Cross-cultural Communication

• Verbal communication• Non-verbal communication• General guidelines

Verbal Communication

• Language• Accents

Verbal Communication

Direct style Indirect style• “Please excuse me! I need to pee!”

• “Please excuse me! I’ll be back in a minute.”

• Reduces ambiguity• Expresses speaker’s intentions and needs clearly

• Face-saving• Prevents embarrassing moments

• Emphasizes honesty, openness, forthrightness, individualism

• Emphasizes harmony of relationships

• Western cultures • Asian cultures

Verbal Communication

Direct vs Indirect Styles:• Three Asian students studying in the United

States were invited by their professor to a workshop. They did not want to participate nor did they have the time. But they also did not want to offend their professor, whom they held in high regard. Therefore, rather than tell him that they could not attend, did not want to attend or lie, they simply did not return his calls and did not show up at the workshop.

Activity, p.2

Verbal Communication

Direct vs Indirect Styles:• An International student from Tunisia was not

aware that in the United States, if someone was asked for directions and he did not know the location, that person should tell the truth instead of making up a response. He explained that he had been taught back home that it was better to engage in conversation, to give some response, than to disappoint the person by revealing that he did not know.

Activity, p.2

Verbal CommunicationElaborate style Exact style Understated style

• “Thanks for lunch! I’m so hungry I could eat an entire horse!”

• “Thanks for lunch! I’m very hungry.”

• “Thank you for lunch.”

• Use of rich, expressive language

• No more, no less – just the facts

• No free expression • Be silent if unsure or have nothing good to say

• Values the flashy and overstated

• Values facts • Values succinct, simple assertions and silence

• Arabic – metaphors

Verbal Communication

Personal style Contextual style• Use of first-person pronouns “I”, “me”, “my” and “mine

• Highlights a person’s “role” identity and status

• Emphasizes informality • Emphasizes symmetrical power relationships

• Emphasizes status differences • Emphasizes asymmetrical power relationships

• American and English culture

• Asian cultures, e.g. Korea

Verbal Communication

Instrumental style Affective style• Concerned with the outcome

• Concerned with the process, not outcome

• To persuade, influence and maintain face

• Non-verbally expressive• Watches reaction of listener• Intuitive sense needed

• Responsibility of understanding lies with speaker

• Responsibility of understanding lies with both speaker and listener• French, Japanese, Chinese

Non-verbal Communication

• Appearance and dress• Posture• Gestures• Facial expressions• Personal space

Your reactionAn American college student, while having a dinner party with a group of foreigners, learns that her favourite cousin has just died. She bites her lip, pulls herself up, and politely excuses herself from the group. The interpretation given to this behaviour varied with the culture of the observer:

• Italian: “How insincere; she doesn’t even cry.”• Russian: “How unfriendly; she didn’t care enough

to share her grief with her friends.”• Fellow American: “How brave; she wanted to bear

her burden by herself.”

Appearance and DressReflects cultural value for:• Rank, status and authority (e.g. Filipino,

Spanish)• Conservatism (e.g. German)• Tradition (e.g. Arab) Be tolerant of external differences

Posture• Standing• Sitting

• Example: Japanese and bowing

Gestures• Pointing with index finger

• Snapping fingers

• “OK” sign

• Thumbs up

Facial Expressions• Grief & sadness

• Smile

• General eye-contact

• Eye-contact between male & female

Touch• Head• Hand-holding

between males or females

• General touching

Space• Intimate• Personal• Social• Public

General Guidelines• Be flexible • Be non-judgemental • Be tolerant of ambiguity • Be respectful • Be empathetic • Be able to take turns • Be prepared for discussion of the past • Check your interpretations • Manage culture shock

