1. • Communication is defined as the act of expressing our views to others
through the use of signs, expressions, symbols, spoken words, or any
activity to reach a common understanding. We can communicate with
a person or a group of persons.
2. • What are Language Barriers?Language barriers are those features of language use
that result in miscomprehension or complete loss in communication. Language
barriers deal with aspects of language use that make it difficult to understand.
This could be because of a variety of factors like differences in educational
background, level of literacy and country or area of the language user.Types of
Language Barriersa) Foreign LanguageCommunication between people of
different countries becomes difficult if neither of the speakers has a common
language to communicate in. While knowledge of foreign languages is common
practice among people certain languages are still a hurdle for people to learn and
communicate.
• Bad Expression – Bad expression states use of wrong words while conveying any
message. Messages which are not properly formulated or are misinterpreted
consumes a lot of time as it requires a lot of effort to make it correct. The
clarification just reduces the impact of the message.
3. Physiological Barriers to CommunicationPhysiology is the state of human
body and mind. Physiological barriers of communication occur due to
the physical condition of sender or receiver which might even be
physical disabilities. It includes sensory dysfunction and other physical
dysfunctions.
For example, A person with short term memory loss is unable
to convey the message after a while as he/she forgets the
message and hence the communication fails.Deafness and
Hearing ImpairmentA receiver with hearing impairment or
hearing loss cannot receive audio message. The person also
cannot talk with people face to face easily. If the hearing
problem is not very severe, he/she might only hear some words
and is unable to get the intended meaning out of the
message.Blindness and Vision ImpairmentUse of eyes in
communication is as important as other parts of body, as
formation of message mostly happens by seeing
4. • Perceptual BarriersThese communication barriers exist in people’s
minds based on how they perceive the world around them. They can
be caused by the many cognitive biases of the human mind that
prevent us from perceiving people and situations accurately.
Individuals may also have their own unique biases based on previous
experience and the influence of others. Ask yourself what
perceptions might be holding you or others back from communicating
effectively. To encourage others to question their perceptions, try this
short anecdote.
5. • Gender BarriersDid you know that there are distinct differences
between the speech patterns of men and women? The reason lies in
the different ways our brains are wired.When a man speaks, he uses
the left side of the brain, but not a specific area of it. When a woman
speaks, she uses both sides of the brain in two specific locations. This
is why men tend to speak in a linear and compartmentalised way,
whereas women speak more freely in a way that mixes logic and
emotion.Most teams comprise men and women, so it helps to bear
this in mind to appreciate the contribution of different team
members, and minimise the risk of communication barriers.
