The very first means of communication was, and is, language. Thanks to language, one person can transmit his feelings and ideas to another. Without words, no organized life is possible on a large scale. But, along with communal life, there arose a need for communication which could travel further than the human voice and, at the same time, reach a group of people in as short a time as possible.
Think of an alarm bell or a fir siren. By using rhythms, tunes, sounds and colours, various events can be announced, from the bursting of a dam to a chimney fire. It was quickly discovered that hollow objects (trees, animal horns, etc.) produced loud sounds when they were hit or blown. The tomtom is a good example of communication from afar. The ox horn is another. It can be heard more than 5km (3.10 miles) away and, in fine weather, 13 km (8 miles). Sound has a speed of about 340 metres (371 feet) per second. Imagine a tomtom every 3 km (1.8 miles). A short message of the type '25 whites arriving' can be madeintelligible in a few minutes about 10 kilometres (6 miles) away. The expedition, during this time, would have covered only 200 metres.
Think of an alarm bell or a fir siren. By using rhythms, tunes, sounds and colours, various events can be announced, from the bursting of a dam to a chimney fire. It was quickly discovered that hollow objects (trees, animal horns, etc.) produced loud sounds when they were hit or blown. The tomtom is a good example of communication from afar. The ox horn is another. It can be heard more than 5km (3.10 miles) away and, in fine weather, 13 km (8 miles). Sound has a speed of about 340 metres (371 feet) per second. Imagine a tomtom every 3 km (1.8 miles). A short message of the type '25 whites arriving' can be madeintelligible in a few minutes about 10 kilometres (6 miles) away. The expedition, during this time, would have covered only 200 metres.
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