A Ponder on Communication
Disclaimer: the following content is used as work for the HKUST Course LANG 2069, in the Spring 2026 semester.
Supercommunication is not a commonly seen word. In fact, it is not recognized by computers. Yet, it is such a skill to connect with one another which motivates me to take the course. As a club vice chairman in high school, and co-founder in a HKDSE mock paper initiative, I had been exposed to a lot of opportunities to converse about goals, expectations, and collaboration. It is my strength to talk rationally in such scenarios. However, where I struggle is when things get intimate and close. I often get overwhelmed by emotions, and it becomes challenging for me to express my views in a civil manner. I may attack and de-value what others say simply due to personal desire, or a lack of understanding and empathy.
Supercommunication is, to my knowledge, as the prefix super- suggests—a way to improve one’s communication skills. It involves language features and communication strategies to connect with others. It also emphasizes understanding oneself and the others around, like knowing social identity. That is, to supercommunicate and connect with others, we must know where we stand, and how we talk.
Having learnt non-violent communication (NVC) before, supercommunication also covers strategy, and both involve using a wide range of emotional vocabulary to express yourself. Where NVC focuses on understanding your partner, supercommunication goes on to encourage awareness on the broader social context.
I believe, paradoxically, supercommunication is not the only skill required to be a supercommunicator. Fundamentally, I hope I can also change the way I think, and in particular change the way I communicate under emotional vulnerability. I aim to integrate knowledge from psychology and other “communication methods”. It’s not just about being a “better communicator”, or being a “communicator who gets their goals across”. It’s about fostering connections, being a more collaborative partner, and a more loving one. I believe LANG 2069 is a lifelong course.