Unit 1

Language & Communication

1.1 Language & Communication – Distinctness of Human Language

 “Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols.” – Edward Sapir. Language therefore can be described as the organization of sounds, of vocal Symbols. The sounds produced from the mouth to convey some meaningful message. Language is defined by a systematic verbal symbolism; it makes use of verbal elements like sounds, words, phrases, which are arranged in certain ways to form sentences. Language is vocal by nature because it is created from sounds which can be produced by the organs of speech which also implies that speech is primary to writing. There are several languages in the world which do not have writing systems, yet they are complete languages because they're spoken. Music and singing also employ vocal sounds, but they aren't considered as a proper language.

Arbitrariness of Language

Arbitrariness refers to the absence of any natural or necessary connection between a word's meaning and its sound or form in linguistics. Arbitrariness is one of the characteristics shared between all languages as an antithesis to sound symbolism, which does exhibit an evident connection between sound and sense.

As R.L. Trask points out in Language: The Basics, "the overwhelming presence of arbitrariness in language is the chief reason it takes so long to learn the vocabulary of a foreign language." This is largely because of confusion over similar-sounding words in a secondary language.

Trask goes on to use the instance of trying to guess the names of creatures in a foreign language relying on the sound and form alone, providing an inventory of Basque words — "zaldi, igel, txori, oilo, behi, sagu," which mean "horse, frog, bird, hen, cow, and mouse respectively" — then observing that arbitrariness isn't unique to humans but instead exists within all forms of communication.

Distinctive Characteristics of Human Language

(i) Language is a means of communication

Language is a form of communication which is powerful, convenient and permanent. Other non- linguistic mediums like expressive gestures, signals of varied kinds, traffic lights, road signs, flags, Braille alphabets, the symbols of mathematics and logic, etc. are also means of communication, yet they're not as flexible, comprehensive, perfect and extensive as language is. Language is the best means of self-expression. It is through language that humans express their thoughts, desires, emotions, feelings; it's through it they store knowledge, transmit message, transfer knowledge and experience from one person to another, from one generation to another. It is through it that humans interact. Language is the medium which yokes present, past and future together.

(ii) Language is a social phenomenon

Language is a set of conventional communicative signals employed by humans for communication within a community. Language in this sense may be a possession of a social group, an imperative set of rules which allows its members to interact with one another to co-operate with each other: it is a social institution. Language exists in society; it's a way of nourishing and developing culture and establishing human relations. It is as a member of society that a human being acquires a language.

(iii) Language is unique, creative, complex and modifiable

Language is a unique phenomenon of the earth. Each language is unique in its own sense. By this we don't mean that languages do not have any similarities. Despite their common features, each language has its peculiarities and distinct features. Language has creativity and productivity. The structural elements of human language are often combined to form new utterances, which neither the speaker nor his hearers may ever have said or heard before any yet which both sides understand without difficulty. Language changes according to the needs of society.

(iv) Language is arbitrary

By the arbitrariness of language, we mean: there's no inherent or logical connection or similarity between any given feature of language and its meaning. That is entirely arbitrary, that there is no direct, necessary connection between the nature of things or ideas language. Furthermore, these are at variation in numerous languages of the globe and have no uniformity.

(v) Language is systematic

Language is symbolic in nature and its symbols are arranged in a particular system. Systems are a part of all languages and each language has their specific system or arrangement. The symbols in each human language can be arranged infinitely even though the symbols are finite; that is to say, we can produce an infinite set of sentences to a finite set of symbols.

(vi) Language is both linguistic and communicative competence

A language is an abstract set of psychological principles and sociological consideration that constitute a person’s competence as a speaker in a given situation. These psychological principles make available to him an infinite number of sentences he can draw upon in concrete situations and supply him with the flexibility to understand and make

entirely new sentences. Hence language isn't just a verbal behavior; it's a system of rules establishing correlations between meanings and sound sequences. It is a group of principles that a speaker masters; it's not anything a speaker does. In brief, a language may be a code which is different from the act of encoding. It is a speaker’s linguistic competence instead of his linguistic performance. But mere linguistic or communicative competence isn't enough for communication; It has to be associated with communicative competence. This is the view of the sociologists who stress the utilization of language consistent with the occasion.

Difference Between Animal and Human Communication

1. Duality of Patterning:

The primary difference is considered as duality of patterning, or structure. Each human language incorporates a fixed number of sound units called “phonemes”. These phonemes are combined to form morphemes, the tiniest unit of sound that contains meaning. Thus, language possesses two levels of patterning that aren't present in other animals' communication.

