Understanding Intercultural Communication

Second Edition

Chapter 6 What is the Connection between Verbal Communication & Culture?

Stella Ting-Toomey & Leeva C. Chung

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PowerPoint Slides Designed by Alex Flecky and Noorie Baig

TODAY’S MENU

I. Human Language: Distinctive Features and Rule Patterns II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions III. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework IV. Intercultural Reality Check: Do-Ables

Do you know…

• The Top-3 Countries with the Most Native English-Language Speakers? • The Top-3 Countries with the Most Native Spanish-Language Speakers? • The Top-3 Most Widely-Spoken Languages Worldwide?

(Ethnologue Database, 2010-11)

I. Human Language: Distinctive Features and Rule Patterns

Language: An arbitrary, symbolic system that labels and categorizes objects, events, groups, people, ideas, feelings, experiences, and many other phenomena.

Can you guess how many languages exist worldwide?

I. Human Language: Distinctive Features and Rule Patterns

A. Distinctive Language Features • Arbitrariness: sounds and symbols

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∞ • Abstractness: concrete to abstract levels • Meaning-Centeredness: denotative and connotative levels of meaning • Creativity: productivity, displacement, eta communicative

I. Human Language: Distinctive Features and Rule Patterns

B. Multiple Rule Patterns • • • • • Phonological Rules: Smallest unit of a word Morphological Rules: Multiple sounds Syntactic Rules: Grammar Semantic Rules: Meaning Pragmatic Rules: Contextual rules

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions

Click here

to find out the “Meaning of Love” From 7 Billion Others from YouTube

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions A. Cultural Worldview Function • Linear worldview vs. Relational worldview B. Everyday Social Reality Function C. Cognitive Shaping Function • Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: “the shaper of ideas” • Strong Form vs. Weak Form D. Group Membership Function • Code switching (

Click to view

related video) E. Social Change Function

II. Appreciating Diverse Language Functions: Cultural Worldview Function

Linear Worldview

Rational thinking Objective reasoning Facts and evidence Polarized interpretation Analytical dissecting mode Tangible outcome

Relational Worldview

Connected thinking Context-based reasoning Context and relationship Continuum interpretation Holistic big-picture mode Long-term relational outcome

II. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework

LCC Patterns

Individualistic values Linear logic Direct verbal style Matter of fact tone Informal verbal style

HCC Patterns

Collectivistic values Spiral logic Indirect verbal style Understated or animated tone Formal verbal style Verbal assertiveness or talkativeness Verbal self-enhancement style Verbal reticence or silence Self-humbling style

II. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework • • LCC – HCC Application Analysis:

The Joy Luck Club: Film Clip

Roommates

Video

• • •

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Compare and contrast the different verbal styles of the people in the videos.

What did the low-context communicator say/do? What did the high-context communicator say/do?

What recommendations do you have for these communicators to make this conversation go better?

II. Verbal Communication Styles: A General Framework Beliefs Expressed in Talk and Silence • Silence is interpreted and evaluated differently across cultures and between persons.

• How do you interpret silence?

Take a look

at how the Japanese people use silence to mean different things…

IV. Intercultural Reality Check: Do-Ables

When using your native language with a nonnative speaker, to be flexible verbal communicators, try to practice the following guidelines: – Practice intercultural empathy – Learn to paraphrase and perception check – Use multiple modes of presentation – Practice language variation usage – Pay attention to nonverbal tone of voice – Understand basic differences of LCC and HCC patterns – Use nonverbal gestures to complement – Master the language pragmatic rule function

Parting Thoughts…

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

~ Nelson Mandela

Learn a new language and get a new soul.

~ Czech Proverb