Intercultural Communication

Part 1

1. Do you believe that most people are prepared to engage in intercultural communication? Explain.

I believe that many people are so prepared to engage in intercultural communication. The ever-changing dynamics of the world happenings are creating a lot of need for this aspect. Such dynamics include globalization through the use of technology, the growing easiness of traveling and migration due to changes in the world's needs. In addition, those migrating people will have to adopt the culture of the host, and in the end, some cultural practices will exchange.

2. How often do you find yourself in situations where an increased facility in intercultural communication would be useful? What are some of these occasions?

Globalization has often found itself in intercultural communication in which, with its increase, it has enabled people to shares different ideologies while online. With the advancement in technology, I have been able to know the culture of a place before even traveling to such places. Availability of traveling objects such as planes and trains has enabled people to reach far places. One can interact with the outside world physically and shares and experience a different culture.

3. How can knowledge of the basic principles of communication be useful in daily life?

Communication principles such as feedback, clarity of the information, consistency and attention make communication flow smoothly from the sender to the receiver. Through these principles, inaccurate information is passed on without any distortion or change of meaning.

 

4. How do the authors define culture? Can you think of other definitions of culture that might help you to understand intercultural communication better?

Sir Edward Burnett Taylor defines Culture as complex beliefs, ideas, art, morals, custom and law. Ruth Benedict views Culture is what binds people together. Clifford Geertz defines it as a historically transmitted pattern expressed in symbolic form.

While these definitions exist, Culture can be defined as a common belief or view of life within a common set of people living within certain geographical areas.

5. What is the purpose of culture?

Culture is a dynamic aspect that provides the framework to give meaning to events, people and objects. Through such a framework, issues of the uncertainty of the surrounding are reduced. Culture also gives people identity and a sense of self to be certain of their origins, such as religion and ethnicity.

6. What do the authors mean by the statement, “culture is learned”?

Culture is learned through a gradual process in which one grows doing what the person has found others doing. For example, if one is taught eating while walking is bad, they may stick to that, and any deviation will prompt him to his original Culture in such that he will feel uncomfortable even though others will be doing it.

7. What are some instances in your life that demonstrate how culture is learned?

Waking up early in the morning is a culture instilled in me since childhood. Regardless of the magnitude of the day's activities am usually awake very early with or without any planned chores of the day.

8. What are cultural values? How do they relate to individual values?

Cultural value can be defined as a special aspect of life that we hold into our life, such as ethics and morals, which can be used to differentiate between the bad and the wrong.

One significant importance of cultural value to an individual is that it gives one a direction of setting a unique cultural value though shared by different people. For example, one can choose to live a very straight moral life while another may choose a moderate.

9. Distinguish several ways in which verbal behavior might differ between cultures.

In verbal communication, words may deviate in meaning and lead to conflict when not well used. The same word in different countries may mean direct opposite or may sound insults though unintentionally. For example, parallel means an agreement in the USA, unlike Japan, which means disagreement.

10. What role does context play in communication? How does context affect intercultural communication?

Context play determines the correct communication behavior within a certain setup, both verbally and non-verbally. This is applied in both social and physical contexts.

It determines how people communicate, either high or low tone. For example, low tone interaction in Germany's hotels and restaurants compared to high tone in Spain hotel set up.

11. Think of five different situations where an understanding of culture and communication behaviors would be beneficial.

In burial ceremonies, understanding communication and Culture will be beneficial since some cultures prefer calmness while others prefer a celebration kind of setup. Some prefer few people while others fewer people. Concerning worshipping, some cultures tend to be loud while others are calm. This will enable one to choose their convenient place of worship. Some cultures concerning leadership vary whereby certain regions you take keen on what you say about a leader while others freely express their views about a leader.

In English-speaking countries, some words vary with the magnitude of meaning. For example, most of the slang used in the USA sounds so offending in Africa English-speaking countries. In some cultures, especially in Africa, children have been treated with a hardened culture of life, something different from western countries. Soft languages are rarely used.

 

Part 2

Although I am Chinese, I have learned in many schools that use the English language to teach. This implies that the Chinese language is my first language, while English is a second language. I have interacted with students from different cultural backgrounds, including language and beliefs. Often, I am never judgmental of other cultures. I always appreciate people's differences in terms of culture, such as beliefs, language, and norms. Understanding each other and learning new things is possible with interactions from diverse cultures.

In the workplace, I have also met people belonging to different races, languages, and genders. Open-mindedness and curiosity to interact with other cultures have promoted my perception and relationship with them. I have made many friends of different races, and I always believe that a common language is vital in sharing attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Regardless of one’s cultural background, social cohesion and harmony are more fundamental in achieving personal growth in skills in the workplace.

However, I need to understand more about avoiding biased stereotypes on particular cultures. Sometimes, some stereotypes are widely used and may not be seen as having detrimental effects on members of that community. For instance, as a Chinese employee, some African cultures joke that "Chinese eyes are very small." While this may not be seen as a negative stereotype, it can hurt an individual whose perceptions are dominated by doubt, feelings of inferiority, and anxiety. My interaction with different cultures has taught me that emotional intelligence is fundamental in successful communication and relationships. Understanding an individual's emotional responses to some stereotypes helps understand the language, tone, and words to use in different social contexts.

My interpersonal communication has entirely depended on both the Chinese and English languages. The English language has been an additional advantage as it allows me to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds. While English is currently used in many countries worldwide, I have seen its benefit in my professional, family, and social life. Having intentions to further my studies from a college outside the country, I believe that English will earn me a significant platform for socializing freely and fluently. Although I am not fluent in the language, I can work with people with Chinese and English competencies.

In my entire life, I have lived to believe that non-verbal language can be useful to break verbal communication barriers. Some non-verbal cues and symbols are universal and can be understood by anyone despite their cultural backgrounds. For instance, when an employer points at something, it may call an employee to either look at it or pick it up. However, the settings of formality are more authoritative and strict than family and friend contexts. I always believe that non-verbal communication is essential as I find myself using it regardless of the social setting or context.

Additionally, I love speaking with people, sharing ideas and stories. I do not fear to start conversations with other cultures, especially in situations where conversations are inevitable. I realized that digging into an individual’s personal life mostly hurts, and should not be a common practice when interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.