There are many barriers to communication which include:
Cultural Differences
People behave in different ways and have different beliefs in day to day activities. Examples could be religion, ethnicity, language. To overcome these barriers research may need to be done to find out more about a particular culture.
Disability
A disability can have barriers to communication. For example, someone who has a physical disability may be ignored or dismissed from a conversation. To overcome this barrier, the person needs to speak to them directly – making eye contact.
Someone may have a hearing disability and the person may struggle to understand what is being communicated. To overcome this barrier, you can research to find out about hearing loops etc. using a hearing interpreter may help. Using gestures and pictures would improve communication.
Foreign Language
This can be a barrier if both people speak different languages. This can be improved by learning different languages or having an interpreter.
Emotions
Someone may be in distress or upset, crying, shouting. This makes communication difficult. This can be overcome by talking in a calm , comfortable, quiet manner. If appropriate give them a hug or comfort them. Remove them from the situation.
Differing humour
Jokes could be offensive, may offend others. Overcoming this barrier requires the be aware of their social surroundings, being careful when speaking to someone you don’t know them.
Using acronyms and jargon
This can be an understanding barrier as people may not understand the technical language. When describing computing aspects to an elderly person they may not understand the technical terms. To overcome this, simplify your choice of words, avoid shortened abbreviations.
Slang and dialect
This is used between younger people and different areas within the country. Phrases like “China plate, mate” is used in London. To overcome this barrier, ask the person what they meant or say it in a different way.
