In fantasy we normally have different races, and the races have different languages of their own. Now sometimes we will go an extra mile; and create a language for them. Writing down a language is great, grammar... punctuation... it can take a long time but it is worth it!
 But are we missing something?
...
Verbal communication takes up 20% of all communication.
I believe we are missing the other 80%. But what are they?
30% of communication is tone. We raise our voice to make a point or to show power, we lower it to be secretive. We have sarcasm, and seriousness. This all may be different in other peoples? For other tongues there may be something that when you speak in a higher voice it is plural? The possibilities are endless!

50% Of communication is... body language
The concept is basically the same with the tone communication. In other languages of our worlds waving hello might be offensive. Perking your eyebrows up might signal to people that you want to leave or something weird like that. Stomping your foot may mean you show the person appreciation, or clapping your hands may mean that you want to kill someone!

What do ya'll think? Have you used all 100% of communication in your languages?

Actually, tone (as you define it) is considered an aspect of language, and is referred to as Pragmatics, along with several other elements, such as rhetoric.

Body language isn't considered a communication system, but rather an aide which increases our ability to make sense of the communication system we utilize, and to have some extra-system communication.

However, any time a "sign" (movement of the body) is recognized to represent and certain meaning, it is considered a part of a sign language, or as a function of Pragmatics.

Oh! Well it has a name! Pragmatics; thank 'ye Jordan!

Well 'tis true that tone and body language are not communication themselves. Neither is grammar and punctuation. But they are very important for creating languages. But they are a way as you said it is a...



Exactly!


By verbal communication I meant as words and such. Not as in actual talking.

I believe I use all three, although I obviously focus more on the words. I make mention of eye rolls, sighs, hand flurishes, and other signs, as well as mentioning a whisper vs. a shout.

Cool! And not just in our writing in itself, but also the cultures of different races could have different interpretations of these things!

Are you referring to different uses of these motions? For example, as in the Chronicles of Narnia (I believe just the movies) a handshake is very normal to the people of our world, but in their world it simply isn't done and seen as very odd...

Lucy: *extends hand*
...
Lucy: Oh, you shake it.
Tumnus: *chuckles* Why?
Lucy: I- I don't know! People do it when they meet each other.

Stuff like that? Living overseas you do realize that there is a difference. In Brazil the 'ok' symbol you can make with your fingers is horrible. Do it to a grandmother and she'll scold you, do it to a teenager and he'll deck you. There are very strange ones we've picked up from different places, such as making any kind of noise with your nose; blowing it or even sneezing is very vulgar in Central Asia. However, if you simply say excuse me to whoever you are talking to you can turn your back to them and do whatever you wish with your nose...

And I could go on. In my book some of my charries travel to a place where everybody greets one another with a kiss, and I must say they feel very awkward indeed.

Haha! That's really cool, Caleb!

That is a very good point, Little E, and a good clip you used to support it. I hadn't necessarily thought of that...

It also depends on how interconnected your nations are. I mean, in our world, a handshake is pretty universal. But then you can also have highly specific gestures that certain people or people groups do. In my book, in the Enclave, the young men over 18 greet each other by knocking the sides of their heads together (OK, that sounds dumb, but it does make sense if I could explain it better ). This is actually a real greeting I lifted from Central Asia

eru

So peoples that grew closer to each other would probably have more-alike cultures. That's neat, Eru!

In Eshteka, the Wood People (official name undecided) greet one another by tugging on their nose, instead of waving or shaking hands.

Hehe! Their noses?!? That's awesome!

If you want to see a picture of a Wood Child (singular of Wood People until I find a better name for them), you can click on this linkie. Otherwise, just ignore.

Ooh! Me likie the linkie! Poor rabbit... I can see what's about to happen

How did you ever guess?

In Robonaz people never make a sound during a speech or performance (something I wish was true of other nations), and they express pleasure by standing or waving their hands.

In an unnamed country, probably in more than one, whistling and snapping the fingers is not considered lighthearted, but is learned as one would learn singing and incorporated into solemn as well as happy songs.

I just now thought of this: a culture in which people crouch down to talk to each other when they meet.

I like the Vulcan salute, and its apparent inspiration:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_salute