2. Creativity

Yet another distinctive feature is creativity. Human beings use their linguistic resources to supply new expressions and sentences. They arrange and rearrange phonemes, morphemes, words, and phrases during a way which will express an infinite number of ideas. This is also called the open-endedness of language. Animal communication is a closed system. It cannot produce new signals to communicate novel events or experiences.

3. Displacement

Human language can observe things that are not happening here or now. Other animals react only to stimuli that occurs in the present. Human beings can verbalise real or imaginary situations, places, or objects far removed from their present surroundings and time. Other animals, on the other hand, communicate in reaction to a stimulus in the immediate environment, like food or danger. Because of this, human language is considered context-free, whereas animal communication is mostly context bound.

4. Interchangeability

Human language is interchangeable between sexes. But certain communications in animal world are performed only by one gender. For example, bee dancing is only performed by worker bees, which are female.

5. Cultural Transmission

Human language is culturally transmitted, or taught. Other animals communicate largely with signs they're born knowing. Human beings raised in different cultures acquire different languages. Man may also learn other languages via the influence of other cultures. Animals lack this capacity. Their communication ability is transmitted biologically, so that they are unable to learn other languages.

5. Arbitrariness

Human language is a symbolic system. The signs, or words, in language do not hold any inherent connection to what they signify, or mean (that's why one object can have numerous names in numerous languages). These signs may also be written with the symbols, or alphabet, of that language. Both verbal and non-verbal language may be passed down to future generations. Animal communication isn't symbolic, which implies that ideas cannot be preserved for the future.

6. Biology

Biological differences also play an important role in communication. Human vocal cords can produce a large number of sounds. Each human language uses a wide variety of those sounds. Animal and birds have entirely different biological structures, which impact the way they can form sounds.

Communication

Communication is a process through which two or more persons transmit or exchange thoughts and concepts among themselves. W. H. Newman and C. F. Summer define communication as, “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”

Communication is the process of transferring information by means of speaking, reading, listening and writing. Although the act of communication is heavily dependent on these four skills, it goes beyond these and also incorporate non-verbal elements such as body language, expressions, sign language, electronically transmitted codes (Morse code etc.) etc. It is both an art and a science.

Although every individual communicates simply by being in the world, learning effective communication skills requires hard work and determination. Developing good verbal and body language skills involves learning and consciously using your skills to improve.

One must be thoroughly familiar with all styles of correspondence in order to facilitate effective communication. The form of communication intrinsically depends upon the purpose and the central idea of the message to be conveyed. For example, it is feasible to acquire information or provide information using a formal phone call or an email whereas while conveying bad news to a particular individual a face-to-face conversation is considered rather apt.

Communication Process

The communication process comprises of the following components:

1. Sender: Sender is the individual who wants to send the message to the receiver. A sender makes effective use of words, symbols, pictures, graphs etc. available to him to construct the message. The views, background, approach, skills, competencies, and knowledge of the sender determine whether the message is approachable or not.

2. Encoding: Since the subject matter of communication is theoretical and intangible, its further passing requires use of certain symbols such as words, actions or pictures etc. Conversion of subject matter into these symbols is the process of encoding.

3. Message: The message comprises of the information that is to be exchanged between the sender and the receiver. The central idea of the message must be clear and should be easily understood by the receiver.

The process of communication can be easily understood from the following flowchart:

4. Channel: The medium of communication should be chosen with respect to the purpose of the message and the ability of the receiver to comprehend it. Hence, the sender must choose an appropriate medium for transmitting the message. The channel can be oral or written, the use of oral medium is preferred when the message is urgent and requires an immediate response, the written medium is preferred when the message is technical and there is a need for it to be documented.

5. Decoding: The person who receives the message or symbol from the communicator tries to convert the same in such a way so that he may extract its meaning to his complete understanding.

6. Receiver: The receiver is the individual to whom the message is addressed. The ability of the receiver to decode the message depends on the knowledge of the receiver, the reliance of the encoder, responsiveness of the receiver to the message.

7. Feedback: After the receiver receives the message, he tries to decode it, understand it and tried to provide a proper feedback to the sender, who then tries to interpret the feedback.

8. Noise: It is the hindrance in the process of communication. It can take place at any step in the entire process. It reduces the accuracy of communication e.g. 1) Disturbance in the telephone lines, 2) An inattentive receiver 3) Improper Decoding of Message etc.

