The most simple definition: Communication is each act of transmitting information.

最簡單的定義是：任何一個傳輸訊息的行為都可以稱做「傳播」

Information in the broadest sense of the word: including thoughts, ideas and emotions.

「訊息」在廣義上來說包括：想法、觀念、和情感

Information in the broadest sense of the word: including thoughts, ideas and emotions.

「訊息」在廣義上來說包括：想法、觀念、和情感

Information in the broadest sense of the word: including thoughts, ideas and emotions.

「訊息」在廣義上來說包括：想法、觀念、和情感

Giving someone a bouquet of flowers is communicating a certain message.

例如「送人一束花」這個動作就算是在「傳播」一個特定訊息

Adding to that gift a verbal compliment,

如果除了禮物之外還加上文字上的讚美「你很漂亮」

"You're pretty" is another seperate act of communication.

其讚美就是另一個獨立的傳播行為

Blushing 'because you've just received flowers and a compliment

因為收到花與讚美而臉紅

is again another form of communication.

也是另一個形式的傳播

is again another form of communication.

也是另一個形式的傳播

is again another form of communication.

也是另一個形式的傳播

As social animals we communicate day in day out...

作為社會性動物我們每天都在進行傳播

with spoken words, non-verbal gestures, signs and symbols.

方法包括語言、身體語言、符號和象徵

with spoken words, non-verbal gestures, signs and symbols.

方法包括語言、身體語言、符號和象徵

Sometimes we use media to communicate a message.

有時我們利用媒體來傳播訊息

Media are the channels that we use to communicate.

媒體就是傳播的管道

Scholars don’t really agree on the definition of the word media.

學者們對媒體的定義並沒有普遍的共識

Television, internet, radio, mobile phones, the soapbox we stand on to give a speech,

電視、網路、廣播、智慧型手機、作為講台的肥皂箱

they are all technical media in a way. Things we constructed to amplify our communication.

這些幫助我們建立並增強傳播的工具都在某種程度上稱為媒體

In the more broader definition, we can include our hands, voice and eyes,

在更廣泛的意義上，我們的手、聲音、眼睛也都能稱作媒體

that we all use to communicate somehow, in the list of communication channels, of media.

因為我們在在某種程度上也利用它們來傳播，所以他們也是稱之為媒體的傳播管道

In general however, whenever we discuss mediated communication

但大體來說，當我們在討論媒體傳播

or the mass media, we only mean the first category.

或大眾傳播時，我們指的通常是前述的第一個定義

Over the years scientists from different scientific disciplines have studied these channels

繼年來各個領域的科學家們致力於研究這些傳播管道

of communication and all these different forms that communication can take.

以及可能的不同傳播形式

The results of their studies have formed the basis of the relatively new

發展出一些成果，給予了一個相對新興的學科

'science of communication'.

「傳播科學」一些根基

Even today, many scholars in other disciplines

即使到了今天，許多在不同領域的學者

study the exact same communication phenomena as we do.

也和我們研究著相同的傳播現象

We share theories, models and often use the same methods to analyse & describe our field.

我們有共同的理論、模型甚至使用相同的研究、分析、和描述方法

It is therefore useful to be aware of how these other disciplines are connected with ours.

所以了解不同領域如何和傳播學連結是相當有用的

To get an idea of the different levels of communication

為了瞭解不同層級的傳播

and how they are connected to other scienctific disciplines,

以及他們各自和其他科學領域有什麼關聯

we can look at the so-called pyramid of communication.

我們可以先從傳播金字塔談起

On the highest level of this pyramid we find societal communication,

金字塔最高層級稱之為「全社會傳播」（或大眾傳播）

which is by its very nature aimed at a large mass audience.

其傳播對象自然是大眾閱聽人

Therefore mainly historians, political scientists and sociologists studied this perspective.

因此大眾傳播也是的歷史學家、政治學家和社會學家主要研究對象

Under that is the level of institutional communication,

其下一個層級則是組織/機構的傳播

that is performed by political parties, organized religions, large corporations and such.

政黨內、宗教組織內和大公司內部進行的傳播即為此層級的傳播

Then comes the level of group communication.

下一層級是小團體傳播

Groups are audiences that feel a high level of group identification,

這裏的團體（group）是由一群對於一個小團體有強烈認同的人所組成

for instance a family or a fanclub.

例如家庭和同好會

Both institutional and group communication are in the field of sociology and cultural antropology.

組織/機構傳播和小團體傳播都被視為在社會學和文化人類學的範疇之內

We have now arrived to the level of interpersonal communication,

接著是「人際傳播」

basically the communication between two or more people.

基本上就是在兩個以上的人之間的傳播

Both sociologists and psychologists study this field.

社會學與心理學常研究這一層級的傳播

Finally there is the level of intrapersonal communication.

最後是自我傳播

This would be the communication you have with yourself.

即為你和自己發生的傳播

With this we mean all information processing, thinking, internalizing information

自我傳播包括資訊的處理、思考、內化資訊

and the process of giving meaning to the world around us.

以及理解你周遭世界的過程

And of course this approach leans heavily on the discipline of psychology.

這一層級的傳播有很大的一部分仰賴心理學的貢獻