Barriers to Communication

Channels of communication

Natural channels of communication:

language, including speech and writing;

paralanguage, including intonation, accent and tone of voice;

body language (facial expressions, gestures, body movements);

personal appearance, clothing, belongings.

Artificial communication channels (no vocalization or gestures): telephony, radio and TV broadcasts, telegraphy, computer-mediated communication, computer networks (e-mails, internet forums).

Communication barriers are the factors which prevent understanding of the message; they impede human communication, cause a breakdown of communication. The main of them that are relevant for translators in the process of intercultural communication and translation include:

Linguistic barriers. Not-understanding the language.
Verbal and non-verbal messages are in different languages. Furthermore, we all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple messages can be misunderstood. And many words have different meanings to confuse the issue even more. We attach slightly different meanings to the words that we hear and use; it is because we each see and understand the world around us differently. To understand one another, you and your receiver must share similar meanings for words, gestures, tone of voice, and other symbols.

For example, you are dining with a German woman who speaks English quite well. You enquire, “More bread?” She says, “Thank you,” so you pass the bread. She looks confused, then takes the breadbasket and sets it down without taking any. In German, thank you (danke) can also be used as a polite refusal. If the woman had wanted more bread, she would have used the word ‘please’ (bitte in German).

Intercultural barriers. Not understanding the context and cultural differences; not knowing the history of the occasion, relationship, or culture.

When two people with different cultures communicate, they often do not understand each other’s cultures and may misunderstand the true meaning of the message.

Many other physical and psychological barriers exist: people of different ages, nationalities, education, occupation, sex, status; jumping to conclusions, lack of knowledge, lack of interest, emotions, clash of personalities, tiredness, jargon. We must be aware of such barriers and overcome them or minimize their effect.

Дата добавления: 2014-11-20