[mym1990]

I guess the short answer is: it depends. What if there are 5 people in the room and it’s not clear who the command is to? What if the person asking for the soda is crying? Surely you wouldn’t just get the soda and walk away…

In a sense, there is information to be had, whether or not you want or need to have it is totally up to you and perhaps the situation. Low stakes situations it probably matters less, negotiating with something big on the line would be a different story.

I think if humans always told the truth or could always express themselves fully in words, then yes, verbal communication would be a bigger chunk. But the truth is that humans can hide behind words or not know quite the right way to express themselves, but it’s much harder to do with tone and body movements.