Characteristics of Good Communication (The 7Cs of Communication)

The seven C’s of communication is a list of principles that you should ensure all of your communications adhere to. Their purpose is to help ensure that the person you’re communicating with hears what you’re trying to say. The seven C’s of communication include: clear, correct, complete, concrete, concise, considered and courteous.

1. Clear

There are several stages to clarity.

Firstly, it’s important to be clear about the purpose of the message you’re delivering. The recipient should be made aware of why they are receiving the message and what you’re trying to achieve by delivering it. If there are multiple goals, each should be laid out separately.

Secondly, it’s essential that the content of the communication is itself clear. The use of jargon must be avoided, use simple language and simple structures and always focus on the core points of your message.

2. Correct

It’s essential that both the factual information and the language and grammar you use are correct. If your audience spots errors in either, they will be distracted and your credibility will be greatly reduced. This will reduce the effectiveness of your communication.

3. Complete

Completeness is often one of the most important of the 7 Cs of communication.

When creating a message, it’s important to give the recipient all of the information they need to follow your line of reasoning and to reach the same conclusions you have. This level of detail will be different in different situations, and you should adjust your communications accordingly.

In addition, you should make things as easy as possible for the recipient. For example, if you are issuing a “call to action”, provide explicit guidance on that action. Increasingly it’s common to include things like hyperlinks in written communications or to attach FAQs, both of which help audiences access a complete set of information while also ensuring that core communications focus on core messages.

4. Concrete

When shaping your communication, you must ensure that you are specific and that the logic and messages that you’re using fit together, build on each other and support each other. Your arguments should be based on solid facts and opinions from credible sources and you should share irrefutable data to support your argument.

It may be important to help bring the solid nature of what you’ve created to life for your audience through examples that show the relevance of your messages for them as individuals.

5. Concise

When communicating messages of this nature it’s important to stick to the point and keep your messages short and simple. If a message can be given in five words, don't make it ten. Don’t repeat your messages.

The more you say, the more risk there is of confusion. Avoid that risk by focusing solely on the key points you need to deliver.

6. Courteous

Not everyone knows how to use the 7 Cs of communication. You can increase the effectiveness of your communications by being polite and showing your audience that you respect them. Your messages should be friendly, professional, considerate, respectful, open and honest.

To help ensure you are courteous, you should always use some empathy and consider your messages from the point of view of the audience.

7. Coherent

The last of the 7 Cs of communication is coherence. If your communications are not coherent they will not be effective. To help make sure your communications are coherent you should have a logical flow and your style, tone and language should be consistent throughout.

In addition to making sure that each correspondence that is issued is coherent within itself, you should also ensure consistency of message when delivering multiple communications.

Barriers to Communication

Communication is only complete if the message received by the recipient is interpreted in the same way as was intended by the sender. But due to the presence of a wide number of factors the message may be destroyed. These factors act as barriers to effective communication. It is essential to locate and eradicate these factors in order to allow free flowing communication.

Some of the barriers that block communication are listed below:

1. Linguistic/semantic Barriers– The linguistic ability of both the sender and receiver define their ability to effectively communicate. Especially when technical communication is concerned, the free flow of communication requires both parties to be sufficiently acquainted with the information that is being exchanged. For example, if two people from different backgrounds converse with the technical terminology of their own fields they are bound to misunderstand each other.

Semantic barriers are some of the most critical obstacles that limit effective communication. Language is that the most ordinarily employed tool of communication. The fact that every major region has its own language also contributes to being a barrier in effective communication. Sometimes even a thick dialect may render communication ineffective.

Even within the same workplace, different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a result, the communication channels that span across the organization would be suffering from this.

2. Psychological Barriers- The psychological state of the receiver plays a significant role when processing information. Factors such as personal issues, worries and stress might affect the receiver’s ability to decode information as they might be preoccupied with their own concerns.

Anger on the sender’s end is also an example of a psychological barrier, while angry one tends to convey thoughts one doesn’t mean only to regret later. Shyness, anxiety and depression may also act as barriers.

3. Interpersonal Barriers- There are six ways in which people can distance themselves from one another:

• Withdrawal - is an absence of interpersonal contact.
• Pastimes - Pastimes fill up time with others in social but superficial activities.
• Working - Work activities follow the rules and procedures of contact but no more than that.
• Games - Games are subtle, manipulative interactions which are about winning and losing. They include "rackets" and "stamps".
• Closeness - The purpose of interpersonal contact is closeness. Good interpersonal contact promotes honesty and acceptance.

