When all the days are hot and long
And robin bird has ceased his song,
I go swimming every day
And have the finest kind of play.

I've learned to dive and I can float
As easily as does a boat;
I splash and plunge and laugh and shout
Till daddy tells me to come out.

It's much too soon; I'd like to cry
For I can see the ducks go by,
And Daddy Duck---how I love him
He lets his children swim and swim!

I feel that I would be in luck
If I could only be a duck.

从语言角度看，人类交际分为言语交际(verbal communication)　非言语交际(nonverbal communication)。　言语交际过程常伴随着非言语交际。非言语交际辅助、推动言语交际，提供语境，背景文化等信息。

我们先看一下英汉两种语言交际过程中言语信息的传递接收的过程及渠道。

英语的“apple”与汉语的“苹果”，就发音来说，分属于两种迥异的语音系统。在发音上两词没有什么直接的关联。就字形而言，一属拼音文字，一属象形文字。在字形上两词之间也没有任何直接的关联。是两词的义使两词产生联系。物质存在于先，符号形成于后，同物异名而已。那种被讲英语的人称为“apple”的，被讲汉语的人叫做“苹果”的实物是两种语言的共同所指。同样地，英语中的“run”，“glad”与汉语中的“跑”、“高兴”在音、形上也没有什么关联，是靠它们的义――“跑”的身体运动和“高兴”的身体愉悦感受，沟通了说者与听者，搭就两种语言间信息传递的桥梁。

言语符号的所指客体，交际时伴随的身体动作和感受以及脑海中呈现的图像是语言之间的媒介，是两种语言的共核。