CHAPTER 6

• Verbal intercultural communication


  Interaction between people who speak different languages
• R. A. Hudson: 'As for the relation between language and culture, most of language is contained within culture'
• Goodenough: 'A society's language is an aspect of its culture […]. The relationship of language to culture is that of part to whole'
• Sapir: 'Language and culture are so related that you could not understand or appreciate the one without a knowledge of the other'
• Language


  • It imposes a unique view of nature, of existence, on those who speak it
  • It provides an explanation of the universe, a "world view", and shapes how people think and experience the world
• Intercultural communication usually means interaction between people who speak different languages
• The awareness of language becomes significant in intercultural communication
• Every society's language rituals are determined by the cultural values of that society
• Many rules governing speech patterns are learned in childhood and people grow up thinking that everyone has the same rules for speaking
• People unconsciously expect others to use the same modes of expression as they do
• They tend to apply the rules of communication in their own culture when communicating with people from a different culture
• Even when people seem to be speaking the same language, they can be portrayed as 2 people who speak different languages due to differences in the specific dialects of the language and different cultural practices that govern language use
• Accents


  Distinguishable marks of pronunciation
• Dialects


  Versions of a language with distinctive vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation that are spoken by particular groups of people or within particular regions
• Dialects and accents can play an important role in intercultural communication because they often trigger a judgment and evaluation of the speaker
• Accented speech and dialects provoke negative or stereotyped reactions in listeners
• Speakers are usually perceived as having less status, prestige, and overall competence
• Negative judgments made about others simply on the basis of how they speak are obviously a formidable barrier to competence in intercultural communication
• Preferred channel for English communicators


  • Writing (e.g. clear, detail written contracts)
  • New technology (e.g. telephone, high-speed connections)
• Preferred channel for Italian, Greek, African, many Asian cultures & much of South America

  Face-to-face interaction
• Directness of English-speaking writers


  Value direct messages
• Directness of writers of other languages


  Prefer indirect messages
• Clarity & Conciseness valued by English-speaking writers

  Clear, complete information
• Cultural preferences in the organization of messages


  • Cultures have distinct preferences for organizing ideas and presenting them in writing and in public speeches
  • What is regarded as the ideal ways to structure the content of an essay or a speech in your culture?
• Cultural thought patterns (Kaplan 1972)


  • Linearity: English
  • Parallel constructions: Semitic languages (Jews, Egyptian)
  • Circularity: Oriental languages (Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, …)
  • Romance
  • Russian
• Chinese essay structure


  • Type 1: 1 natural paragraph contains 2 or more semantic paragraphs, 2 or more natural paragraphs make up 1 semantic paragraph
  • Type 2: Writers from Mediterranean cultures often devote the whole beginning section of a document to tracing & commemorating the history of the relationship, Germans use chronology when arranging and presenting ideas, the French take pride in style and rhetorical elegance, East Asian cultures may not organize information linearly, but relationally, Japanese, Thai, Chinese languages: the thesis statement is often buried in the passage
• Nonnative English speakers have their preferred style for the organization and presentation of ideas
• Cultural variations in conversations


  • Problems for intercultural communicators may be created by the social rules and preferred interaction styles that are used in conversations, the importance given to talk and silence, the use of small talk to socialize with others
• Interaction styles: West vs East

  • West: Words are very important, spoken word is seen as a reflection of a person's inner thoughts, people need words to communicate accurately and completely, silence conveys negative experiences
  • East: Place much more emphasis on the value of silence, the unspoken meaning or intentions, saying as little as is necessary, spoken words and wordiness are sometimes viewed with some suspicion and disregard
• Small talk


  Social casual conversation with others about unimportant topics or topics of common interests, allows a person to maintain contact with a lot of people without making a deep commitment, helps people feel comfortable with each other, helps people decide if they want to get to know each other better, can serve as the introduction to conversations about more serious, and more important topics
• American cultural note on small talk


  To the verbal American, friendliness is displayed through small talk, small talk communicates that you are a sociable person, interested in others, Americans often engage in a few minutes of small talk in various contexts, Asians who are uncomfortable or reluctant to make small talk are seen by Americans as formal, distant, and not very friendly or approachable
• Some common topics of American small talk


  • Job, work
  • School
  • Weekend and vacation activities
  • Family
  • Weather
  • Money matters (investment, stock, etc.)
  • Possessions, things : things people own or would like to own
  • Sports
  • Themselves
• Topics to avoid in American small talk when people do not know each other well or are not close friends


  • Money (salary, cost of particular items, …)
  • Age
  • Physical appearance (weight, hair color, …)
  • Certain information about marriage
  • Religious beliefs
  • Political beliefs