Semantic Barrier

 

A basic principle of communication is that the symbols the sender uses to communicate messages must have the same meaning in both the sender’s and receiver’s minds. You can never be sure that the message in your mind will be clearly sent to your receiver. The world is full with errors, as a result of differences in semantic (meaning) understanding. A symbol is a sign for something that exits in reality. Thus your name really a symbol or word represents you. Only through common experience in a connection made between the symbol or word attached to you and the person you are in reality .Anyone with less common experience will not easily relate the symbol (your name) with you. Besides, there are problems in convention of meaning, so you must make yourself familiar with different types of meaning.

 

Denotation

A denotation is usually the dictionary definition of a word. Denotative meanings name objects, people or events without indicating positive or negative qualities. Such words as car, desk, book, house, and water convey denotative meanings. The receiver has a similar understanding of the thing in which the word is used.

 

Connotation

A connotation is an implication of a word or a suggestion separate from the usual definition. Some words have connotative meanings, that is, qualitative judgment and personal reactions. The word man is denotative, father, prophet, brother are connotative. Some words have positive connotations in some contexts and negative meanings in others. For example, slim girl and slim chances.

 

 

 

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