Step 1: Recall what semantic barriers are.
Semantic barriers to communication are obstacles that arise from the use of language itself - specifically from problems in how words, symbols, or messages are encoded by the sender or decoded by the receiver, leading to distortion of the intended meaning.
Step 2: Explain Barrier 1 - Badly Expressed Message.
Sometimes a manager, despite having a clear idea in mind, fails to translate that idea into words effectively. Poor vocabulary, unclear sentence structure, incorrect grammar, or an insufficient choice of words causes the message to be imprecise or ambiguous. The receiver, as a result, misinterprets the sender's intent, and the communication fails to produce the desired response.
Step 3: Explain Barrier 2 - Symbols with Different Meanings.
Many words in any language carry multiple meanings depending on the context in which they are used. If a sender uses a word in one sense and the receiver interprets it in another sense, the entire meaning of the message changes. For example, the word "plant" could mean a factory or a living organism - the wrong interpretation derails the communication entirely.
Step 4: Explain Barrier 3 - Faulty Translations.
In diverse organizations, instructions or policies are often drafted in one language (such as English) and then translated for employees who communicate in another language (such as Hindi or a regional language). If the translation is done poorly - capturing the words but losing the spirit, tone, or precise nuance of the original - the translated message carries a distorted meaning, leading to confusion and mistakes on the ground.
Step 5: Explain Barrier 4 - Unclarified Assumptions.
Often, a sender makes assumptions about the context or background knowledge of the receiver and bases the communication on those assumptions without stating them explicitly. What is obvious to the sender may be completely unclear to the receiver. For example, if a manager asks a subordinate to "make arrangements for the visiting client," the manager may assume hotel booking while the subordinate assumes only arranging a meeting room - leading to a serious lapse.
Step 6: Conclude.
The four semantic barriers to communication are: (1) Badly expressed message; (2) Symbols with different meanings; (3) Faulty translations; and (4) Unclarified assumptions - all of which distort the meaning of the message being transmitted.
\[ \boxed{ \text{Semantic Barriers: Badly expressed message, Different symbol meanings, Faulty translation, Unclarified assumptions} } \]