind. Communication Theories and Printing Technology The public sphere communication theory is concerned with how individuals come together and exchange opinions regarding public affairs as well as how people converse, deliberate and form opinions (Calhoun 2007, p. 1). According to Gunaratne (2006, p. 17), public sphere is a norm that involves the legal framework of the society and at the same time it is a method of enlightening the members of a society. Therefore, the emergence of printing technology provided a means through which individuals could enlighten themselves. The materials that were printed and dispersed to the society provided important information that enabled individuals to debate about public affairs. According to this theory, there exist two types of public spheres; the political public sphere and the literary public sphere. The political public sphere is concerned with rational process that leads to agreement on public policy while the literary sphere is focused on general social behavior and matters of taste. Thus, the development of printing technology provided the society with necessary information to debate on political public sphere (Calhoun 2007, p. 245). The monopoly of Knowledge theory is concerned with how ruling classes maintain the political power by controlling crucial information technologies. This theory affirms that existence of monopoly theory suppresses innovative thinking and at the same time it creates rigidity in hierarchies making them to become out of reach to the general society (Gunaratne 2006, p. 19). According to Fusel (2009, p. 76), the evolution of the printing technology provided an important means of communication which was able to overcome the monopoly knowledge that was held by leaders. The technology led to mass production of copies hence this played an important role in spreading information. The problem of monopoly knowledge was overcome by the large scale newsprints that were produced as a result of the printing technology. Significance of the Revolution of Printing Technology Fussel (2005, p. 72) notes that the development of printing technology assisted in shaping religion. The evolution of printing technology attracted publishers to print religious tracts and bibles and this was an important landmark in shaping Christianity. The technology assisted in mass production hence increased supply of religious information. Additionally, the technology provided a means through which people were able to recognize the values associated with Christianity. According to Fussel (2005, p. 50), the Catholic Church in Rome produced a printed edition that described its customs and values. According to Fussel (2009, p. 9) the evolution of printing technology enhanced education. The shift from manuscripts to print technology enabled publishers to produce enormous number of copies hence this provided a greater access of information to a large number of individuals. Moreover, printing technology facilitated publication of consistent materials which were of high quality. Fussel (2009, p. 59) notes that the evolution of printing technology facilitated publication of quality copies from each and every printing center. Furthermore, the advancement of the printing technology led to the development of consistent grammar, punctuation and spelling rules. This assisted readers to understand and interpolate the ideas of the writers with ease. In addition, the printing technology helped in making books less expensive and thus they were able to reach a large number of learners. The development of printing technology promoted the emergence of new poets (Fussel, 2009, p. 72). New writers were motivated to show case their works due to the aspiration that they obtained from authors who had already published their poets. Moreover, the evolution of the printing technology provided a means through which aspiring writers were able to learn about the structures of transmitting their poems in order to gain acceptance from the society. The poems that were published by leading authors acted as a guide to hopeful writers. Finally, the printing technology brought with it individuals who had the skills and abilities to edit, design, promote and publish the work of other authors. These people provided assistance in improving the work of aspiring writers and this stimulated the arrival of new poets. According to fussel (2009, p. 26), the printing technology provided important support in making sure that indulgencies that were printed in earlier periods survived in several editions. Copies that were printed in previous eras remained useful for a long period of time. The printing technology provided a permanent means of preserving information on paper. This is because it engraved text into copies hence this ensured sustainability of the information. The scribal system that was in use before the evolution of the printing technology was characterized by hand copying and this meant that the written words could not survive for a long period of time. However, the development of the printing technology provided a suitable means through which information could be written in a permanent manner. Impact of Printing Technology on Orality and Oral Traditions According to Furniss (2004, p. 171) printing technology offered a means through which words that were traditionally spoken orally could be emphasized. The evolution of the printing technology made it easier for individuals to emphasize the narrative schemes from which meaning could be derived. The technology assisted in making people to understand the need of listening actively through the words that were comprehended and reviewed in texts. Printing technology provided a permanent way of viewing and transporting language. This made it to play a vital role in emphasizing the points that were traditionally spoken to a large number of individuals. Furthermore, it allowed individuals to store language easily. This in turn assisted in emphasizing and supporting oral learning without losing the original meaning. Ong (1982, p. 175) notes that the printing technology enhanced oral traditions. It provided a means through which people could interact with oral traditions. Through the use of printing technology, people were able to record oral literature and its modern evolution. In addition, the printing technology provided an opportunity for communicating oral literature in a more open manner. Ong (1982, p. 174) notes that many people were born into the technology of writing. Thus, people were able to relate to the oral tradition more easily through the information that was produced using the printing technology. The technology assisted individuals to intensify their sense of self in relation to their oral tradition. Moreover, it provided a more conscious means of oral interaction. Furthermore, printing technology provided awareness in regard to the oral tradition. It offered a unique and in duplicable knowledge relating to the historical growth of oral literature. Therefore, the emergence of printing technology played an important role in enhancing orality and oral traditions. According to Ong (1982, p. 27) the development of printing technology made some poems which were orally based to be rendered obsolete. The emergence of the printing technology created a revolution on poetic works. This is due to the fact that the new technology required authors to revise their work in detail. Additionally, some published works received poor reception making writers to do away with them. Furthermore, certain categories of poems which were traditionally oral products of unreflective chirographic typographic mentality were blocked with the by the emergence of printing technology. Ong (1982, p. 28) notes that the oral Greek culture was tied by the development of the printing technology. This forced the Greek authors to restructure their thoughts in order to meet the requirements of the printing technology. Conclusion The revolution of the printing technology played a vital role in shaping religion and enhancing education. Moreover, the technology promoted the emergence of new writers and at the same time it provided a simpler means of engraving information on paper. This was important as it guaranteed that information could survive for a long period of time without being easily erased. On the other hand, the development of printing technology offered a means of emphasizing words that were traditionally made orally. Additionally, the technology enhanced oral tradition and it made it easier for authors to communicate truth. However, the development of the printing technology made some poems to be rendered obsolete. References Calhoun, C 2007, Habernas and Public Sphere, MIT, Massachusetts Furniss, G 2004, Orality: The Power of Spoken Word, Palgrave Macmillan, London. Fussel, S 2004, Gutenberg and the Impact of Printing, Ashgate Publishing, London. Gunaratne, S 2006, ‘Habermas, Public Sphere and Communication Theories’, In ANZCA Conference, pp. 1-30. Ong, W 1982, Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the World, Rutledge, Oxon. . Bibliography Bawden, D & Robinson, L, ‘A Distant Mirror?; The Internet and The Printing Press’, Aslib Conference, pp. 1-30. Burke, P & Briggs, A 2009, Social History of the Media, Polity Press, Cambridge. Calhoun, C 2007, Habernas and Public Sphere, MIT, Massachusetts. Furniss, G 2004, Orality: The Power of Spoken Word, Palgrave Macmillan, London. Fussel, S 2004, Gutenberg and the Impact of Printing, Ashgate Publishing, London. Gunaratne, S 2006, ‘Habermas, Public Sphere and Communication Theories’, In ANZCA Proceedings, vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 51-57. Guthrie, R 2011, Publishing, SAGE Publications: London. Hensley, J 2006, Design and Applications, Thomas Telford, London. Lai, X & Lin, H 2011, Information and Multimedia, Springer, London. McNamara, J 2007, Printing Evolution, Springer, London. McRae, M 2011, Brains, Beliefs and Bad Ideas, University of Queensland Press, Queensland. Ong, W 1982, Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the World, Rutledge, Oxon. Read More