General GuidelinesManage culture shock:• Study the host culture • Study the local environment• Learn basic verbal and nonverbal language skills• Develop intercultural relationships• Maintain an intimate social network• Assume the principal of difference• Anticipate failure events: Learn from mistakes

and faux pas

Scene 1: USAJon (enters Dr Martin’s office unannounced): Hey, Dr Mart! How’s it

going?Dr Martin: Hey Jon, what’s up?Jon (helps himself into a chair without being asked): I thought I’d stop

by and see if I could talk to you about my assignment.Dr Martin: Sure. I’d be glad to help.Jon: Well, I’m having some trouble coming up with a topic. Think you could help me with some ideas?Dr Martin: I suggest you select a topic that interests you or you’ll be

bored to death doing it. Also, pick topics that already have much research done on them. You’ll also find many interesting topics by surfing the Internet.

Jon: Yeah. That’s good advice. Cool. If I find something, could I drop by and discuss with you before I start on it?

Dr Martin: Sure. If I’m not in the office, leave a message or a voicemail.Jon: Great! Thanks a lot!Dr Martin: Hey, no problem. Anytime.

Activity Worksheet

Scene 2: KoreaMino (stands outside Dr Choi’s office and knocks on the door):

Good morning, Professor Choi.Dr Choi: Hello, Mino.Mino: I am here for my appointment.Dr Choi: Yes.Mino: May I come in?Dr Choi: Yes.Mino: Thank you. (Enters Dr Choi’s office). I am here to

obtain approval from you on my research topic as you have requested.

Dr Choi: Yes. What have you decided?Mino: I would like to research the development of

nanotechnology, if that’s acceptable.Dr Choi: Yes. That topic is fine.Mino: Thank you. Thank you for making time to see me this

morning.Dr Choi: You are welcome.

Activity Worksheet

Cultural Norms: VerbalUSA KoreaConversation between student and lecturer is casual and informal.

Conversation between student and lecturer is formal and impersonal.

Jon uses slang “Dr Mart” “cool”, “yeah” and informal phrases “thanks a lot”, “how’s it going”, “great”.

Mino does not use any slang or informal vocabulary.

Dr Martin also uses informal language “what’s up”, “no problem”, “bored to death”, “anytime”.

Dr Choi does not use any informal language.

Cultural Norms: VerbalUSA KoreaConversation is friendly, personal and there is discussion. (Elaborate)

Conversation is restrained and there is no discussion. Mino keeps his conversation short and to the point. (Understated)

Jon asks Dr Martin for help in selecting a topic. Relationship is friendlier and more relaxed. It is acceptable to expect a lecturer to guide students on assignment matters. (Affective)

Mino has come prepared with his topic of choice to be approved. It is impertinent of a student to ask the lecturer for suggestions as responsibility rests entirely on the student. (Instrumental)

Cultural Norms: Non-verbalUSA KoreaJon turns up unannounced with no prior arrangement.

Mino had to make an appointment to see her lecturer.

Jon steps into the office without invitation.

Mino knocked on the door and seeked permission before entering the office.

Jon helps himself to a seat without invitation. The hierarchical distance is reduced especially when this is acceptable to Dr Martin.

Mino is assumed to remain standing maintaining the respectful relationship between student and lecturer.

Being Non-judgementalComments Possible explanationThey do not speak nor respond after someone has given their opinion.

They may want to be polite about their comments and would rather not disagree with the other person. (Understated)

They do not look you in the eye.

Their culture considers direct eye-contact impolite and aggressive.

They never say anything about themselves.

Their culture probably considers it self-centred or self-absorbed to discuss themselves.

They ask too many questions.

They are probably interested in getting to know the other party.

Being Non-judgementalComments Possible explanationThey are not careful when they talk about things or people.

They value honest comments and “tell it as it is.” (Direct)

They stare at you in the face.

Direct eye-contact is considered by their culture as the way to show interest and attentiveness.

They are always exaggerating.

Their culture probably uses rich, expressive language in everyday talk. (Elaborate)

They avoid direct questions.

Their culture believes in not being inquisitive – probably thinks it is impolite and interfering. (Indirect)