INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Read the text. INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION [1]
Intracultural communication refers to communication between interactants sharing the same cultural background; in intercultural communication interactants come from different cultures. During intracultural communication, interactants implicitly share the same ground rules of communication and interaction. In intercultural communication this is often not the case. One of the unique aspects of intercultural interactions is uncertainty and ambiguity concerning the ground rules by which the interaction will occur, and the meaning of signals. Because of the pervasive influence of culture on all aspects of the communication process, we cannot be sure that the rules by which two people from different cultures operate are similar or that the signals that are exchanged have the same meaning; there is inherent uncertainty in both the verbal and nonverbal behaviors that occur. Intercultural interactants generally engage with each other in a verbal language that is often not a native language for at least one, and sometimes both individuals, thus creating intrinsic uncertainty in the meaning of the words. Cultural differences in the use of all nonverbal channels produce uncertainty in the messages as well. A second characteristic of intercultural communication is the inevitability of conflict and misunderstandings. During intercultural encounters, chances are great that others’ behaviors do not conform to our expectations. When this occurs, we often interpret those behaviors naturally as transgressions against our value system. They produce negative emotions, which are upsetting to our self-concepts. These conflicts are inevitable in intercultural episodes with both people or with other agents of a cultural system (e.g., public transportation, the post office, shops and businesses). They are bound to accentuate differences in process, which inevitably lead to conflict or misunderstanding. Uncertainty contributes to this conflict. People may become impatient with or intolerant of the ambiguity, leading to anger, frustration, or resentment. Even after uncertainty is reduced, conflict is inevitable because of the differences in the meaning of verbal and nonverbal behaviors across cultures, and the associated emotions and values inherent in the cultural system. These produce differences in the interpretation of underlying intent among interactants (something that is no stranger to intracultural communication as well). CULTURE [2]
A culture is shared by a society. Members of the society agree about the meanings of things and about the why. Along with everyone from whom they have learned their culture—older family members, teachers, spiritual leaders, peers, and representatives of legal, political, and educational institutions—they have interpreted life experiences in ways that validate their own culture's views. Therefore, since they have little doubt about that validity, they all share the view that their interpretations are correct. Members of a society probably agree without having to say so that something is necessary and important. Groups are motivated by common views, and these views are a dynamic force in enabling groups to achieve societal goals—protecting economic resources from unscrupulous outsiders, for example. People in a given culture share symbols of that culture. The most obvious set of symbols is language. Much more will be said about the role of language and communication (later in this chapter). Cultures also share visual symbols. Company logos, icons, religious images, and national flags are examples of visual symbols. A story is told of the Sultan of Brunei, one of the world's wealthiest men, who was shopping in a department store in Manhattan. When he made a purchase, he was asked for identification. However, he carried no identification. "I'm the Sultan of Brunei," he stated. The salesperson insisted he needed to show identification. A quick-thinking aide darted forward, put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out a bill in the currency of Brunei. All the money in Brunei has the Sultan's picture on it
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