The monopoly of Knowledge theory is concerned with how ruling classes maintain the political power by controlling crucial information technologies. This theory affirms that existence of monopoly theory suppresses innovative thinking and at the same time it creates rigidity in hierarchies making them to become out of reach to the general society (Gunaratne 2006, p. 19). According to Fusel (2009, p. 76), the evolution of the printing technology provided an important means of communication which was able to overcome the monopoly knowledge that was held by leaders.

The technology led to mass production of copies hence this played an important role in spreading information. The problem of monopoly knowledge was overcome by the large scale newsprints that were produced as a result of the printing technology. Significance of the Revolution of Printing Technology Fussel (2005, p. 72) notes that the development of printing technology assisted in shaping religion. The evolution of printing technology attracted publishers to print religious tracts and bibles and this was an important landmark in shaping Christianity.

The technology assisted in mass production hence increased supply of religious information. Additionally, the technology provided a means through which people were able to recognize the values associated with Christianity. According to Fussel (2005, p. 50), the Catholic Church in Rome produced a printed edition that described its customs and values. According to Fussel (2009, p. 9) the evolution of printing technology enhanced education. The shift from manuscripts to print technology enabled publishers to produce enormous number of copies hence this provided a greater access of information to a large number of individuals.

Moreover, printing technology facilitated publication of consistent materials which were of high quality. Fussel (2009, p. 59) notes that the evolution of printing technology facilitated publication of quality copies from each and every printing center. Furthermore, the advancement of the printing technology led to the development of consistent grammar, punctuation and spelling rules. This assisted readers to understand and interpolate the ideas of the writers with ease. In addition, the printing technology helped in making books less expensive and thus they were able to reach a large number of learners.

The development of printing technology promoted the emergence of new poets (Fussel, 2009, p. 72). New writers were motivated to show case their works due to the aspiration that they obtained from authors who had already published their poets. Moreover, the evolution of the printing technology provided a means through which aspiring writers were able to learn about the structures of transmitting their poems in order to gain acceptance from the society. The poems that were published by leading authors acted as a guide to hopeful writers.

Finally, the printing technology brought with it individuals who had the skills and abilities to edit, design, promote and publish the work of other authors. These people provided assistance in improving the work of aspiring writers and this stimulated the arrival of new poets. According to fussel (2009, p. 26), the printing technology provided important support in making sure that indulgencies that were printed in earlier periods survived in several editions. Copies that were printed in previous eras remained useful for a long period of time.

The printing technology provided a permanent means of preserving information on paper. This is because it engraved text into copies hence this ensured sustainability of the information. The scribal system that was in use before the evolution of the printing technology was characterized by hand copying and this meant that the written words could not survive for a long period of time. However, the development of the printing technology provided a suitable means through which information could be written in a permanent manner.

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