4. Physical Barriers- Physical barriers such as noise, physical distance between the speaker and receiver, conditions of the topography, poor lighting, speech impediment, hearing disability also affect effective communication. They also include hinderances such as closed doors, faulty equipment used for communication, closed cabins, etc. Sometimes in a large office, the physical separation between various employees combined with faulty equipment may lead to severe barriers to effective communication.

5. Perceptual Barriers- The difference in how individuals perceive things also play a role in communication. People often find themselves unable to accept messages that go against their upbringing and values. Here even though the communication is effective, the feedback suffers. A similar situation might be perceived differently by different individuals and therefore might create disagreement.

6. Socio/Cultural Barriers- Different cultures possess different norms of social interactions and communication. Something deemed appropriate in one culture might not be the same in another. Body language and gestures play a vital role in non-verbal communication which might suffer due to cultural differences.

As the world is getting more and more globalized, multinational companies with large offices may have people from several parts of the world. Different cultures have a special meaning for several basic values of society. Dressing, religions or lack of them, food, drinks, pets, are different for each individual in society and hence the general behaviour will change drastically from one culture to another.

Hence, it's a must that we must take these different cultures into consideration while communicating. This is often referred to as being culturally appropriate. In many multinational companies, special courses are offered at the orientation stages that permit people to understand other cultures and the way to be courteous and tolerant towards these cultures.

7. Inattention- One of the most common barriers towards effective communication is inattention, the receiver might simply be uninterested or might be daydreaming while the message is being conveyed to him.

8.Organizational Barriers- Organisational policies should be clear to avoid misinterpretations. Expressly stated policies are better understood than implicit policies. As implicit policies are subject to interpretation of behaviour of top managers, people may be subjective in interpretation. Different people can draw different meaning of behavioural gestures which obstructs the effective flow of communication. Strict rules and regulations make observance to these rules also rigid. People lose creativity in transmitting messages. Choice of channels, medium and dimension of communication can be against the willingness of people and, thus, stand in the way of effective communication. Too many levels in the organisational hierarchy can delay processing of information. Information can be filtered, particularly in case of upward communication as negative information is generally not transmitted.

Ways to Overcome Communication Barriers

These barriers can be easily avoided with a little effort and dedication. Below are some methods useful for avoiding these communication barriers:

1. Clarity of words and purpose - Clarity is one of the most essential requirements of communication. While writing, it is necessary to write in good handwriting with proper grammar and sentence formation. While speaking one should use proper vocabulary and speak each word clearly and carefully along with proper inflections.

2.     Active Listening- One should listen carefully what the speaker is saying in order to understand properly and provide feedback. One should be attentive while listening, ask open ended questions and should be able to summarize the information provided by the speaker.

3.     Focus should be the other - While conversing one should maintain eye contact with the speaker as this shows the speaker that the message is being received by the listener. While speaking the focus should always be on the receiver.

4.     Non-Verbal Communication- One’s body language often speaks as loud as his words. While communication one should show one’s reactions and interests through their body language.

5.     Avoid Interruptions- It is essential to let the speaker finish talking before conveying one’s own thoughts. Interrupting is not only rude but also can be disadvantageous as one may not totally grasp the meaning of the speaker. If an interruption is absolutely necessary, one must use polite words like “pardon me” or “excuse me” instead of cutting the speaker in the middle of their thought process.

6.     Controlling Emotions and Thinking before Speaking- It is said one must think twice before they speak. One must always consider the opinions and feelings of others before speaking their mind. One must also consider one’s own emotions and not speak out of anger or frustration. The process of communication should be logical rather than emotional.

7.     The Message- The message one wishes to convey must always be clear and concise, there should be no doubts in one’s mind while speaking. The central idea of the message should always be conveyed completely and indubitably.

8.     Eliminating Noise- One must eliminate all the outside forces that might disturb the conversation in order to maintain the flow of the communication process.

9.     Feedback- One must pay attention to what the other person is saying and try to understand it as closely as possible to his intended meaning. This will allow him to provide proper responses.

Verbal and nonverbal Communication/language

Verbal communication is the type of communication that includes the utilization of language and words to pass on the intended message. Verbal Communication implies communication though spoken form only. Be that as it may, with regards to forms of communication, verbal communication can be in the spoken or the written structure. Therefore, the verbal form of communication may contain oral as well as written communication as discussed below:

Written Communication: This sort of correspondence includes any sort of trade of data in the composed structure. For instance, messages, emails, letters, reports, SMS, posts via web-based networking media, records, handbooks, banners, flyers, and so on.

