2. Objectives of communication

As a process, communication has synonyms such as conversing, speaking, corresponding, writing, listening, exchanging and expressing feelings. Communication is often formed around the principles of respect, promises and the want for social improvement. People communicate to satisfy needs in both their work and non-work lives. People want to be heard, to be appreciated and to be wanted. They also want to accomplish tasks and to achieve goals. Obviously, then, a major purpose of communication is to help people feel good about themselves and about their friends, groups, and organizations. This is the pragmatic aspect of communication (with what kind of results).

When we speak, we want other people to understand us in the way we intend; we want them to think or behave in the way we wish. We always want:

• to be received (heard or read),

• to be understood,

• to be accepted,

• to get action (change of behaviour or attitude)

When we fail to achieve any one of these four objectives, we have failed to communicate.

3. Communication skills

Communication skills

Communication skills are among our most important life skills. They are a product of the abilities we are born with and what we have done to develop those abilities.

Some people hate writing letters, or are petrified by the need to speak in public. Some are afraid of the telephone, or unable to get a point across in a heated argument. Others are capable of setting an after-dinner audience rolling in the aisles, or of writing a best-selling novel. But whatever the level of our communicating skills, we can make them better, given only the wish to do so and help such as this book offers.

Skill is the ability to do something well, especially because you have learned and practiced it. Communication skills are the ability to communicate well with others, to convince and to find the compromise, to listen and speak. Without these important skills no success may be reached, and people gain these skills and improve them during their whole life.

Key communication skills that can be learned by translators are:

• Listening

• Speaking

• Understanding verbal information

• Understanding paralanguage and non-linguistic information

• Persuasion / Impression management

• Cross-cultural skills

• Interpreting meanings on the basis of all information.

4. Channels of communication

Natural channels of communication:

• language, including speech and writing;

• paralanguage, including intonation, accent and tone of voice;

• body language (facial expressions, gestures, body movements);

• personal appearance, clothing, belongings.

Artificial communication channels (no vocalization or gestures): telephony, radio and TV broadcasts, telegraphy, computer-mediated communication, computer networks (e-mails, internet forums).

5. Barriers to Communication

Communication barriers are the factors which prevent understanding of the message; they impede human communication, cause a breakdown of communication. The main of them that are relevant for translators in the process of intercultural communication and translation include:

• Linguistic barriers. Not-understanding the language. Verbal and non-verbal messages are in different languages. Furthermore, we all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple messages can be misunderstood. And many words have different meanings to confuse the issue even more. We attach slightly different meanings to the words that we hear and use; it is because we each see and understand the world around us differently. To understand one another, you and your receiver must share similar meanings for words, gestures, tone of voice, and other symbols.

For example, you are dining with a German woman who speaks English quite well. You enquire, “More bread?” She says, “Thank you,” so you pass the bread. She looks confused, then takes the breadbasket and sets it down without taking any. In German, thank you (danke) can also be used as a polite refusal. If the woman had wanted more bread, she would have used the word ‘please’ (bitte in German).

• Intercultural barriers. Not understanding the context and cultural differences; not knowing the history of the occasion, relationship, or culture.

When two people with different cultures communicate, they often do not understand each other’s cultures and may misunderstand the true meaning of the message.

Many other physical and psychological barriers exist: people of different ages, nationalities, education, occupation, sex, status; jumping to conclusions, lack of knowledge, lack of interest, emotions, clash of personalities, tiredness, jargon. We must be aware of such barriers and overcome them or minimize their effect.