Oral communication

The elements involved in communication are important in

the success or failure of this process. These very same

elements (sender, message, receiver, feedback, etc) can

pose a threat to the efficiency or effectiveness of the

process. Communication breakdown may occur when

problems in any of the elements involved arise. They

become barriers to communication.
Simply put, communication breakdown results when the
intended message of the sender is not understood exactly
by the receiver. Barriers to communication are present.
Recognizing the barriers or obstacles to effective
communication is important in order to avoid
communication breakdown. Here are some of the barriers
that may cause communication failure.

Barriers to communication
Physical Barriers are the natural or environmental
condition that act as a barrier in communication in
sending the message from sender to receiver.
Examples:
1. People talking too loud.
2. Noise from a construction site
3. Loud sound of a karaoke
4. Blaring of jeepney horns

Psychological Barriers are called as mental barriers.

These refer to social and personal issues of a speaker
towards communicating with others.
Examples:
1. trauma
2. shyness, lack of confidence
3. depression
4. fear, stage fright

Cultural Barriers pertain to communication problems

encountered by people regarding their intrinsic values,
beliefs, and traditions in conflict with others.
People’s culture affect the way they communicate and
relate to others
Examples:
1. different beliefs
2. traditions, and customs
3. manners of dressing
4. speaking

Linguistic Barriers pertain conflicts with regard to

language and word meanings. Because words carry
 denotative and connotative meanings, they can
sometimes cause confusion and misunderstanding.
Meaning of words and symbols also vary depending on
culture.
Examples:
1. difference in language
2. accent and dialect
3. use of jargon and slang
4. speech defects or language impairments

Verderber (1991) gives a similar idea of barrier when he

classifies noise into three kinds: External, Internal and
Semantic noise.

External Noises are the “sight, sound and other stimuli that draw
people’s attention away from intended meaning.”
Examples:
1. Noise from vehicles
2. Singing at the neighborhood
3. Visual aids in front of the classroom
4. The dog barking
5. The sound of airplane

Internal noises are the “thoughts and feelings that interfere with
meaning.”
Examples:
Semantic noises are the “alternate meanings aroused by a speaker’s
symbols.” This idea means that a word may have another meaning in the
minds of the students. This is affected by the language in which they grew
and the culture in which they are exposed.
Examples:
1. Incorrect grammar
2. Using excessive technical jargon
3. Using idiomatic expressions

Communication breakdown may at times be inevitable but as a

sensible speaker or sender of the message, we could avoid this.
Understanding the concept of communication breakdown and its
causes, will help us realize that failure in communication may be
avoided through certain strategies that we could adapt.

5 Ways to Avoid Communication Breakdown

 by Ronnie Peterson

Communication breakdown can cause issues or problems at home,

school, and community. There are so many barriers to
communication like, physiological, psychological, cultural, and
linguistics.
Sometimes some communication barriers are too difficult to solve
and this will lead to slowing the progress and efficiency.
Here are the possible strategies to avoid communication
breakdown:
1. Have Clarity of thought before speaking
Arrange your thoughts before verbalizing them this can help you
communicate much more clearly and succinctly. It's a better idea to
say something like, "I've got a few ideas here. Let me go through
them one at a time. We can treat each one on its own merit."

2. Learn to Listen
As simple as it sounds, you’ll be surprised how many people out
there don’t know how to listen well. Not understanding those who
you are trying to communicate with will lead to a conversation
fraught with misunderstandings. Don’t be afraid to ask them to
repeat or explain further in polite manner once you don’t
understand the point.

3. Take Care of your Body Language and Tone

Keep your emotions in check, try to maintain eye contact, and
adopt a relaxed tone when conversing with others.

4. Build up your confidence by asking for feedback and

observing others
Focus on improving your skills by practicing in front of those who
you may feel more comfortable with. You can also ask those whose
advice you value to give you feedback and critique your
communication style after a discussion.

5. Communicate Face to Face on the important issues

Having that face to face dialogue means you can convey your point
more clearly, with your body language as well as your tone of voice.
It can also help to clear up any misunderstandings or distortion of
the message that could occur through other mediums.
Remember, becoming an effective communicator takes time and
practice. Over time, using these strategies can lead to better
communication in your personal relationships, and more productive
workplace environments as well.

A smooth and successful communication transaction may result if

we follow the strategies to avoid communication breakdown.
Communication becomes successful if and only if our
communication goal is achieved, that is, an understanding is
reached and a relationship is built or maintained.

Here are some strategies to avoid communication breakdown

(Quipper n.d.).

