Immigration causes differences in language and lifestyle. Language barriers refer to challenges experienced when one tries to communicate with an individual or people who speak a different language. This phenomenon is common in areas where there is a conglomeration of people from diverse backgrounds like culture and nationality. The term is also used to refer to problems encountered by immigrants when learning a foreign language (Kim & Mattila, 2011).
Due to these challenges, there have been efforts to eliminate or reduce the impact of these differences especially in international learning institutions. Differences in language cause difficulties in education and even social life and can be solved in many ways to become less problematic. Consequently, immigrants should be aware of language differences before moving, and this problem can be solved in a short period of time.
Language differences cause a major barrier in communication. Under normal circumstances, communication can only take place if there is a common language to be used as a link between the communicating parties.
It is quite common among immigrants, who find themselves in a foreign country, which uses a different language from his or her home language (Kim & Mattila, 2011). Because of this barrier, affected immigrants are prone to misunderstanding, since the information passed across cannot be accurately interpreted. What are some of these language differences?
As an element of cultural identity, human language is diverse and unique. For instance, English speakers are likely to encounter communication problems when interacting with Frenchmen because of the disjoint nature of the languages being used. Besides language uniqueness, the difference in accent affects the attainment of effective communication.
It is not surprising that some English-speaking students find the American accent to be a barrier to effective communication (Kim & Mattila, 2011). This problem arises from the fact that British English is more preferred by most international students and other immigrants. While this is the case, there are distinctive features, which define language accent.
These include pronunciations, stress and intonations. For the case of these immigrants, the problem of accent is usually complicated because of the diverse nature of the American culture. This is to mean that people from certain regions within the country may not understand one another, and the problem worsens when a third party from a different country is included (Green, 2009).
Another language difference that acts as a communication barrier is the presence of phrases and idioms. In the case of American English, communication involves the usage of an array of phrases and idioms, which carry meanings that are different from the literal meaning of the root words used (Green, 2009).
This can be a major communication problem, especially when immigrants do not have exposure to the phrases and idioms, which are commonly used. Many would get confused and misunderstood because of these distinctive differences.
Language structure also creates differences among world languages, thus affecting immigrants. A good example is the universally recognized sentence structure of subject-verb-object in English (Green, 2009). This broadly differs from Japanese sentence structure, subject-object-verb. Additionally, some international languages contain suffixes, which cannot be converted into another language, say English.
As a result, immigrants from such language backgrounds are likely to experience communication difficulties. Other factors include but not limited to culture, slang and language style. However, these barriers shouldn’t be problems when adapting new environments. This can be realized through familiarization of another country’s language before immigrating (Cronjé, 2009).
Language differences shouldn’t be a barrier in education because of the essence of learning, language is one of the things people learn. As an immigrant, it is important to have the willingness to learn new culture, which includes language, behavior and even lifestyle. While one may decide not to conform to a new country’s behavior, it is never optional to learn a new language in a foreign country (Cronjé, 2009).
In fact, it is believed that the process of learning a new language ought to be considered as an adaptive approach in overcoming a wide range of barriers encountered by immigrants. For one to be comfortable with learning a new language, it is essential to understand the pronunciation. As mentioned before, people from different countries pronounce words differently.
It is therefore, crucial for foreign students to identify difficult sounds for daily practice until confidence is gained. Additionally, learning preference should be given to words that are commonly used together with short phrases. For this to be successful, the learner needs to have an educated speaker who can help in correcting pronunciation mistakes (Cronjé, 2009).
Besides pronunciation, immigrants need to understand rhythm, intonation and stress, commonly used by native speakers of the foreign language. The simplest way of learning these elements is through imitation of native people that are educated. One can listen to some statements repetitively using audio and video tools (Cronjé, 2009).
This can be followed by trying to say the same phrases using a recording machine. In order for this to work, one has to repeat the process severally with an educated speaker for corrections. Skills gained from pronunciation lessons are essential in eliminating chances of misunderstandings during communication. Another way of learning a foreign language with ease is through borrowing or purchasing relevant materials, which are used by language learners.
These may include but not limited to dictionaries, audio textbooks and translation dictionaries (Sherry, Thomas & Wing, 2010). These tools help in minimizing language differences and communication barriers within a short period of time.
