Intercultural Communication

Intercultural Communication Prepare for Fulbright ETAs Program in Yilan August, 2013 Reference: Samovar, L. A., Porter, R. E., McDaniel, E. R. (2007). Communication between cultures. (7th Ed). Belmont, CA: Thomas Higher Education.

About Me: Ivy Haoyin Hsieh 謝顥音 • Education • BA in French from Chinese Culture University in Taipei, Taiwan • M. Ed in TESOL at the University of Central Oklahoma • Ph. D. in Literacy Language and Culture at the University of Florida • Teaching Experiences: • Taiwan • Multicultural Education & Integrated English Reading and Writing • Freshman English (as a foreign language) • Texas, US (Sam Houston State University) • Multicultural influences on Learning • Second Language Acquisition • Florida, US • Oversea Chinese School & Foreign Language in Middle school • Language Arts & Children’s Literature at the University of Florida

More… • Travel Experiences: • North America: United States, Canada • Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, • Asia: China, Indonesia, Japan, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, • Other: New Zealand • What did I learn from the experiences • Two stories • 2001, The robbery • 2011, Free style • Learning different cultures • Learning to be a foreigner

Communication: First Step… • To Know each other… • What do you think you know about cultures in Taiwan? • What do you think people in Taiwan know about your cultures?

Activity: Your Profile • Value • Beliefs • Taboos

Intercultural communication Intercultural contact occurred whenever people encounter others and discovered that they are different People tend to put blames to new immigrants with social and economic problems affecting the society “everyone is quick to blame the alien” Situation in Taiwan Wei-Guo-Ren

Cultural Identity • “those who fail to achieve a secure identity are faced with identity confusion, a lack of clarify about who they are and what their role is in life” (Pinney, 1993) • “The identification of communications of a shared system of symbolic verbal and nonverbal behavior that are meaningful to group members who have a sense of belongings and who share traditions, heritage, language, and similar norms of appropriate behavior. Cultural identity is a social construction.” Fong (2004) • How do you identify YOU? • How would you help your students to identity you, and themselves?

Power of Languages • Any Language is better than the other? • Mind Your Languagehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFX68SJs2-0 • Discussions

Language & Thought Language and thought just like language and culture, it is inseparable and influenced each other. Contextualization Cognitive processes that refer to how you create sense from fragmentary images of your environment by combining them to develop a larger mental image. Easterners tend to be more holistic and make little use of categories and formal logic Westerners tend to pay attention primarily to the object…, use rules, logic, etc. Written language may influence our thinking too Now, to think about yourself, and your mind, thought, culture and background were influence by YOUR LANGUAGE Give examples…

Activity: Kenyan case study #1 Joanna: “Kimani, I think we need to talk about our friendship.” Kimani: “Yes,” Kimani replied. Joanna: “I think you might want something more than I do; you know, something more serious.” Kimani: “You said you wanted us to be friends, right? That’s what I want too.” Joanna: “I guess I don’t quite understand Kenyan customs yet. Do you bring gifts to your friends every time you visit them?” Kimani: “If I want to have a girlfriend, someone special, I do.” Joanna: “But I thought you just wanted us to be friends.” Kimani: “That’s right, I do. I want us to be friends. That’s why I am visiting you and bringing you gifts.” • What word is the cause of Joanna and Kimani’s confusion? • Explain why they are miscommunicating. • How would you continue the dialogue to solve this intercultural dilemma?

Activity: Kenyan case study #2 Charles: “Mwalimu, I was waiting for you Friday evening, but you never came.” Michael: “Was I supposed to meet you somewhere, Charles?” Charles: “Well, I thought you were going to visit me at my home.” Michael: “Really? I don’t remember telling you that.” Charles: “Friday afternoon you said that you would see me later, so I thought that you would come visit me later that evening.” Michael: “Charles, I don’t remember telling you that. Are you sure I said that?” • What phrase is the cause of Charles and Michael’s confusion? • Explain why they are miscommunicating. • How would you continue the dialogue to solve this intercultural dilemma?

