This document discusses intercultural communication and barriers to effective communication. It notes that intercultural communication involves exchanging and negotiating cultural differences through language, non-verbal gestures, and relationships. Barriers to communication include semantics, filtering of negative information, lack of credibility, mixed signals, different frames of reference, value judgments, information overload, and poor communication skills. These barriers can be overcome by clarifying ideas, motivating receivers, discussing differences, fostering informal communication, communicating feelings, being aware of non-verbal cues, obtaining feedback, adapting styles, and engaging in meta-communication. The document also defines phonology, semantics, grammar, and pragmatics in language.