Miscommuncation

Communication Errors

Language Errors

Language Encoding Errors

Communication errors result as a part of the nature of communication itself. As humans, we have our own dictionary of meaning for words based on our own experiences. We encode meaning in words across a visual or auditory channel, which is then reconstructed by the receiver using his own dictionary of meaning for words. Take for example the word edge. For one person, it may mean a boundary, such as the edge of a cliff, or the edge of a marked off space such as a basketball court. The first person will be working on the presumption that moving past the edge is a fatal or harmful move. The other will not.

Ambiguity Errors

Ambiguity can result during encoding by the preference of meaning as stated above but based on the multiple meaning of a word. If a word has two or more meanings, the preferred meaning will be selected by the receiver if the context of the message is left vague enough. Take for example the word edge. It can mean a boundry, such as the edge of a cliff, or it can mean a cutting edge, like that of a sword, knife or even — technology.

Context and Criteria Errors

Part of this is also that we live in our own contexts based on our own overall goals. For example, to an honest person, a good person is someone who is also honest. To a scammer, a good person is a dupe.

Use of Vague Words

Another part of language errors is simply being vague. Using vague words such as 'beautiful flower' forces the receiver of the message to construct a 'beautiful flower' from his own criteria of what beautiful and flower means — in other words, the receiver will take beautiful and flower and picture it using a color he thinks is beautiful and a flower he likes because the message is lacking these details.

Communication Lag

The most efficient communication would be a stream of information from a source across a sensory channel. Communication lag is anything that disrupts this flow, such as pausing to think of a word or phrase an idea, or even the catastrophe of having to rephrase an idea.

Intentional Miscommunication

Intentional miscommunication can exploit all of the above as a part of deception.

Avoiding Communicaton Errors

Take the time to ask what someone means when they use a vague word. If they refuse to clarify, they either don't know themselves are are up to something.
Ask questions about the context of the message itself.