communicational

Communicational is an adjective that describes anything related to communication, the act of conveying or exchanging information. In scholarly writing, the term is used to refer to processes, behaviors, or artifacts associated with communication. It is less common than the noun "communication" and is typically found in phrases such as communicational practices, communicational channels, or communicational media.

Usage is largely confined to technical or academic contexts. In general prose, writers usually prefer "communication" or "communication-related" to avoid the less common form. When used, it often functions attributively: for example, "communicational norms," "communicational efficiency," or "communicational breakdown." Nonetheless, "communicational" appears across disciplines such as linguistics, information theory, media studies, organizational communication, anthropology, and sociology, especially when distinguishing aspects of the communication process from related phenomena.

Etymology and relation to other terms: the word derives from the verb "to communicate" and the noun "communication," with the suffix "-al" forming an adjective. It is related to "communicative" but tends to emphasize the system, method, or process of communication rather than communicative ability. Related terms include "communication," "communicative," "communication theory," and "information theory."

Because of its specialization, readers should beware that "communicational" may sound formal or technical outside academic texts.