“BARRIERS BLOCK TRANSMISSION OF MESSAGES BETWEEN THE SENDER AND THE RECEIVER”. DISCUSS
INTRODUCTION
Almost everyone is keen to communicate effectively but in same cases people do not have appreciation of the communication barriers which may be faced in the communication process. Barriers can sometimes be caused by the sender or receiver during the encoding and decoding processes. There are different barriers like language problems, differing emotional states, differing backgrounds, poor listening skills and differences in perception.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
A barrier is an obstruction that makes it impossible for communication to be effective.
Transmission of messages – this is the sending of information from one person to the other through a channel.
Sender – this is the person that originates the message.
Message – this is the actual data conveyed to the recipient and does not necessarily have to be fact but may be an opinion, a view or a joke.
Receiver – is the person or group of persons for which the message is intended and is the one who is suppose to interpret the message from the sender.
Encoding – this is the process that the sender puts the information into a medium that best suits the purpose of the massage.
Decoding - is the process by which the receiver interprets the message into meaning.

STATEMENT OF INTENT
This paper will look at barriers to effective communication and the corrective measures to reduce or eliminate them.
Language problems
When you choose the words for your message, you reveal a certain code which references your background, culture and subculture. The nature of your code imposes its own barriers on your message. Barriers exist because words can be interpreted in more than one way. Language is an arbitrary code that depends on shared definitions, but there's a limit to how completely any of us share the same meaning for a given word. To overcome language barriers, use the most specific and accurate words possible. Always try to use words your audience will understand. Increase the accuracy of your messages by using language that describes rather than evaluates.
Differing emotional states
All messages have meanings which deal with the topic or subject of the message and relationship meaning which suggest the nature of interaction between sender and receiver. Communication breakdown happens when the receiver reacts negatively to either of the two meanings. Upset people tend to ignore or distort information and are often unable to present feelings and ideas effectively. Emotional barriers can be overcome by attempting to control feelings that arise in yourself and in others as you communicate and most of all, be alert of any misunderstandings that accompany emotional messages.
Differing backgrounds
Differences in background can be one of the hardest communication barriers to overcome. Things like age, education, gender, social status, economic position, cultural background, health, beauty, popularity, religion, political belief, even a passing mood can all separate one person from another and make understanding difficult. To overcome the barriers associated with differing backgrounds, you should avoid projecting your own background or culture onto others. understand the background of others and clarify your own spheres of knowledge, personalities and perceptions. Don’t assume that certain behaviors mean the same thing to everyone.
Poor listening
The most common barrier to reception is lack of attention on the receiver's part may be due to fatigue or lack of interest on the topic under discussion. We all let our minds wander now and then regardless of how hard we try to concentrate. People are most likely to have wondering minds when they are forced to listen to information that is difficult to understand or that has little direct bearing on their own lives. Some people simply do not listen well! To overcome barriers, paraphrase what you have understood, try to view the situation through the eyes of other speakers and resist jumping to conclusions. Clarify meaning by asking non-threatening questions, and listen without interrupting.
Differences in perception
In our day to day living, we are constantly bombarded with information in the form of sights, sounds and scents. Our minds organize these sensations into a mental map that represents our perception or reality. The perception of a certain person will never be the same as that of another. The mind absorbs experiences in a unique and personal way just as a person views the world. The ideas you want to express differ from other people's even when you have experienced the same event. Mental images of that event will not be identical because perceptions are unique. Senders tend to choose details that seem important and focus attention on the most relevant and general. Receivers try to fit new details into existing pattern. If a detail doesn't quite fit, they are inclined to distort the information rather than rearrange its pattern thus making a barrier.
Barriers caused by external influence
Noise is any random or persistent disturbance that hinders, obscures, reduced or confuses the clarity or quality of the message being transmitted. Any interference that takes place between the sender and receiver. To overcome this barrier you should identify its source and take steps to overcome it.
Distortion
Distortion occurs either at the sending or receiving stage of a message and can occur because of a number of reasons for example poor choice of words such as using the work ‘variable’ instead of ‘viable’ which automatically changes the meaning of the message thereby causing a barrier. Use of inappropriate vocabulary like poor grammar, punctuation and wrong sentence construction can distort the meaning of a message thus also creating a barrier. When the information to be transmitted is complex, it causes encoding by sender and decoding by receiver equally difficult and in most cases distorting the message. Barriers also occur when too much information is given especially orally, it becomes too much for the brain to take in thus, therefore distorting the message. Some corrective measures to communication barriers is to know when to communicate and with whom. Also use the language you are familiar. Use written messages if you must transmit a lot of information.
Inadequate communication skill is the inability to send or receive messages clearly and effectively and may be caused by the inability to express self clearly in a language suitable for the particular message. The corrective measure is the ability to write and express self in correct and clear English. The sender should be able to talk to various classes of people formally and informally, and also should develop ability to read to easy understanding of the language.
CONCLUSION
Barriers do block transmission of information between sender and receiver. We have examined barriers to effective communication and have seen the problems that cause these barriers. We have also given possible solutions to each of the barriers. If each one of us do our part to reduce these barriers, some of them may be totally eliminated and we will in the end achieve effective communication.