Intercultural Communication and Intercultural Communication and its Implications for its Implications for

Foreign Language LearningForeign Language Learning

Shau-Ju ChangShau-Ju Chang

National Taiwan Normal UniversityNational Taiwan Normal University

What had happened?What had happened? Instance one: Instance one:

In a role play in the conversation class, a student said to In a role play in the conversation class, a student said to another student who played the role of an American another student who played the role of an American female teacher, “Hi, nice to meet you. You are so young female teacher, “Hi, nice to meet you. You are so young and beautiful.” and beautiful.”

Instance two: Instance two: In the public speaking class, a student at the very In the public speaking class, a student at the very beginning of his speech said, “I’m not an expert on this beginning of his speech said, “I’m not an expert on this topic, so I hope you can forgive me if I make any topic, so I hope you can forgive me if I make any mistakes.”mistakes.”

Instance three: Instance three: Right after a class debate, a student approached her Right after a class debate, a student approached her classmate apologizing, “I’m sorry that I asked you so classmate apologizing, “I’m sorry that I asked you so many questions. Please don’t hate me for that.”many questions. Please don’t hate me for that.”

Culture and Interpersonal Culture and Interpersonal CommunicationCommunication

Culture and selfCulture and self Culture and perception of communicationCulture and perception of communication Culture and verbal communicationCulture and verbal communication Culture and nonverbal communicationCulture and nonverbal communication Culture and social conversationCulture and social conversation Interaction and communication tipsInteraction and communication tips

Culture and SelfCulture and Self

An independent self in American culture An independent self in American culture Individual’s ability, characteristic, attribute, or Individual’s ability, characteristic, attribute, or

goal as referent. goal as referent. Belief in the wholeness and uniqueness of Belief in the wholeness and uniqueness of

each person’s configuration of internal each person’s configuration of internal attributesattributes

Culture and Self (Culture and Self (cont.).)

An interdependent self in Chinese cultureAn interdependent self in Chinese culture Defined by relations with others in specific Defined by relations with others in specific

contexts. contexts. RelationRelation and and otherother being keys to self being keys to self Recognized, defined and completed by othersRecognized, defined and completed by others

Culture and Perception of Culture and Perception of CommunicationCommunication

In American cultureIn American culture Communication situated in individual persons Communication situated in individual persons

Verbally active cultureVerbally active culture A means to assert oneselfA means to assert oneself A means to establish relationshipsA means to establish relationships Communication avoidance or reticence seen as Communication avoidance or reticence seen as

a deficiencya deficiency

Culture and Perception of Communication Culture and Perception of Communication (cont.)(cont.)

In Chinese cultureIn Chinese culture Communication situated in relationshipsCommunication situated in relationships Verbally passive culture Verbally passive culture Action speaks louder than wordsAction speaks louder than words Development of moral character more important Development of moral character more important

than that of verbal eloquencethan that of verbal eloquence Serious consequence of improper verbal behaviorSerious consequence of improper verbal behavior Communication avoidance seen neutrally or even Communication avoidance seen neutrally or even

positivelypositively

Culture and Verbal CommunicationCulture and Verbal Communication

US American CultureUS American Culture Chinese CultureChinese Culture

Instrumental, goal-Instrumental, goal-orientedoriented

Affective-intuitive, Affective-intuitive, relationship-oriented relationship-oriented

Self-face-orientedSelf-face-oriented Mutual-face-orientedMutual-face-oriented

Self-enhancement Self-enhancement Self-effacementSelf-effacement

Low-contextLow-context High-context

UniversalUniversal ParticularisticParticularistic

Speaker-responsibleSpeaker-responsible Listener-responsibleListener-responsible

Elaborated & mildly Elaborated & mildly exaggeratedexaggerated

Succinct & reservedSuccinct & reserved

Culture and Nonverbal CommunicationCulture and Nonverbal Communication

US AmericanUS American

CultureCulture

Chinese Culture Chinese Culture

Gestures Gestures Varies Varies Varies Varies

PosturePosture More relaxedMore relaxed More formalMore formal

Facial expressionsFacial expressions More expressive expressive Less expressiveLess expressive

Eye contactEye contact More intense More intense Less intenseLess intense

Conversational Conversational distance distance

CloserCloser More distantMore distant

Body contactBody contact MoreMore LessLess

Culture and Social ConversationCulture and Social Conversation Conversational style: Bowling—High Conversational style: Bowling—High

consideratenessconsiderateness slower speech, more subdued (pace & excitement)slower speech, more subdued (pace & excitement) using respectful and affirming responses to using respectful and affirming responses to

conversation partners (back-channel cues) conversation partners (back-channel cues) one person speaking at a time (turn-taking)one person speaking at a time (turn-taking) reluctant to interrupt rudely or to impose on others reluctant to interrupt rudely or to impose on others

(number of speakers on the floor) (number of speakers on the floor) one’s turn depending on status, age, and one’s turn depending on status, age, and

relationship to the other person (turn-taking)relationship to the other person (turn-taking)

Culture and Social Conversation Culture and Social Conversation (cont.)(cont.)