Culture and the Rules of Interaction Directness and indirectness Language usage reflects many of the deep structure values of culture. The degree to which a culture values directness and indirectness is reflected in that culture‘s langeage. Maintaining social relationships It is safe to say that in most culture, language is the primary vehicle for maintaining and enhancing social status and relationships. Expressions of Affect Koreans: not openly/freely express their feelings British English: speech interspersed with euphemisms that enable speakers to avoid expressing strong feelings American English: raise voice to express anger Value of conversation To know the importance of language. To thinkwhat/how langeauge play a role in your life. To experience if we had any language, we would how to express our feeling and culture. 12

Cultural Misunderstanding - Accent • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_N1Cmt_QB0&feature=PlayList&p=1CC59C64ABDC93B7&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=25

Activity: Culture and conversation • Each of you have a scenario in hand. Try not to share your note to your group members but start to have a conversation using your “cultural beliefs” as describe…

Activity: Culture and conversationScenario 1 You are from a culture that believes talking equals productivity. If there is talk, then something is being accomplished. Periods of silence are perceived as awkward moments and generally considered a waste of time. If people are not talking, you ask questions or change the subject in an attempt to continue the flow of words. You use curt, hurried language that makes you appear rushed. You also like all discussions to end with a conclusion, a decision about the topic at hand. In addition, you like your space and believe that people should keep a distance of approximately three feet while sitting and engaging in conversation. You don’t like people “in your face.”

Activity: Culture and conversation Scenario 2 You are from a culture where talking is not looked upon favorably. “He who talks, knows nothing” is a common belief. Silence is what wise people engage in because knowledge lies within the individual, not on the outside. People in your culture respect intuition and introspection. When you do talk, it is brief but clear, simple but eloquent. You show attentiveness primarily through head nods and “uh huh’s.” You prefer that a lot of time be given for discussion to allow for contemplation about an issue instead of rushing through a conversation.

Activity: Culture and conversation Scenario 3 You are from a culture where eloquent speakers are highly respected. For you, conversation is like a dance, to be carried out with style and finesse. Language, like life, is to be enjoyed fully and you believe that people should take their time and talk things out at a leisurely pace. Your sentences are long with very few pauses, and your words are highly descriptive. You also tend to begin speaking while others are talking. It is not important to you that a decision or conclusion be reached during a discussion. Your goal is to simply enjoy the conversation and the people. In addition, you like to get close to people while speaking. Having 12-18 inches between your face and another’s is your preference when sitting and talking.

Activity: Culture and conversationDiscussions • Within the different groups, who were the most dominating and the most reticent members? • Who talked the most? Who interrupted the most? Did anyone seem disinterested? • Who seemed the most intelligent? What behaviors support this conclusion? • How did you perceive your own behavior? Were there some elements of your role with which you felt comfortable? Uncomfortable? • Did problems result from the members’ very different orientations towards talk, silence, and space? Was the discussion enjoyable and/or productive? • How did you deal with those members of your group who communicated in ways that made you feel uncomfortable or uncertain? • How could you have handled this situation better?

Defining nonverbal communication • Nonverbal communication involves all those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver. • Intentional, unintentional behaviors • E.g. Touching someone’s hand for an extended period of time (flirting)

Studying nonverbal communication: Guide lines and Limitations • Nonverbal communication is often ambiguous. “We can never be sure that others understand the meanings we intended to express with our nonverbal behavior”, by Wood. “Meanings and interpretations of nonverbal behaviors often are on very shaky ground”, by Osborn and Motley. • We are more than our culture. Beamer and Varner note that “nonverbal communication is influenced by a number of factors, including cultural background, socioeconomic background, education, gender, age, personal preferences, and idiosyncrasies.”

Communication: Culture differences Personal space • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUCODUvKbzE

Nonverbal communication and culture • Nonverbal communication is part of a universally recognized and understood code. - it plays a crucial and necessary part in communicative interactions between people from different cultures. • Culture is all pervasive, multidimensional, and boundless; it’s everywhere and in everything. - Everyday life differs not only in terms if how people think and act, but how they infuse their lives with feelings.

