Decoding signifies to the process by which a person receives signals from an encoder and translates those signals into the meaningful messages. "Proper" decoding signifies that the messages sent by the encoder are interpreted in the way in which they were meant to be conveyed. The point is that such a purpose can't frequently be fulfilled because of the decoder's different socio-cultural background. A meaning attached to a word can be different based on the individual's experiences and socio-cultural environment or where they were raised. In the field of intercultural communication, one definition of "communication" is that "communication is creation of meaning." In another word, this concept tells you that the word itself does not hold any meanings; though, it is human beings who make them.

In this description, share an illustration of an experience that you had where the meaning of a word was misinterpreted by the other person due to differences in the cultural backgrounds. As well, describe strategies which can be used to enhance the intercultural communications.

Reference:

Barnlund, D. C. (1998). Communication in a global village. In M. J. Bennett (Ed.), Basic concepts of intercultural communication. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press.