December 1, 1998 - Wad'Ya Say? People may communicate, but do they understand each other? Arabs and Israelis may communicate, but do they really understand each other when they try to negotiate peace in the Middle East? Heads of states may communicate, but do Saddam Hussein and Bill Clinton understand each other as they stare in the face of a second Gulf war?
Effective communication -- the process of transmitting ideas and thoughts from one person to another that are understood -- is often difficult to achieve within a culture even when people speak the same language. The complexity of understanding increases in cross-cultural situations when, in addition to differences in language, usage, verbal style, and non-verbal communication, national cultures differ. Under these conditions, communication can become a most perplexing experience .
Cross Cultural Communication
The following examples illustrate difficulties encountered in cross-cultural communication.
- Delicia - Last semester I had a very difficult time in one of my management courses. My professor had a very pronounced accent. Originally I thought the class subject matter was difficult. But after several weeks it turned out that the root of my problem was the language barrier between my professor and myself. Once I paid less attention to my professor, and concentrated solely on the textbook, I was able to earn an "A" in the class.
- Andrea - As a Colombian student, I have experienced many communication problems in America. Though I think I am very proficient in English I still struggle with common abbreviations and slang words. For instance, my friend Lisa left the directions to her house on my answering machine, stating that was quite simple: "Take the LIE to the BQE, cross over the Brooklyn Bridge and take the FDR all the way uptown." I called her back to clarify the directions and she said: "No sweat! Just bounce onto the Long Island Expressway into the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, go over the Brooklyn Bridge and take the Franklin Delano Roosevelt all the way uptown and you will be there in a snap!" I must admit that I didn't get there in a "snap" but I found my way and broke "no sweat."
- Kevin - When I came to the United States four years ago from Hong Kong, I experienced some language barriers. One of the most embarrassing moments was my first week in high school. My history teacher told us to bring an article to class about government policy with 2 Xeroxs of it. Since at that time I had not made any friends in the class, I raised my hand and asked the teacher: "With 2 Xerox?" The teacher picked up a piece of paper and told me, "Yeah, 2 Xerox of the article next time!" When I got home I still could not figure out what I should bring with the article. I looked in the dictionary for the word; I remembered it started with "C" and had no luck. The next day, I brought in my article with 2-blank sheets of paper.
Another language barrier that bothered me is that when I told somebody something, they would often say "really!?" At first, I simply repeated myself and wondered why they did not trust my words. Now I understand that the word "really!?" is a common response when you feel that you have heard something new or interesting.
- Sharon - As a student from England attending an American university I agree with the pundit who said: "England and America are two countries separated by a single language." The way many words are pronounced differs between the two cultures. For example, "vitamins," "leisure," "bathroom," and "tomato" have different pronunciations that are unrecognizable when spoken in the other culture. There have been many times when I have asked people where the "bathroom" is and I have had to repeat myself several times before they understood me.
Another language barrier that I have experienced is when the two cultures use different words for the same thing. In England a "diaper" is called a "nappy" and "sneakers" are called "trainers."
Difficulties in spoken communication likely will always exist. Let's turn now to exercises that let you look at communications challenges over the Web and through e-mail.
Web Exercise
The following Websites explore issues in cross-cultural communication. In addition to reading about various relevant issues, use the advice presented in the sites to improve your communication with people from different cultures -- for example, with international students at the school you attend.
1. http://www.maec.org/cross/5.html
This site provides strategies for removing cross-cultural barriers to communication. It also presents steps for removing stereotypical language, which can create communication barriers.
How do stereotypes develop? Do stereotypes ever improve cross-cultural communication?
2. http://www.webofculture.com
This Website contains a broad and dynamic discussion of intercultural communication. It includes a bulletin board that references different cultures and expert articles that provide information dealing with diversity training, cultural relativism, and other topics that affect cross-cultural communication.
What factors do you think are important for improving cross-cultural communication?
E-Mail Exercise
Many people view electronic communication as revolutionary. Not only is electronic communication faster and less expensive that traditional methods, but, many experts think, it may alter the very nature of communication itself. To explore if e-mail changes the way we communicate, locate the e-mail address of a student at a university in a country different from your own (use a browser such as Altavista http://www.altavista.com or Webcrawler http://www.webcrawler.com). In an e-mail, explain to this student the purpose of this exercise and see if you can communicate effectively in terms of language and technology. In what ways did your e-mail communication differ from how you would have communicated with a telephone call or a letter? Was your communication via e-mail better or worse, do you believe, than it would have been through a more traditional medium?
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