Week 4: Verbal Communication & Message Design
When Words Fail
Discussion Prompt
Think of a time when language caused a miscommunication in your personal, professional, or academic life. This could be due to bypassing (same word, different meanings), abstraction (too vague), jargon (unfamiliar terms), or any other language barrier. Describe the situation: What was said? How was it misinterpreted? What were the consequences? Finally, how could clearer, more intentional language use have prevented or resolved the misunderstanding?
Response Guidelines
- Share a specific real example from your experience
- Identify which type of language barrier was involved
- Analyze how the language itself (not just the people) contributed
- Propose specific alternative wording that would have been clearer
- When responding to classmates, offer additional insights or alternative phrasings
Minimum 200 words