跨文化交际教程 课件 Unit 2 Verbal Communication in Intercultural Communication

UnitTwo

VerbalCommunicationinInterculturalCommunication

Communicationliesattheheartofallsocialrelationships.Verbalcommunicationmeanseffectivelypresentingyourthoughtsinverbalformati.e.,bytalking.1.WhatIsVerbalCommunication?Peoplealwaysrememberapersonwhospeaksclearly,effectively,confidently,andcharismatically.Verbalcommunicationisalivingexchangeofculturalmeaning.Effectiveinterculturalcommunicationisakeytoestablishingtrustincross-culturalrelationship.

Interculturalcommunicationincludesverbalandnonverbalcommunication.Verbalcommunicationinvolves:—preferredlanguageanddialects,—contextualuseofthelanguage,—preferredgreetings,—voicevolumeandtone,—healthliteracy,—theneedforinterpretationandtranslation.CharacteristicsOfVerbalCommunicationThemessagebeingcommunicatedisdirectlyorindirectlyrelatedtoanobject.Weuseconceptstocommunicatemessages.Thecontentshouldbeunderstoodbyboththesenderandreceiver.Culturalfactorsinfluencethecontentofmessages.Whilecommunicatingemotionsandfeelings,asender’sstateofmindInfluencesthecontentofmessages.TypesOfVerbalCommunicationIntrapersonalCommunicationThisisyourprivateverbalcommunicationchannel.Youtalktoyourselfandarticulateyourthoughts.Communicatingwithyourselfwillgiveyoumoreconfidenceandclarityinyourthoughts.It’llhelpyoumakeupyourmind,formyoursentences,findsuitablewordsandeffectivewaystoconnectwithotherpeople.InterpersonalCommunicationItisalsocalledone-to-oneverbalcommunication.Ithappensbetweentwoindividualsandhelpsyouunderstandifyou’regettingyourthoughtsacrossclearly.Reactions,responsesandverbalandnonverbalcuesfromtheotherpersonwillhelpyouunderstandwhetheryou’rebeingunderstoodornot.Makesurethatyoulistentotheotherpersonintently.Communicationdoesn’tjustmeantotalktosomeone.It’salsoaboutlistening.So,listen,thinkandthenrespond.Taketimetothinkandmakesureyoudon’toffendpeoplewithyourresponse.SmallGroupCommunicationThenumberofpeopleincreasesinsmallgroupcommunication.Youmovefromcommunicatingwithasingleparticipanttoafewmore.Thesesmallgroupscouldbeteammeetings,boardmeetingsorsalesmeetings.Thenumberofparticipantsissmallenoughforeveryonetocommunicatewitheachother.Whenyouattendsmallgroupmeetings,bepreparedwithatopictomakesureyoustayontrack.Stayontopicandallowenoughtimeforeveryonetopresenttheirthoughts.

