He Semantic noise Is one of the types of noise in communication in which the speaker uses complex, technical, autochthonous or grammatical language and whoever receives it does not understand the message.
This occurs when the person who emits the message uses a word or phrase whose meaning is not known, or is used in a different way from the recipient.
In turn, it is the term that communication and language teachers use to describe what happens when words mean different things to different people. This means that understanding the message or its decoding becomes more complex for the recipient.
Effective communication depends on whoever issues it and who receives it, knowing the same meaning of the thing or subject in question and the semantic noise.
That is, the complexities, technical words or slang, should be kept to a minimum. Opinions, beliefs, attitudes and values are manifested through the language we use directly or indirectly.
Within language, words go through changes in the meanings of expressions over time. A given word can deal with a particular thing, and then generalize to represent other similar things.
Deeper
Understanding what semantic noise means will help to recognize when it occurs, especially in a business setting or in an educational setting, to help take precautions and avoid it.
Although it is impossible to leave the experiences that are part of the values and attitudes of the human being, they also influence how the message in question is received.
Such is the example of the name of a brand well known worldwide that has undergone a great transformation of its meaning, as is the word"Kleenex"which refers to the rectangular box with disposable tissues, whether or not it is branded .
While in other cases, a word may begin as a general description of something and over time, it can refer only to a specific thing.
Becoming an intentional communicator who knows how and when to use the right message at the right time requires a little time of dedication in his / her linguistic knowledge and vocabulary.
Finally, language management is totally related to effective communication.
Semantic noise in languages and countries
All languages are formed by sounds that form words, and words are then pronounced in a structure that is used formally or informally within society.
Because these sounds progressed differently from culture to culture and from time to time, they have been used at random by the inhabitants of certain regions to represent a thing or an idea.
The more abstract the symbolic representation, the more indefinite is the meaning and the greater the possibility that the speaker and the public can establish a meaning different from the abstract.
It is common to observe that in countries that speak the same language, a word can have several meanings depending on the country, and even the area within the same in which the speaker is.
Thanks to the internet, global culture and technology, year after year provides new words in dictionaries, both in the English language and in the Spanish Royal Academy.
Some examples of Semantic Noise
The most common examples that can be observed take place in the field of communication and advertising.
A particular case is that an editor wrote this slogan for a drug campaign: "Try our cough syrup. You will never get better."
The message can be understood in two ways as it creates semantic noise and those who read it may wonder if they would buy a product that will not help them improve their health.
There are many examples of semantic noise, and all of them depend on the country, such as a fire signal in a Vienna hotel in which the fire sign quotes: "In case of fire, do everything possible to alarm the hotel porter".
These are some extreme examples, of course. However, they demonstrate that even if the speaker tries to say one thing, words can be understood by something else.
Even something as simple as writing"soda,"when people usually say"soda"can stop the time enough, so that a person is confused with meaning.
Semantic noise in writing
For those who work in writing and journalism, it is often noted that they may have the tendency to suffer from this type of noise in communication.
Within journalism, semantic noise refers to the errors that are inside the message that is being transmitted.
To do this, Dean Rieck of Direct Creative offers 3 solutions to combat semantic noise in writing, especially for those dedicated to it:
- Identify the semantic noise . Just being aware of the possibility of confusion, and that words do not have a precise meaning, could help avoid such situations.
- Write calmly, without problems . It is always good to write, let"cool"a few days or hours the idea, and then resume. This can help you see things you have not seen before.
- Show your copy to other people . It can be a client, proofreader, friend, anyone. The opinion of another person can help to silence the semantic noise.
Semantic noise as an obstacle to effective communication
In the process of communication, there are several types of noises. There are psychological, physical, technical and semantic noises.
Of all these different types of noise the semantic is considered by some experts as the most important, since if one does not understand the meaning of the words or expressions, the message will never be understood by the receiver.
If the purpose is to achieve effective communication with others to achieve a particular end, it is of utmost importance to improve language through reading to enrich and strengthen vocabulary and grammar.
Another very positive option is to ask the sender of the message the 'feedback', that is to say a greater explanation about the word or expression used in order to be able to understand without any problem the message emitted.
References
- Dean Rieck. Semantic noise: the copywriter's curse. (2009). Source: directcreative.com
- Chi Tran. Understanding Semantic Noise. (2013). Source: app-skills.com
- Elizabeth Harrin. Overcoming Noisy Communication. (2016). Source: girlsguidetopm.com
- Sheila Steinberg. An Introduction to Communication Studies. (2007). Recovered from: books.google.com
- Rudo in communication: clubensayos.com