Environmental description is the description of general, physical, personal and social
space and action, where visual, auditory and other sensory information is shared with
the receiver in spoken, written or sign language, either vocally, i.e. producing sounds
or in another form (pointing, touching, drawing). It can be divided into the expression
of basic characteristics, basic description, precise and extended description, and it can
be carried out physically on the spot (close description) or far away from the target
(distant description). Description can be carried out spontaneously in real time, in joint
action systematically i.e. pre-prepared description or it can be recorded beforehand as
a text format, or as consecutive i.e. a postponed description after the event. The target
group may be one person or a group. In addition to verbal description, environmental
description can be produced with various sounds, such as vocalization without words or
other sources of sounds e.g. musical instruments. Interaction in a situation between the
describer and the receiver may be a one-way description or a dialogue. It can further be
divided into functional dialogue, reciprocal description supporting sensory perceptions,
telling and pointing in front of the target, reciprocal description by drawing or through
movements and the exploration of objects. In detailed descriptions the main subjects are
followed by details. Description can be classified according to the size of the space that is
extensive, large, in a room or nearby.
