Semantic barriers belong to a wide group of communicative obstacles. They arise due to the fact that messages are not uniquely defined for the communicator and the recipient. This view prevents the understanding of the meaning of the message. Semantic barriers are a consequence of the ambiguity of words, concepts, and terms. Most often found in situations of use by participants of slang or jargon.
Communication barriers
That which complicates the process of communication, and that negatively affects its success, on the understanding of the speaker by the interlocutors, is an obstacle to communication. A semantic communicative barrier arises where people do not have the same meaning of information. To eliminate it, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the interlocutor's communication culture.
The semantic barrier does the most harm to people whose success depends on the understanding of the audience. For example, social workers, psychologists and educators, for successful communication should pay special attention to identifying factors that impede understanding. Otherwise, they will not be understood, and the target audience will not receive the necessary knowledge.
For those involved in advertising or sales, the topic of barriers is also important. Their absence allows you to speak the same language with the audience, to better understand its needs.
The semantic barrier arises as a feature of the message. Among the reasons for its appearance, one can single out incoherence, ambiguity, the existence of various connotations, the use of slang, an unfamiliar language or idioms.
Incoherence
This phenomenon occurs due to the inability of the communicator to correctly operate the language. Already at the stage of preparing the monologue, he loses the meaning of his message. The speech is so poorly worded that it is difficult or impossible to understand. Incorrect selection of words, inconsistency of sentences, frequent repetitions, overloading the message, belong to this kind of reasons.
Even perfect messages can be difficult for the recipient due to his lack of experience to process a particular message. If the communicator does not take into account the level of his speech culture, the meaning of the message will not reach the listener. The maximum simplification and purification of the text from water (introductory words, meaningless clarifications, etc.) allows you to get rid of incoherence.
Polysemy
Using words with multiple meanings sometimes leads to confusion and misunderstanding of the message. Examples of the semantic barrier due to the inability to define meaning without context:
- "Have you prepared for tonight?" - the word "evening" can mean both the time period at the end of the day and the assembly (dance / literary / dinner party).
- “This is my team” - the word “team” can be understood as an order, a sports group or a group related by a common interest.
- “Get a plate” - the word “plate” can mean dishes, a musical instrument, or even a flying object.
This also includes cases of the lack of a single meaning with respect to abstract concepts. They can be formally defined, but for each person they still have a different meaning. These are words such as kindness, happiness, justice, democracy, progress.
To eliminate ambiguity, it is enough to use words in a context suitable for them. The meaning of abstract terms can be discussed with the interlocutor separately.
Slang or unfamiliar language
The use of professional jargon does not allow a non-professional to understand the message, making speech meaningless. The same is true for slang. A person who does not belong to the group to which the slang belongs cannot understand the meaning of the message.
The only cure for this reason for the semantic barrier is to expand the vocabulary and study the audience. A communicator for successful interaction with students should be well versed in their vocabulary and select analogies for terms unknown to him.
Connotations and idioms
A connotation barrier arises when words are used in communication that can be interpreted differently depending on the context. In this case, the main problem is the discrepancy between the language of the communicator and the resources of the recipient. The latter is well aware of the general meaning of words, but has no idea of what meaning they are used in a particular situation.
Many groups have their own “value fields”. They can include both their own meanings of common words, and some kind of "local" jokes, expressions, turns of speech or quotes.
Cut the meaning into pieces
Tamara Moiseevna Dridze (academician, sociologist) called semantic barriers "the effect of semantic scissors." They lead to the inability to isolate the meaning of the message.
Sometimes the semantic barriers include the beliefs and desires of the interlocutors, which distort the meaning of their messages bypassing consciousness. The communicator in this case sends incomplete information passed through the filters of his state, mood and beliefs. The recipient does not perceive the complete message, but only some of its elements.
The semantic barrier of misunderstanding may arise due to misconceptions about the communication process of its participants and some other errors:
- The message is attributed to peremptory, universality, raising to the absolute one aspect of the problem.
- The interlocutor denies the opportunity to formulate something new.
- There is a mixing of facts and conclusions, or inferences are used in the inference, which cannot lead to a conclusion.
- Creation of false dichotomies.
- Thoughtless verdict.
The semantic barrier of communication is an obstacle that arises in communication due to problems with the interpretation of the meanings of words and expressions. The reason for its appearance is the use of phrases that have different meanings for the interlocutors, or the inability to put a specific thought into words.
Understanding the features of the interlocutor avoids the appearance of semantic barriers. In order to make the speech most suitable for the listener, it is necessary to use general vocabulary and explain incomprehensible words. In comfortable communication, when the speaker and the listener are very different in terms of knowledge, the former should try to avoid using special terms. If necessary, talk about their meaning.