Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language Essay: The word semantics has come from the Greek word semantics, which means showing symptomatic or signs. The first four letters of the word semantics “sema” mean signs. The study of meaning that is conveyed in a language is known as semantics. As per academics, the semantics have a specific definition of words. When people try to communicate, they often get confused with the terms and convey a completely different meaning of what they have in mind.
We have assembled an essay on semantic barriers in peoples communicating the English language in three sets. A thorough reading will help you understand what it is and how you can utilize the points for debates and essays in the future. Many students have come across the topic in their school life and might look forward to understanding the problem. Therefore, the detailed report will help the students to understand every segment of the case.
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Long and Short Essays on Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language for Students and Kids in English
We provide children and students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic “Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language” for reference.
Short Essay on Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language 150 Words in English
Short Essay on Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
The differences in culture, language, and education are the primary cause of semantic barriers in people. There is a problem when the sender is speaking in English while the receiver cannot understand a word. Sometimes when two people convert use English, the words they use might fail to define what they have in mind. Different terms have different meanings concerning the places.
Most of us think that the way we speak or the messages we send are easily conveyed to other people. However, when you go back to what they have understood, you will realize that not all messages are successfully received. Different blockades, construction, and difficulties are present, known as barriers in communication that mainly occur to make the language ineffective, and most of your words might seem encrypted. These barriers often become the cause of conflict and confusion among people living in similar places or area. Sometimes, these also occur among people working in the same office, or among people of different countries and continents.
The main reason behind such semantic barriers is a high managerial defect and unproductive communication. If the barriers are minimized, then there can be serious benefits with the removal of barriers. When you communicate with another person, distance can be present, but it should never become a blocking communication factor. Sometimes, noise and environment become important factors in the lack of communication. The psychological distance between the sender and the receiver in communication is often hampered by inferiority complex, judgment, inability to communicate, bias attitude, social values, time pressure, and more.
Semantic barriers is nothing but the lack of representing the thoughts of a person in words and explain them to the other person. This is common among people worldwide and is often the case when you travel to different countries. Semantics are signs with meaning. There is a possibility that similar words and symbols might mean something different to the other person. The semantic barrier is mainly caused when people live in different countries with different cultures and practices. Suppose you order a soda in Washington. You might get a soft drink instead. When asked in Detroit, you might get a soda to drink with ice cream and a flavored syrup mixed with it. It is not possible to understand if you don’t experience the same when you travel.
Reasons Why Semantic Barriers Appear Among People
There are various reasons why semantic barriers are common among people.
1. Diversity in Culture: Use of similar words or symbols often becomes the reason behind the confusion of terms and semantic barriers. A pity and funny thing happened to Shiny Abraham in the Asian Games of 1986 in Seoul. Although she won the race by a difference of eight hundred meters, she was disqualified for crossing the area, she was not supposed to enter. This was because a red flag is used in our country to convey a restricted or damaged zone, while in Korea, white flags are used to do the same. She was disqualified from the race despite winning due to the color misinterpretation. Words are the most powerful symbols of communication and often have various meanings.
2. Unknown words: Often, unfamiliar words in English can be a cause of semantic barriers. Suppose you visit a different country where you use a word in English that you commonly speak in your country. However, your opposite person might not be able to understand the story as they are not familiar with it. Therefore, the words we speak must be of knowledge to the receiver so that they know the word and understand its meaning. This way you can not only communicate properly, but it might also be useful and effective.
3. Words are powerful when you know how to use them. A similar example took place in an incident in the agricultural States of America. A discussion was going on in an agricultural college to raise the salary of the faculty members. However, the farmers were totally against the decision as they were unable to understand why a teacher should earn around five thousand dollars a month only for speaking twelve hours a week. However, the debate on the raise continued until one of the teachers spoke up and compared the teachers to the bulls that work on the field. He said that it doesn’t matter how much time a ball spends in the area. What matters is the purpose of the bull and the importance of what he does in those hours.
