Definition 1 of 2
Definition
In communication, symbols are the words, signs, gestures, or other representations used by a sender to package an idea so it can be transmitted to a receiver. The symbols themselves carry no meaning — meaning is supplied by the people using them, based on shared experience and understanding.
Plain English
Symbols are the words and signs we use to stand for ideas. They only work if both people involved attach the same meaning to them.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation communication and instruction, especially when explaining how meaning is sent from an instructor to a learner through words, diagrams, signs, and cockpit indications.
Derivation
From the Greek symbolon, meaning a 'token' or 'sign' — originally a piece of an object broken in two, with each party keeping half so they could later be matched to confirm an agreement. The instructional sense keeps that idea: a symbol is a token that stands in for something else, and it only works if both parties recognise it the same way.
Why Pilots Care
Accurate use and understanding of symbols prevents miscommunication that can compromise training effectiveness or flight safety.
Analogy
A red traffic light is a symbol. The light itself does not physically say “stop,” but drivers have agreed that it means stop.
Intuition Check
Do not think of symbols only as drawings or icons. In this context, spoken words, written words, chart marks, hand signals, and cockpit indications can all be symbols when they carry meaning.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor chose familiar symbols — plain words and a quick sketch — so the student would connect the explanation to something already understood.
Example Sentence 2
Using precise symbols in radio communications helps avoid confusion during busy traffic pattern operations.