The Language Barrier

The language barrier is a term that everyone uses but few people could define. And why should they, when it is simply the inability of one person or group to communicate with another? Well sociolinguists - that’s the term for the people who study these things - would argue that the barrier of language difference is anything but simple.

 

They would argue three things

  • Firstly the barrier is not only to communication but to the achievement of understanding and to the establishment of a relationship between the two or more parties involved.
  • Secondly, the barrier is not composed of a single impediment, but is a complex bonding of several components that impair understanding and relationships.
  • Finally, they would argue that the impact of the barrier will vary depending upon the social context. As an example an embarrassing misunderstanding between two strangers sharing a drink in an airport bar while they wait for a delayed plane might generate a few laughs and actually aid the bonding process. The same problem between a salesman and a potential customer is much more likely to damage the relationship and to result in a lost sale.

 

The following pages look at the components of the language barrier and explain ways to avoid common mistakes:

Topic 1 - Miscommunication - discover the mistakes commonly made by exporters and tips on how best to avoid them.

Topic 2 - Face - discover the problems second-language users can create for themselves by trying to 'save face'.

Topic 3 - Attribution - find out why we project our ideas and beliefs onto others, and how this can be potentially damaging to the working.

Topic 4 - Code Switching - discover the reasoning behind a sudden change in the language being used within a meeting.


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