Nonverbal Communication in Everyday Life • Nonverbal communication is universal • Basic meaning of expressing affect • Same actions make sense • Judging internal states • Judgment and decision without words • Eyes than ears – when 2 contradict with each other • Creating impressions • appearance • Managing interactions • Clues of conversation

Functions of nonverbal communication • (connected with cutulral norms?) • Repeating: Gestures and word reinforce each other • Saying “no” shaking heads • Complementing: Add information • Pat on shoulder when saying “good job” • Substituting: Hug and kiss • Regulating: Nod head, smile • Contradicting: Saying OK while looks tired?

Two important words in Chinese Culture • Guan-xi • Mian-zi

The Confucian Interpersonal Relationship System • Hierarchical • The Emperor and the Officer • Father and son • Senior and Junior (brotherhood) • Husband and Wife • Friends

Nonverbal Communications Around us

Overview • Communication and Culture • Words and Meaning: Language and Culture • Non-Verbal Communication

Human Communication • “Communication is powerful: It brings companies to our side or scatters our rivals, reassures or alerts children, and forges consensus or battle lines between us” • Communication is your ability to share your beliefs, values, ideas, and feelings, and is the basis of all human contact.

Principles of communication • Communication is a dynamic process: ongoing activity and unending process, not fixed • Communication is symbolic: all cultures use symbols, but they usually assign their own meanings to the symbols • Communication is systemic: communication does not occur in isolation but is part of a larger system. Location, Time, Occasion, Number of people… • Communication involves making inferences: Some cultures believe they can know what others are feeling and thinking, but Western cultures use asking questions, self-disclosure, and over-verbalizing

Language and Communication • Thinking • Speak out loud as an aid to problem solving or thinking • Control of reality • Prayers (communicate with the spiritual world) • Keeping history • To record past event and achievements • Socialization and enculturation • Understanding of different cultures • Expression of identity • Slogans, discourse

Language and Communication • Communicative functions of language • Language is the basic tool by which humans make society function. • Language serves a number of culture, communal, and societal functions. • Language is a multifunctional tool that helps you satisfy a variety of needs • Conversation • Most fundamental form, provides means of conducting human affairs • Expression of affect • Get rid of nervous energy, emotions (I feel), different expression in different cultures

Language and culture • Verbal processes • Word used (e.g. house – tipi, igloo;) • Linguistic (alphabetic, phonological, or pictographic) • Grammatical structure: (How are you, 你好嗎？Verb tense) • Word and pronunciation diversity • American/British, Singlish, Taiwanese/Chinese Mandarin • Language, culture, and meaning • Word selection • Word representing different meanings in different cultures e.g. rice

Nonverbal Communication • Nonverbal Communication in Everyday Life • Defining Nonverbal Communication • Functions of Nonverbal Communication • Studying Nonverbal Communication: Guidelines and Limitations • Nonverbal Communication and Cultures • Classifications of Nonverbal Communication

Classifications of NC I: Body Behaviors • General appearance: people show their concern for how they appear to others. • Skin color: the first racial marker children recognize and can be considered the most salient of phenotypic attributes. • Judgments of beauty: what is seen as beautiful in one culture may look hideous to people from another culture. • Attire: clothing can be a reflection of a culture’s value orientation. • Body movement: Kinesics • The study of how movement communicates is called kinesics • Kinesics cues are those visible body shifts and movements that can send messages about (1) your attitude toward the other person (2) your emotional state (3) your desire to control your environment • Posture (cultural Structure): e. g. The “bow” in Asian is more than greeting • Sitting (cultural characteristics): e.g. slouching, gender differences • Gestures (hand signals): pointing, beckoning, acceptance and understanding, and amount and size of the gestures

Classifications of NC II: Others • Facial expressions • Eye contact and gaze • Touch • Paralanguage • Space and Distance • Personal Space • Seating • Furniture Arrangement • Time • Informal Time: punctuality, pace • Past, present, and Future: Past orientation, present orientation, future orientation • Monochromic (m-time) and polychromic (P-time) classifications • Silence

Intercultural Communication