Which of the following are semantic barriers to communication?(A) Fau…

Which of the following are semantic barriers to communication?

(A) Faulty translations

(B) Premature evaluation

(D) Lack of attention

(E) Body language and gesture decoding

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 3

The correct answer is Option (3) → (A), (C) and (E) only

(A) Faulty translations — Correct. If the translator does not know both languages well, mistakes creep in and the meaning changes. This is a problem of words.

(B) Premature evaluation — Incorrect. The receiver judges the message before the sender finishes. This comes from the state of mind, so it is a psychological barrier.

(C) Unclarified assumptions — Correct. A message may carry an assumption that can be read in different ways, such as “Take care of our guest”.

(D) Lack of attention — Incorrect. A preoccupied receiver does not listen to the message. This too is a psychological barrier.

(E) Body language and gesture decoding — Correct. If body movements and gestures do not match what is said, the message is wrongly understood.

Semantic barriers come from the meaning of words and symbols. Psychological barriers come from the state of mind of the sender or the receiver.

NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Semantic barriers: Semantics is the branch of linguistics dealing with the meaning of words and sentences. Semantic barriers are concerned with problems and obstructions in the process of encoding and decoding of message into words or impressions. Normally, such barriers result on account of use of wrong words, faulty translations, different interpretations, etc. These are discussed below:”

“(iii) Faulty translations: Sometimes the communications originally drafted in one language (e.g., English) need to be translated to the language understandable to workers (e.g., Hindi). If the translator is not proficient with both the languages, mistakes may creep in causing different meanings to the communication.
(iv) Unclarified assumptions: Some communications may have certain assumptions which are subject to different interpretations. …”

“(vi) Body language and gesture decoding: Every movement of body communicates some meaning. The body movement and gestures of communicator matters so much in conveying the message. If there is no match between what is said and what is expressed in body movements, communications may be wrongly perceived.
Psychological barriers: Emotional or psychological factors acts as barriers to communicators. For example, a worried person cannot communicate properly and an angry receiver cannot understand the real meaning of message. The state of mind of both sender and receiver of communication reflects in the effective communication. Some of the psychological barriers are:
(i) Premature evaluation: Some times people evaluate the meaning of message before the sender completes his message. Such premature evaluation may be due to pre-conceived notions or prejudices against the communication.
(ii) Lack of attention: The pre-occupied mind of receiver and the resultant non-listening of message acts as a major psychological barrier. For instance, an employee explains about his problems to the boss who is pre-occupied with an important file before him. The boss does not grasp the message and the employee is disappointed.”