Keep Focused
One way of being focused is to put in mind the purpose
communication. As a speaker identify your purpose for speaking
and as a listener find the speaker’s purpose thru his/her verbal and
non-verbal cues.
Speak Intelligibly
Speaking intelligibly or clearly means using the appropriate
speaking volume, pitch rate, proper enunciation, stress, and
acceptable pronunciation. We speak in order to be understood.

Listen with your Ears and Eyes

Pay attention to verbal and non-verbal message. Effective
communication depends on what people say and how they say it.

Minimize Distractions
Look for a place where you can minimize distractions or noise like
closed area, empty room, or quiet places. Lessening the cause for
confusion means giving more room to focus and concentrate.

Be Specific
Use simple and concise words as much as possible in delivering a
message.
Being specific means being particular and direct to the point.

Do not Jump to Conclusions

Before you give your comments and judgement, be sure that you
have listened attentively to the speaker. Conclusions should be
drawn after a thorough analysis of point given or information
received.
Tips on How to Avoid Communication Breakdown
Broom, Cutlip and Center (2012) listed the 7Cs of Effective
Communication in their book Effective Public Relations. These are
Completeness, Conciseness, Consideration, Concreteness,
Courtesy, Clearness, and Correctness.

Completeness
It is important to whole communication process. The speaker
should include everything that the receiver needs to hear, respond,
react, or evaluate properly. S/he should be able to convey all
pertinent details so listener or audience will be able to grasp the
intended message.

Conciseness
The message should be direct or straight to the point and should be
expressed in the least possible number of words. Irrelevant
information should not be included.

Consideration
In order to be effective, the speaker should give high regard and
courtesy to audience’s background information such as his/her
culture, education, religion, status, mood, feelings, and needs. This
will result in building rapport or connection with the audience.

Concreteness
Effective communication is backed up by facts, figures, and real-life
examples or situations. This will make the receiver to understand
the message better.
Courtesy
The speaker can show respect to his/her receivers through
understanding their culture, values, and beliefs. The speaker can
show respect to the listeners by demonstrating an understanding of
their beliefs, values, and culture. This implies good choice of words
and language and a consideration of the audience’s perspectives
and feelings on the part of the sender. Showing courtesy helps
create a positive vibe with the audience. This implies good choice of
words and language on the part of the sender and consideration of
audience’s perspectives.

Clearness
It implies the use of simple and specific words to express ideas.
When the speaker focuses on specific ideas, it will not confuse the
audience.

Correctness
Avoiding mistakes in grammar helps to boost the credibility and
effectiveness of the message, and at the same time it eliminates
negative impact on the audience.

Breakdowns in communication may arise because of several

factors. But these factors may be avoided if we follow strategies put
forward by experts in the field.
Communication is a transaction that we do every day. By following
the 7 Cs of communication espoused by Broom, Cutlip and Center
(2012), we may achieve understanding in communicating with
others and avoid confusion and misinterpretations.
Avoiding communication breakdown helps you to be an effective
speaker. Below are some strategies which you can use to avoid
breakdown communication.
(Quipper n.d.)

Speech Context
Context when referring to speech communication is the
surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or setting
that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event.
(LumenLearning.com/Elements of Communication).
According to DeVito (2005), “Context refers to the setting in which
the communication takes place. Context helps to establish meaning
and can influence what is said and how it is said.”

Speech Context is important because it helps you communicate

appropriately, understand the meaning of any message conveyed,
and respond accordingly. In order for you to have a clear grasp of
what Speech Context is, its types are discussed below.

Types of Speech Context

1. Intrapersonal – This refers to a type of communication that is
focused on one person, where the speaker acts both as the sender
and as the receiver of the message.
The message is made up of thoughts and feelings while the medium
is the brain that processes what you think and feel. (Hybels &
Weaver, 2012, p 16)

Example:
  There is a voice within you that tells you, “it’s okay, you can
still do it! You can make it!” when you are losing your drive to
finish the task that you are doing.
 When you told yourself not to talk to your friends when you
have read in a Facebook post that they were in a party and
you were not invited.

2. Interpersonal – This refers to the type of communication that

takes place between and among people and creates a personal
relationship between and among them.
Normally, it includes two individuals, and it can vary from casual
and very personal to formal and impersonal.

Types of Interpersonal Communication

Dyad Communication – communication that happens between

two people.

Example:
• You consoled your brother who was feeling down.
• A conversation between your father and mother about the latest
announcement of your Barangay Chairman.

Small Group– This applies to interactions involving at least three

but not more than twelve people engaged in face-to-face
interactions to achieve the desired goal. In this type of conversation,
all participants can freely express their ideas throughout the
discussion.
Example:
• You are having a discussion with your two brothers about the
surprise party you are planning for your Mom’s birthday.
• Kathlyn who came back from the United States called her three
brothers and four sisters and announced that she is getting
married.