What do you mean by barriers of communication?

Answer 1

Prime example: you only speak English and do not speak other languages. The other person speaks a different language other than English (like Hebrew). You can gesture and show visual queues to try to get your point across, but it would lack details that would otherwise be critical in normal verbal communications.

Another example is a high-brow English man (using what could be called "High English") trying to express complex social ideas, or social dislikes to a "Gangsta'" black male, who has a less than basic vocabulary in High English. Ebonic expressions by the Gansta' may be lost to the Brit. Where the Brit may not know American Ebonics enough to explain things. Such as if you asked a Gansta' where you can get a plaster. He may think you want to do home remodeling. Or where the chemist is. Perhaps you are looking for some dope or weed.

It becomes a barrier when there is no translation of an idea or concept and both parties fail to agree on meaning and clarity of understanding. Or the understanding is made but distorted by personal culture, bias, or religious innuendo. Plus there are terms that one may find perfectly harmless while the other would find offensive for some reason. (Like Coke-Cola in Chinese - which is why they changed the name of the drink)

BTW: a plaster is a bandage or "Band-Aid", or other item, to cover a wound. The chemist is a pharmacist.

By: Samik Mitra