Racist Language Barriers

In the business world, communication is king and to be effective in this world you will need to effectively exchange ideas and visions. Therefore, this can be accomplished by avoiding certain barriers that may hinder clarity. These barriers are Sexist and racist language, double speak, Cliché, Slang, Jargon, Euphemism.
Sexist and Racist language is when the communicator uses language the may be considered derogatory to certain people or groups. Use of this language is a sometimes by mistake and is a breakdown of communications. For Example, as a supervisor, you call a group of women who dislike each other are involved in a “Catfight” instead of listening to a legitimate complaint his words may be viewed by some or all the women as being
sexist.
Doublespeak is when words are used to deceive the receiver from knowing what the context message is.
This term is also used to lessen the impact of an otherwise serious matter, instead of using plain language. For instance, stating to a crowd of news reporters that the police are looking for a “Person of interest" when they could have just said a suspect in a crime.
Cliché is an over-used phrase that means something that the receiver may not understand but the communicator does in some instances but not all. The use of these words lies within the meaning of the words. For example, if you burn your hand on a pot you might say when I burnt my hand on the pot “it felt like an eternity”. Nevertheless, you could have easily said when I burnt my hand on the pot it felt like my hand was there for a long time. Therefore, using a Cliché in a business setting may not be the best way to communicate your message.
Slang is communication through the use of words not normally used in business conversing. Slang is mostly used in informal settings with people of the same ethnicity or those who have a common understanding. To illustrate, at my place of employment so of the staff uses the phrase “boy bye” I have no idea what this meant until I looked it up “don’t make any sense” is one definition. However, the people in this women’s group knew what she was saying and agreed by repeating the
phrase.
Jargon is words or phrases used by a communicator in a specific field. The communicator and the receiver should use jargon only if both have an understanding of the particular field or item. For instance, in Law Enforcement, most agencies use 10 codes to relay to a dispatcher or co-worker what they are about to do “10-23” if they are good on a call “10-4” or what crime a suspect has committed “10-30”. However, care should be taken when using jargon in a business environment to not confuse the receiver of your message.
Euphemism is expressions used to convey a message that otherwise might seem insensitive or unpleasant.
For example, at one point in history doctors would diagnose a person as being a “retard” or “Mental retardation”. However, that word holds a derogatory meaning to some people so some. Therefore, euphemisms such as “intellectual disabilities” (Harris 2013) are the norm used to be polite to those with Mental disabilities. Euphemisms could also be used in a derogatory manner. As a co-worker stated to me last week he believed that another co-worker is “playing for the other team” in reference to their sexuality. Either way, you use euphemisms be careful when using them in a business setting to avoid
miscommunications.
I have recalled using sexist language in an office setting. However, this was common at this job were both men and women would flirt with each other. To illuminate, on several occasions I would state to one of the female co-workers that she was a “sexy broad” or Dame. Nevertheless, in a business environment language like this could be offensive and cause problems with communications.
In conclusion, effective communication takes time and practice in order to avoid miscommunication as well as common mistakes as explained above. These practices will ultimately elevate your skills to a level desired by all in the business world.