Page 18 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

Unit Barriers of

2 Communication

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, the learner will be able to:
f acquire an idea on the barriers of communication
f detail the etiquettes of communication
f get awareness on the features of the formal and informal communications
f find out the differences between oral and written communications

Prerequisites

Picture this: A spice market in ancient Muziris, Kerala. Traders from Arabia, China,
and Rome gesticulate wildly, trying to haggle over pepper and cardamom. A Tamil mer-
chant struggles to understand a Greek buyer’s accent. Near the docks, a scribe carefully
etches Malayalam script onto palm leaves, recording the day’s transactions. Meanwhile,
atop the Western Ghats, drum beats echo through the valleys, carrying messages from
one village to another.
This scene from Kerala’s rich past illustrates a fundamental truth—communication
has always been vital and challenging. From the earliest days of trade along the Malabar
Coast to today’s global connections, humans have continually sought ways to bridge the
gaps between minds and cultures.
As civilisations grew and trade networks expanded, so too did the need for clear,
effective communication. India’s diverse languages and dialects reflect the complexity of
human interaction, while the development of writing systems like Brahmi and its descen-
dants demonstrates our drive to preserve and transmit knowledge across time and space.
In our modern, interconnected world, instant messaging, video calls, and translation
apps are at our fingertips. Yet misunderstandings persist, cultural nuances get lost, and
the sheer volume of information can overwhelm our ability to process it effectively.
In this context, understanding the barriers that impede clear communication becomes
crucial. By examining these obstacles, we can develop strategies to overcome them,
enhancing our ability to connect, collaborate, and comprehend in an increasingly com-
plex global society.

Keywords

Barriers, Oral communication, Written communication, Etiquettes, Formal communication,
Informal communication

12 SGOU - FYUGP - SLM - English for Communication