Oral Communication: This type of communication is carried out orally through direct or indirect channels. Sound is the only channel through which oral communication can take place. Face to face conversations, chatrooms, voice podcast, telephone conversations are some examples of oral communication.

Verbal communication can be divided into 3 types:

1. Interpersonal communication: This type of communication takes place between two individuals. It can be face-to-face, telephonic or written. The two individuals here will assume the role of sender and receiver in the communication process.

2. Group communication: Here more than two people exchange information and ideas. Press conferences, social gatherings, board meeting, and group discussions are some examples of group communication.

3. Public communication: In this type of communication, one individual addresses a large group of people. This is usually a one-way conversation except for questionnaires and feedback. Election speeches, presentations, public speeches are some examples of public communication.

Characteristics of Verbal Communication

The characteristics of Verbal communication can be stated as follows:

1. Specialization and productivity: for every form of situation, a specialized form of communication is employed. It facilities the birth of creative responses. Typically, new words or sentences are introduced in every form of communication therefore, it is productive in nature.

2. Displacement: Verbal communication incorporates communication regarding remote concepts and situations, speaking about future or past as simply as the present. Language has the potential of dislocating the varied statement and ideas which are stated within the present context at a particular location and it can affect any other place next day.

3. Quickly Diminishing: Vocal sounds have a really limited lifetime, they diminish in no time. As soon as they're transmitted, they must be received otherwise they're going to be lost. Speech signals are characterized with least lifespan among all the communication media.

4. Arbitrariness: Verbal signals are unpredictable in nature which implies any physical properties or traits of concerned things are not possessed by them.

5. Cultural Transmission: Cultures and traditions are the prime determinants which may spread any kind of human language. As any human language may be learnt by any normal individual, this fact reflects the result of cultural spread of language. With some practice, all the languages may be inherited by humans.

Nonverbal communication is the type of communication that is carried out without the use of words. Nonverbal communication is usually utilized as an aid to verbal communication. This type of communication employs gestures, body language, symbols and expressions.

Nonverbal actions office set the tone of the conversation. Nonverbal communication is useful for expressing one’s mood, opinion or reaction. Below are some forms of non-verbal communication:

Physical nonverbal communication: This is the sum of the physically observable. For instance, hand gestures, visual communication, facial expressions, the tone of one’s voice, posture, stance, touch, gaze, and so on. Research shows that nonverbal communication constitutes about 55% of our daily communications

These are subtle signals that are picked up as a part of our biological wiring. for instance, if you rest your head on your palms, it'll mean that you simply are very disappointed or angry. Similarly, other subtle hints will convey your reactions to the person you want to communicate with and vice-versa.

Paralanguage: This type of communication is carried out by the tone of one’s voice. It almost 38% of all the communication that we do every day.

Along with the tone of voice, the style of speaking, voice quality, stress, emotions, or intonation all serve the purpose of expressing intent and reaction. All of these aspects are not verbal.

Visual Communication: This type of communication is carried out with the help of drawings, illustrations, placards, presentations and symbols.

Aesthetic Communication: An important means of communication, however underrated, is art. Some of the strongest messages and inexpressible feelings and emotions have been conveyed through art throughout history.  Art as an effective form of nonverbal communication, has played an important role in influencing people even before documented history.

Appearance: First impressions formed by apparel, grooming, politeness, the colours one wears, all are essential mediums of communication.

Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication

Following are the main characteristics of Non-verbal Communication:

1. Replacing speech

Non-verbal communication is an effective way of communicating without speaking in both formal and informal settings. Not only can one express a lot without words through their expressions and gestures but one can also use non-verbal signs to supplement speaking.

Below are some ways by which non-verbal communication can replace or supplement verbal communication:

a)     Using hands, legs feet or the whole body to indicate something.

b)    Using gestures with fingers, hands and arms to express a point.

c)     Tilting of head such as nodding to say yes or no

d)    Using expressions to express joy, sadness, approval, disapproval, frustration etc.

2. Controlling conversation

During a conversation, both parties take turns to speak to express their thoughts. Therefore, if a conversation requires one to take control such as in a debate, non-verbal communication can be used to drag the ball into one's court.

Below are some ways by which one can take control of the conversation using non-verbal communication:

a)     Cutting into speech to take control.

b)    Using voice modulation and tone to retain control.

c)     Pausing between sentences to add dramatic effect.

d)    Stopping between sentences to allow others to speak.

e)     Leaning forward to show interest and request others to speak.

f)       Looking away or leaning backwards to show disinterest or unpreparedness to listen.