Conversational style: Rugby—High Conversational style: Rugby—High involvementinvolvement

faster pace to the interaction faster pace to the interaction loud talking at times & noticeable changes in loud talking at times & noticeable changes in

pitch and volume (excitement) pitch and volume (excitement) expecting interruptions & use of cooperative expecting interruptions & use of cooperative

overlap (number of speakers on the floor) overlap (number of speakers on the floor) abrupt shift of topics (topic switching)abrupt shift of topics (topic switching) avoidance of pauses or silence between turns avoidance of pauses or silence between turns

(latching)(latching)

Culture and Social Conversation Culture and Social Conversation (cont.)(cont.)

Conversational style: Basketball—In between Conversational style: Basketball—In between high involvement and high consideratenesshigh involvement and high considerateness

moderate pace and level of excitement moderate pace and level of excitement one person speaking at a time with limited one person speaking at a time with limited

overlapped speechoverlapped speech floor opens to all interactants, not based on age floor opens to all interactants, not based on age

or statusor status relatively short wait time within and between relatively short wait time within and between

turnsturns

Culture and Social Conversation Culture and Social Conversation (cont.)(cont.)

High consideratenessHigh considerateness High involvement High involvement Bowling Basketball RugbyBowling Basketball Rugby------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New England The South The Midwest California New YorkNew England The South The Midwest California New York------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ England AustraliaEngland Australia------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Japan Northern Europe Eastern Europe South AmericanJapan Northern Europe Eastern Europe South AmericanKorean Korean Italian Italian

GreekGreek Spanish Spanish RussianRussian AfricanAfrican Arab Arab (Scandinavian countries)(Scandinavian countries) Finland Norway SwedenFinland Norway Sweden

Culture and Social Conversation Culture and Social Conversation (cont.)(cont.)

Degree of privacy invasion allowed Degree of privacy invasion allowed

Individualistic cultures collectivistic culturesIndividualistic cultures collectivistic cultures

Choice of conversation topicsChoice of conversation topics

Intercultural Communication TipsIntercultural Communication Tips Think beyond the language level: Think beyond the language level: How self, others, and the connection between How self, others, and the connection between

the two are perceived in each culturethe two are perceived in each culture What communication style is preferred to What communication style is preferred to

express one’s self and its connection with express one’s self and its connection with othersothers

Attend to both verbal and nonverbal Attend to both verbal and nonverbal dimensions of communicationdimensions of communication

Interaction and Communication Tips Interaction and Communication Tips (cont.)(cont.)

Avoid remarks that suggest ethnocentrism, Avoid remarks that suggest ethnocentrism, stereotypes, prejudices and racism.stereotypes, prejudices and racism.

Avoid absolute terms and sweeping remarks; Avoid absolute terms and sweeping remarks; instead, use provisional language and speak instead, use provisional language and speak from your own experience and observations.from your own experience and observations.

Communication is a two-way process which Communication is a two-way process which requires collaboration and a sharing of power requires collaboration and a sharing of power and responsibility. and responsibility.

What had happened?What had happened? Instance one: Instance one:

In a role play in the conversation class, a student said to In a role play in the conversation class, a student said to another student who played the role of an American another student who played the role of an American female teacher, “Hi, nice to meet you. You are so young female teacher, “Hi, nice to meet you. You are so young and beautiful.” and beautiful.”

Instance two: Instance two: In the public speaking class, a student at the very In the public speaking class, a student at the very beginning of his speech said, “I’m not an expert on this beginning of his speech said, “I’m not an expert on this topic, so I hope you can forgive me if I make any topic, so I hope you can forgive me if I make any mistakes.” mistakes.”

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—I heard a lot about you. Apparently you are really popular among students.

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————————Although I’m no expert on this topic, I’ve done some research by reading several books and academic papers on the topic. I’ve also talked to some friends who know a lot about it. And, based on the research I’ve done, I will talk about….

What had happened?What had happened? Instance three: Instance three:

Right after a class debate, a student approached her Right after a class debate, a student approached her classmate apologizing, “I’m sorry that I asked you so classmate apologizing, “I’m sorry that I asked you so many questions. Please don’t hate me for that.”many questions. Please don’t hate me for that.”

A student approached her classmate and said, “You are great; you’ve really done an admirable job!”

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Q & AQ & A