Plain English Meaning

The source is the person sending the message. In a classroom or briefing, that's usually the instructor — the one doing the explaining.

Full Definition

In the communication process, the source is the originator of a message — the person (such as an instructor) who decides what idea to convey, encodes it into words, gestures, or visual aids, and transmits it to a receiver. The effectiveness of the source depends on their knowledge of the subject, their ability to organize and deliver the message, and their credibility in the eyes of the receiver.

Context Anchor

Seen in aviation instruction when explaining how information moves between an instructor, a learner, air traffic control, or aircraft equipment.

Derivation

From the Latin 'surgere', meaning 'to rise' or 'spring up'. A source is where something originates — in this case, where the message rises from before it travels to the listener.