Glossary
Semantic Barriers
What are semantic barriers?
Semantic barriers are communication problems caused by differences in how people understand words or concepts. People may use the same word for different things, or different words for the same thing.
Example
A team agrees that a task is “complete.” One person means written. Another means tested. A third means approved. Everyone agrees with the word while disagreeing about what has happened.
Asking what “complete” includes can expose the mismatch. Clark and Brennan's work on grounding describes how people establish enough shared understanding for the task at hand. The methods and effort involved vary across communication media.
How to address semantic barriers
Identify the word or concept that could be understood in different ways. Define it in the context of the task, give a concrete example, and ask the other person to explain what they understand it to mean. A sketch or demonstration can help make the intended meaning explicit.