PublicCommunicationItisactually‘publicspeaking’.Here,anindividualaddressesalargenumberofpeopleatonce.Speeches,electioncampaignsandpresentationsareafewexamplesofpubliccommunication.Sincethenumberofpeopleintheaudienceislargerinthistypeofcommunication,besuretousewordsandphrasesthey’llunderstandeasilyandstructureyourthoughtsbeforeaddressingtheaudience.Themorepreparedyouare,themoreconfidentyou’llfeellikeapublicspeaker.Mass/MediatedcommunicationMasscommunicationisaccomplishedviamassmedia—thatis,technologycapableofsendingmessagestogreatnumbersofpeople,manyofwhomareunknowntothesender(e.g.,television).Thepurposesofmasscommunicationincludeentertainment,education,andpoliticalpropaganda.Amongthefieldsofendeavorthatengageinmasscommunicationaremarketing,publicrelations,andjournalism.BarrierstoInterculturalCommunicationAnxietyAssumptionofSimilaritiesEthnocentrismStereotypesPrejudiceDiscriminationRacismCase1:InEnglish,peoplereadandwritefromlefttoright;whenpeoplereadandwriteArabicorHebrew,theywillproceedfromrighttoleft;whenmodernChinesereadandwrite,theystartfromlefttoright,whileancientChinesereadandwrotefromthetoprightcornerofthepagetothebottomandfromrighttoleft.Question:Whichwayisright?Whichwayiswrong?Tips:Neitherisrightorwrong,simplydifferent.Case2:AmericanstendtosaythatpeoplefromEnglanddriveonthe“wrong”sideoftheroad.Question:Whatmightbeabetterwaytotalkabouttheissue?Tips:Britishpeopledriveonthe“other”sideoftheroad.AnythingStrangeaboutthepicture?Case3:InanattempttolocateanoutletforitsproductsinEurope,alargeU.S.manufacturersentoneofitspromisingyoungexecutivestoFrankfurttomakeapresentationtoareputableGermandistributor.TheU.S.companyhadconsiderableconfidenceinthechoiceofthisparticularjuniorexecutivebecausethemannotonlyspokefluentGermanbutalsoknewagooddealofGermanculture.WhentheAmericanenteredtheconferenceroomwherehewouldbemakinghispresentation,hedidalltherightthings.Heshookhandsfirmly,greetedeveryonewithafriendlygutentag,andbowedhisheadslightlyasiscustomaryinGermany.DrawingonhisexperienceasapastpresidentoftheToastmastersClubinhishometown,theU.S.executivestartedhispresentationwithafewhumorousanecdotestosetarelaxedmood.Attheendofhispresentation,however,hesensedthathistalkhadnotgonewell.Infact,thepresentationwasnotwellreceived,fortheGermancompanychosenottodistributetheU.S.company'sproducts.Question:WhatmightbethereasonforthefailureoftheAmerican’spresentation?Tips:TheGermanculturevaluesseriousnessanddirectness.

