CSEET · Business Communication · Communication
Ravi sends an email to his team saying, 'Submit the file by the end of the week.' Some staff submit on Friday, others on Sunday, because 'week' was understood differently. Which barrier to communication is chiefly illustrated?
It is a semantic barrier. The phrase 'end of the week' is ambiguous, so recipients interpreted it differently, some taking Friday and others Sunday. The problem lies in the meaning of words rather than noise, emotions or organisational structure, and a specific date would remove it.
- ASemantic barrier arising from ambiguous wordingCorrect
- BPhysical barrier arising from noise
- CPsychological barrier arising from fear
- DOrganisational barrier arising from a long hierarchy
Explanation
The confusion stems from the word 'week' and 'end of the week' having more than one possible meaning, which is a problem of language and interpretation, so it is semantic. No noise, emotional state or structural hierarchy is mentioned. A precise date and time would avoid the problem.
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