3. Impression through Appearance

As Non-verbal communication goes beyond bodily actions to anything that sends subtle messages, one's attire and the way they look in general can affect the audience in many ways. Thus, one's appearance can be a useful tool to create an impact on the listener.

Below are some things which can be used to create a lasting impression:

a)     Appropriate attire for a formal or informal setting and proper grooming.

b)    Personal accessories such as watches, jewelry, etc.

c)     Organization of workspace such as the setup of desks, chairs and computers.

d)    Status symbols such as cars, houses etc.

4. Expressing emotion

While Verbal communication is useful for expressing thoughts, Non-verbal communication is useful for expressing emotions and subtle feelings. The tone of one's voice, their expressions and their body language can tell much more about a person than words can. In particular, if one feels that he is unable to express emotions verbally, their words and body language can easily be in contradiction, sending messages that may be interpreted as stress or deceit.

Key Takeaways

1. “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.” It is a process through which two or more persons transmit or exchange thoughts and concepts among themselves.
2. Communication is the process of transferring information by means of speaking, reading, listening and writing.
3. Formal Communication is the exchange of official information that flows along the different levels of the organizational hierarchy and conforms to the prescribed professional rules, policy, standards, processes and regulations of the organization.
4. Informal Communication is the casual and unofficial form of communication wherein the information is exchanged spontaneously between two or more persons without conforming the prescribed official rules, processes, system, formalities and chain of command.
5. The seven C’s of communication is a list of principles that you should ensure all of your communications adhere to. They are clear, correct, complete, concrete, concise, considered and courteous.
6. The recipient should be made aware of why they are receiving the message and what you’re trying to achieve by delivering it.
7. It’s essential that both the factual information and the language and grammar you use are correct.
8. When creating a message, it’s important to give the recipient all of the information they need to follow your line of reasoning and to reach the same conclusions you have.
9. Your arguments should be based on solid facts and opinions from credible sources and you should share irrefutable data to support your argument.
10. The more you say, the more risk there is of confusion. Avoid that risk by focusing solely on the key points you need to deliver.
11. You can increase the effectiveness of your communications by being polite and showing your audience that you respect them.
12. To help make sure your communications are coherent you should have a logical flow and your style, tone and language should be consistent throughout.
13. “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.” It is a process through which two or more persons transmit or exchange thoughts and concepts among themselves.
14. Communication is the process of transferring information by means of speaking, reading, listening and writing.
15. Process of Communication – Sender, Encoding, Message, Channel, Decoding, Receiver, Feedback, Noise.
16. Feedback is crucial in communication as it allows the sender of the message to know whether his message is received by the receiver and if the message is understood by the receiver in the same manner as it was intended by the sender.
17. The need for business communication extends to: Employee communication, Public relations, Internet marketing, Customer communications, Investor relations, Non-profit agencies, Entertainment, sports and travel, Government and military, Education.
18. Semantic barriers are some of the most critical obstacles that limit effective communication. When technical communication is concerned, the free flow of communication requires both parties to be sufficiently acquainted with the information that is being exchanged.
19. Factors such as personal issues, worries and stress might affect the receiver’s ability to decode information as they might be preoccupied with their own concerns.
20. Interpersonal berries include: Withdrawal, pastimes, working, games, closeness.
21. Physical barriers such as noise, physical distance between the speaker and receiver, conditions of the topography, poor lighting, speech impediment, hearing disability affect effective communication.
22. Cultural barriers include barriers due to cultural differences of eating habits, speaking, manners and etiquettes etc.
23. Choice of channels, medium and dimension of communication can be against the willingness of people and, thus, stand in the way of effective communication.
24. Ways to overcome communication barriers include: Clarity of words and purpose, active listening, focus on the speaker, non-verbal communication, avoiding interrupting the speaker, controlling emotions, thinking before speaking, focusing on the message, eliminating noise and providing feedback.
25. Verbal communication is the type of communication that includes the utilization of language and words to pass on the intended message.
26. Verbal communication can be Interpersonal, in a group and/or public.
27. Nonverbal communication is the type of communication that is carried out that employs gestures, body language, symbols and expressions for communicating.
28. Non-verbal communication includes the use of paralanguage, sign language, appearance, signs, symbols and presentations
29. Characteristics of verbal communication: Productivity, Displacement, Diminishing, Arbitrariness, Cultural Transmission
30. Characteristics of non-verbal communication include: Replacing speech, controlling conversation, impressing through appearance and expressing emotion.