Acceptance generally cannot remain silent. This rule dates back to England when a person wrote to a horse dealer that if he did not listen to the horse dealer, he would expect the horse to make his horse. The English courts did not believe that silence could show that there was mutual agreement and therefore decided that a contract would only exist if there was a positive agreement from the party receiving an offer. While oral agreements and certain undertakings are technical contracts, evidence of the details of the offer and the fact that it was actually accepted is difficult, if not impossible, without a written contract. You should also keep in mind that certain types of contracts are actually prescribed by law to be written. Based on these observations, Nakane first notes that in Japanese classrooms, the written form of communication is generally preferred, with the teacher using the board extensively to allow students to copy rather than take notes on what he orally tells them (Nakane 2007: 43). Symbols are not only arbitrary, they are ambiguous, i.e. they have several possible meanings. Imagine your friend telling you she has an apple on his desk. Does it refer to a piece of fruit or its computer? When a friend says that someone he`s met is cool, does he think that person is cold or great? The importance of symbols changes over time due to changes in social norms, values and technological advances. You might ask, “If symbols can have many meanings, how do you communicate and understand each other?” We are able to communicate because there are a finite number of possible meanings for our symbols, a number of meanings on which members of a particular linguistic system agree.
In the absence of an agreed symbol system, we could share relatively little. It`s probably not. You don`t have to do anything if someone sends you goods you haven`t asked for and asks you to buy them. Your inaction does not usually bind you to a contract to purchase the goods, and the other party cannot sue you for infringement if you do not pay for it. In many countries, unwanted items are treated as gifts. In less formal environments, communication is less direct. The goal is to build relationships and maintain harmony in the workplace. In these situations, people may feel more comfortable with silence, which is more significant by non-verbal communication and intuition than by words. If you have questions about whether silence signals acceptance of an offer or other business contract issues, a lawyer can help you with details on how you can enter into a valid permanent contract. If you do not fully understand the terms of the contract or if they have been accepted, you may be suspended from costly debts.