StartinghispresentationwithseveraljokesmadetheGermansthinkthathewasnotveryseriousaboutthebusiness.Multi-MillionaireGermanBusinessman,MarvinSteinbergCase4:AnAmericancompanyissellinghigh-endtechnicalgoodstoapotentialChinesebuyer.RelationshavebeengoingwellandtheChinesehavebeeninvitedforafactorytourinanticipationofthecontractbetweenthetwocompaniesfinallybeingsigned.Theeveningafterthetour,theAmericanshosttheChinesedelegationforadinneratalocalrestaurant.Uponenteringtherestaurant,theheadoftheChinesedelegationisgreetedbyajuniormemberoftheUSteam.Heaskswhereheshouldsit,towhichheistoldto,“sitwhereyoulike”.ThenextdaytheChinesedelegationlefttheUSAwithoutsigninganycontract.DayslatertheUSteamreceivedwordthattheChinesefelthumiliatedandwerereconsideringthebusinessrelationship.Question:Whathappened?Tips:InChineseculture,hierarchyisreallyimportant,whereasinAmericanculture,it'smoreaboutequalityanddisplaysofhierarchyaren’tculturallycomfortable.So,whentheheadoftheChinesedelegationwasonlygreetedbyajuniormemberoftheteam,ratherthanthemostsenior,heimmediatelyfeltalossofface.Toaddinsulttoinjuryhewasthentoldto‘sitanywhere’–when,ideally,heshouldhavebeengiventheseatattheheadofthetablenexttothemostseniormemberoftheUSteam.InChineseculture,peopletendtohidetheirfeelings.Forthisreason,theteamdidnotsayanythingatthetime.Case5:ADutchnationalhasrecentlymovedtotheUK.ThisindividualreallystrugglestounderstandtheBritish.Forexample,whentheyprepareareportorapresentationandshowittothemanagerforfeedback,theyaretold:“it’sfine”.However,afterhandinginthereportormakingthepresentationtheydiscoverthemanagerisnotpleasedasthingsaremissing.Theycan’tunderstandwhytheyarebeingtoldsomethingisfine,onlytofindoutlaterthatitisnotfine.ThisalongwithothercommunicationchallengesisreallybotheringtheDutchnational.Question:What’sgoingonhere?Tips:It’sallabouthowdifferentculturescommunicate.TheDutchareusedtobeingopen,frankandhonestwhengivingopinions.Ifyousaysomethingis‘fine’,thenit’sfine.IntheUKhowever,theBritishcommunicationcultureisverydifferent.YouneedtolistentomuchmorethanthewordsintheUK.Peoplesayonethingbutmeananother.Sayingsomethingis“fine”intheUKreallymeansitisnotfine–it’stheexactopposite.AmongBrits,theyunderstandwhat‘fine’means–itmeansit’s'notgoodenough'andthatchangesneedtobemade.TheDutchnationalhowevertookthemeaningliterally–bigmistake!Case6:TwomenmeetonaplanefromTokyotoHongKong.ChuHon-faiisaHongKongexporterwhoisreturningfromabusinesstriptoJapan.AndrewRichardsonisanAmericanbuyeronhisfirstbusinesstriptoHongKong.ItisaconvenientmeetingforthembecauseMr.Chu'scompanysellssomeoftheproductsMr.RichardsonhascometoHongKongtobuy.Afterabitofconversationtheyintroducethemselvestoeachother.R:Bytheway,I'mAndrewRichardson.MyfriendscallmeAndy.Thisismybusinesscard.C:I'mDavidChu.Pleasedtomeetyou.Mr.Richardson.Thisismycard.R:No,no.CallmeAndy.Ithinkwe'llbedoingalotofbusinesstogether.C:Yes,Ihopeso. R:(readingMrChu'scard):"Chu,Hon-fai.”Hon-fai,I'llgiveyouacalltomorrowassoonasIgetsettledatmyhotel. C:(smiling):Yes.I'llexpectyourcall. Questions:1.lseverythingallrightwiththisconversation?Whyorwhynot?2.Whatimpressionsdoyouthinkthetwobusinessmenwillhaveofeachother?Tips:Whenthesetwomenseparate,theymayleaveeachotherwithverydifferentimpressions.Mr.RichardsonisverypleasedtohavemadetheacquaintanceofMr.Chuandfeelstheyhavegottenofftoaverygoodstart.Theyhaveestablishedtheirrelationshiponafirst-namebasisandMr.Chu'ssmileseemedtoindicatethathewillbefriendlyandeasytodobusinesswith.Mr.RichardsonisparticularlypleasedthathehadtreatedMr.ChuwithrespectforhisChinesebackgroundbycallinghimHon-fairatherthanusingthewesternname,David,whichseemedtohimanunnecessaryimpositionofwesternculture.Incontrast,Mr.ChufeelsquiteuncomfortablewithMr.Richardson.Hefeelsitwillbedifficulttoworkwithhim,andthatMr.Richardsonmightberatherinsensitivetoculturaldifferences.Heisparticularlybotheredthat,insteadofcallinghimDavidorMr.Chu,Mr.Richardsonusedhisgivenname,Hon-fai,thenamerarelyusedbyanyone,infact.Itwasthisembarrassmentwhichcausedhimtosmile.HewouldfeelmorecomfortableiftheycalledeachotherMr.ChuandMr.Richardson.Nevertheless,whenhewasawayatschoolinNorthAmericahelearnedthatAmericansfeeluncomfortablecallingpeopleMrforanyextendedperiodoftime.Hissolutionwastoadoptawesternname.HechoseDavidforuseinsuchsituations.Case7:AnAmericanwasadinnerguestinaPakistanihousehold.Hehadjusthadadeliciousmeal.Hewasrelativelyfullbutnotsofullthatitwouldbeimpossibleforhimtoeatmoreifitwasconsideredsociallyappropriatetodoso.Thenhehadthefollowingdialoguewiththehostess.Hostess:Iseethatyourplateisempty.Wouldyoulikesomemorecurry?American:No,thankyou.Itwasdelicious,butI'mquitefull.Hostess:Please,youmusthavesome moretoeat.American:No,nothankyou.I'vereallyhadenough.Itwasjustgreat,butIcan'teatanotherbite.Hostess:Areyousurethatyouwon'thaveanymore?Youreallyseemedtoenjoythebrinjals.Letmeputjustalittlebitmoreonyourplate.Note:brinjal:IndianeggplantTips:EveniftheAmericankn