IGNOU BDP BEGE-103 BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

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IGNOU BDP BEGE-103 BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

Everybody tries to communicate, but not every communication is successful. That is, there may be a difference between what is intended as the message and what is understood. The reason for these barriers to communication are several and may be classified into three broad categories.

• Semantic and Linguistic barriers
• Socio-Psychological barriers
• Cross-Cultural barriers

Semantic and Linguistic Barriers

 1. Ambiguity in Expression

Every language has words that sound the same but have a different meaning or words that sound or look very similar but are very different in meaning. Ambiguity can arise because of such words or expressions, whether intentionally or unintentionally. An intentional use of such words is commonly known as a pun.

For example: They can fish here.

This can mean either    1. they are permitted to fish here, or

             

                                     2. they put fish into cans here - for                                                         marketing.

The word 'can' in 1 is a "model auxiliary"; in 2 it is a "main verb" related in meaning to the noun can.

 2. Homophones

Words that are pronounced similarly but have different meanings are called homophones.

Examples:-

 sea, see

 cite, site, sight

 eye, I

 wait, weight

check, cheque

weak, week

loose, lose

A proficient listener can easily make out the meaning from the context but a not-so -proficient or inattentive listener may have problems when he or she listen to sentences like these:

It's a knotty problem.

It's a naughty problem.

Therefore, one should be careful in using such words, keeping the listener in view.

3. Contextual Meaning and Speech Acts

Language, as used in communication, has the property that much of the meaning is derived from the intention and the context of an utterance. Language is used to perform a "speech act" such as giving an order, extending an invitation, and so on. Thus the sentence, "Ram, the door is open" can be interpreted in at least 5 ways, depending on the context:

as an invitation: Ram, come in.

as a command: Ram, close the door.

as a warning: Ram, be careful.

as a statement of intent: Ram, we are open for discussions.

as a dismissal: Ram, you can leave.

4. Accent and Intonation

Accent - on a particular syllable in a word, or on a word in a sentence - can change the meaning drastically. In sentences,

They stole the fruit from the garden.

They stole the fruit from the garden.

They stole the fruit from the garden.

They stole the fruit from the garden.

The effective use of intonation - the "tune" in which something is said - can convey a meaning that is not actually said. If you here the words "He is quite good" with a rising tone on good, commonly called "comma intonation", you get the impression that the speaker has left something unsaid: "He is quite good, but..." What is left unsaid is usually taken to be a negative comment.

5. Word Shift

The Meaning of a sentence can change when the position of a word is shifted.

They rang up the parents concerned. - i.e. the parents connected with the issue

They rang up the concerned parents. - i.e. the parents who were worried

It snows here only in winter. - i.e. at no other time than in winter.

It only snows here in winter. - i.e. it does nothing but snow during winter.

6. Style

Our communication must be made in a style appropriate to the occasion. We shall distinguish mainly two styles: formal and informal. Using a formal style where the informal one is called for may create a comic effect. An informal style where a formal style is expected could be misunderstood as rudeness or lack of etiquette.

7. Register and Jargon - Acronyms

In certain fields, certain words have a special meaning. Those not from the field may not know that "register", or the particular meaning of a word in that field. E.g., the word instrument in the field of banking is a cheque or a demand draft; a section means a bundle of hundred notes of the same denomination.

Jargon consists of a set of words specific to a department, field or profession. Within its field, jargon does help in keeping communication short, yet effective and even precise. There is medical jargon, legal jargon, sports jargon, trade jargon and political jargon.

Acronyms are words made by putting together the initial letters of a descriptive name. They are usually understood only within their context: STD, PAN, PIN, NGO are common acronyms in India. What we call a PIN code is a ZIP  code in America. Some acronyms, however, have attained the status of words: the word radar was originally an acronym - Radio Detection And Ranging.

Socio-psychological Barriers

1. The Attention Span of the Listener

However interesting a topic, the time spent on it should not exceed the audience's patience or attention- span. On the telephone, brevity is essential. E-mails should always be brief. Brevity indicates an effort by the speaker to convey the essence of what he or she wants to say in the best possible way.

2. Laughter, the Best Medicine

Whether in teaching or talking, a smile always complements the message. Even a difficult concept can be conveyed through humour. Occasional jokes and anecdotes embellish the talk. Eye-contact and a smile give the listeners a feeling of togetherness. 

3. External Disturbances and the Wrong Medium

Noise from the surroundings or mechanical failures can sabotage communication. Each mode or medium of communication has its characteristic strengths and weaknesses. A talk filled with statistics is eminently forgettable if it is not supplemented with visuals such as the pie-diagrams and bar-graphs.

4. Personal Bias and Strong Feelings

People who have strong feelings about certain issues or people may be ineffective listeners or readers. Their emotion will bias or cloud the message. Similarly, a speaker who has very strong convictions may tend to speak in absolute terms, or in a didactic tone.

5. Selectivity, or the 'I see Only What I want to See' Attitude

This attitude is very dangerous because the resulting miscommunication can remain undetected. The speaker may have spoken well, and the listener may even confirm that he or she has understood something very clearly. But what has been understood may be quite different from what was meant to be understood. 

6. Cynicism and Negativity

The cynical and negative person is not open to new ideas.

7. Perceived Benefits

For good two-way communication, we need an attentive and interested audience. It is necessary for the communicator to ensure that the topic of the talk is of some relevance to the audience. If they do not perceive any benefit to them, the listeners may soon lose interest.

Cross-Cultural Barriers

The ability to understand different accents, idioms, ever-expanding jargons, and expressions - all these cultural differences make up the skills that have to be acquired.

One should also be aware of the culture of the others, especially when they are our guests or when we are in their country. These can be a variety of matters. Behaviours such as seeing people ignoring red traffic lights, spitting on the floor, smoking in public or queuing for a bus.All depending on one's own culture may appear as weird, strange, rude, ignorant or simply silly.

Greeting people, shaking hands, offering food, expressing gratitude, eye contact, body language, colour codes are some of the areas one has to observe and gain 'cultural knowledge'. Such sensitivity towards other cultures helps us to communicate across cultures effectively.