Although language differences could be a communication barrier, there are several methods of communication, which have been developed to overcome these challenges. In other words, there are numerous ways of conversing smoothly without acquiring foreign language proficiency (Sherry, Thomas & Wing, 2010).
For instance, it is possible to pass across information through written communication, which is a common method applied when dealing with figures and facts. Additionally, this method of communication is the most preferred when making presentations. Although it may have limitations to a person learning a new language, it is easy to keep record and make corrections where necessary.
Another commonly used method of communication today by language learners is nonverbal communication. This does not make use of oral communication skills and one may find it relevant, especially when he or she is still new in a foreign country. Nonverbal communication is also referred to as body language. It encompasses an array of elements, including gestures, actions and facial expressions (Smitherman, 2003).
With this approach, it is possible to communicate without necessarily speaking. In cases where both oral and nonverbal communication is used, harmony is essential to avoid misunderstanding and confusion. Nonetheless, variation and understanding of the sign language may pose a challenge, especially when the other party is new to it.
Although some people view language differences lightly, it is regarded as a major communication issue. This is based on the fact that poor communication has a wide range of negative effects, which are experienced in schools, health centers and in other settings (Smitherman, 2003). The most detrimental effect of language barriers is misunderstandings, arising from communication gaps.
Misunderstandings emanate from several instances, including, the use of slang or jargons, which are not universally recognized. Additionally, misunderstandings may arise from variation in accents due to diverse backgrounds and culture. It is doubtless that most conflicts in schools, families and even offices arise from misunderstandings. In essence, misunderstandings can breed frustrations and stress when a person is new in a foreign country.
In some cases, these misunderstandings have been closely linked to emerging cases of stress among foreign students (Smitherman, 2003). One may feel out of place when he or she can neither get what is being communicated nor share ideas effectively. As a result of stress and disconnection from the surrounding immigrants, they may opt to be alone by excluding themselves from joint activities like playing and academic group discussions.
Language barriers are also a major problem in written communication. Foreign students who do not understand the native language used in learning institutions find hardships in understanding lecture notes and other study materials (Roush, 2008). This is also experienced in written exams where students may have a correct idea, expressed wrongly due to ineffective communication.
In extreme cases of such misunderstandings in written communications, students may end up failing their exams or scoring low grades. The negative impact of language barriers can also be experienced in the corporate world. Oftentimes, immigrants looking for employment in foreign countries fail interview tests because of language barriers.
Due to communication gaps, employers might not see the value in a foreign applicant. This may emanate from language mistakes or wrong answering of questions caused by poor understanding of the language being used (Roush, 2008). Foreign students seeking admissions in learning institutions may also be less considered because of their ineffective communication skills.
Language barriers may also trigger cultural conflicts. For instance, different cultures have different ways of greeting each other or expressing gratitude. Based on such variations, it is possible for miscommunications to arise when certain things are not done the way they have been done before in one’s home country (Sherry, Thomas & Wing, 2010). This is therefore, a major challenge, which immigrants need to beware of before going to study or work a foreign country.
As globalization takes center stage and countries get smaller every day, there are new ways of communication that are being adopted. One of these approaches is language. The role played by any language, whether local or international is always immeasurable (Green, 2009). As discussed above, the purpose of a language gets undermined when there are differences, which breed communication barriers.
These barriers are common in settings, which have immigrants, who do not understand the native language of the foreign country. In fact, it is believed that poor communication stems from a plethora of issues, language barrier being one of them. It is highly advisable for immigrants to beware of language differences before moving, and this problem can be solved in a short period of time.
References
Cronjé, J. C. (2009). Qualitative assessment across language barriers: An action research study. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12 (2), 69-85.
Green, D. A. (2009). New academics’ perceptions of the language of teaching and learning: identifying and overcoming linguistic barriers. International Journal for Academic Development, 14 (1), 33-45.
Kim, E. & Mattila, A. (2011). The Impact of Language Barrier & Cultural Differences on Restaurant Experiences: A Grounded Theory Approach. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Web.
Roush, V. (2008). A Rational Approach to Race Relations: A Guide to Talking Straight about Contemporary Race Issues. Indiana: iUniverse.
Sherry, M., Thomas, P., & Wing, C. (2010). International students: a vulnerable student population. Higher Education, 60 (1), 33-46.
Smitherman, G. (2003). Talking that Talk: Language, Culture and Education in African America. London: Routledge.