Long Essay on Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language 500 Words in English
Long Essay on Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.
Words are powerful and are considered the science of meaning. Often similar words have different meanings from different perspectives. The cultural, local, and language barrier between people is the main reason behind the semantic barriers in communication.
Reasons Behind Semantic barriers in People’s Communication
Among various reasons behind the semantic barriers of communication, like unfamiliar words, the difference in culture, and others, there are many other reasons. Some of them are as follows.
Inconsistent Body Language: Sometimes, it’s not just about words or signs. It’s about body language that is not consistent with verbal communication. To put in simple terms, when a manager praises their subordinates in a sarcastic tone, it creates confusion and doubt in their minds, and this can bring a change in the employees’ behavior in the future. Similar kind of semantic barrier forms when the action and the verbal language do not match while you are conversing.
You must have similar frequency and action when you work and show identical body language. Use of Ambiguous Words to Convey Messages- Often, few words used to convey messages cause semantic barriers. Many words have different meanings in different countries. Background difference can be meaningless to the person you are communicating with. There are an other structures and styles to every language. The semantic issues mainly appear when there is a sense of transfer and feel of thought from one language to another. This creates funny scenarios and often becomes meaningless to an extent.
Problems with Regional Accents: India is a country of several languages, and most people use more than one language. However, the mother tongue influence is often prominent, and the accent of the person speaking the language creates a superior barrier in a conversation. However, the problem with regional accents in a common language is not only seen in Indian languages, but it is a problem with all languages around the World. As Indians, we often treat ourselves as the legal inheritors of the English language. It is unclear if it’s proved, prejudice or love, but so much English in our vocabulary has raised a serious concern to the way we speak it. Words that sound similar like sheep and ship or rid and read, or sea and see, seen or sin, leave or live often create confusions among people causing serious communication problems.
Physical Noise: Often, a blocked nose can cause serious problems with communication. There is a biological noise that goes on in the background. The noise can become a problem and act as a barrier between the two people having a conversation. Hearing problem is another such physical disability that can turn a conversation into meaningless words as the receiver might have hearing issues.
Other than these, some immediate factors that lead to semantic barriers like sound in your surroundings or lack of concentration on the conversation can lead to miscommunication and conflicts. Effective communication is said to occur when the receiver can decode the message that the sender tries to give. Semantic barriers occur when a person takes a compliment in a wrong way due to changes in body language or the use of unkind words.
How to Avoid Semantic Barriers While Communicating?
Here are some ways which will help you to avoid semantic barriers while communicating.
Sentence formation errors: The structure of a sentence can cause serious issues if not said correctly. When you are a beginner in English, the design of sentences might not form correctly. This is mainly caused because their first language’s grammar is then incorporated in the second one out of habit. Syntactical problems may develop great humor but can also cause serious problems.
Complete Communication- when you try to convey a message to a person, you must convey the entire message. The news must seem to be complete, and the listener must understand what you are saying or suggesting. Maintain a positive conversation- You must convey your message in a positive tone and attitude. Negative sentences are not always good to hear; rather, using positive sentences is best when you try to have a conversation.
Communicate to Express- Use of artistic language or words from the dictionary only looks good in debates or essays. However, it is best to use casual simple colloquial words that everyone understands when you are communicating. The use of complicated words is a leading cause of semantic barriers. Use of Wrong Words- well, it may sound unrealistic, but wrong words can mean the difference between death and life. Language is the most important communication vehicle, so the choice of words is very important. When you study in a reputed college, students from different parts of the world come to study, which often causes semantic barriers.
Semantic Barriers in Peoples Communication English Language Essay Conclusion
It is not hard to make a rightful conversation, as all you need is to be outgoing, smart, honest and confident. It is important to know that you can only make a good conversation with a topic that you are interested in. There is a semantic barrier between all people, however, the conversation gets difficult only when people focus on that. It is not possible to analyze the situation. Therefore, the next step to break the barrier seems impossible. It is not that difficult to converse, the way it seems to appear.