3 The ways of speaking and listening in different cultures

Think about how many times you have had problems understanding someone from a different culture or even a different sub-culture. Now think about how many times someone from a different cultural background may have had problems understanding you. For many of us, cross-cultural encounters are an increasingly important part of our everyday lives. Cross-cultural encounters are very interesting in terms of listening, since much of the misunderstanding between people can be traced to problems in listening. Moreover, as listeners we are in the position to show empathy and sensitivity to cultural differences.

If we approach inter-cultural communication in the same way that we approach intra-cultural (within the same culture) communication, we are likely to experience problems of understanding. Cross-cultural encounters often require us to adjust the ways we approach fundamental aspects of communication, aspects which we may consider normal. Compared with conversations among people of the same cultural background, the most frequent ways that communication is adjusted in cross-cultural conversations are:

1. Vocabulary selection

Colloquial language and figures of speech often confuse the NNS. Expressions can be restated in more universal terms (for example, “The plan was really screwed up” might be restated as “The plan failed completely.”). Poetic language, such as the use of metaphors and literary examples, can be often omitted.

2. Grammar simplification

Long speaking turns typically contain complex grammar. Short speaking turns are often used instead.

3. Discourse pattern selection

Conversation patterns which are universal, particularly question-answer, may be used more frequently than topic-comment patterns.

4. Communication style controlled

Informal communication styles may confuse non-native speakers. Use of formality may be more frequent.

5. Rituals and expectations adjusted

Since a lack of knowledge of particular rituals (such as talking about past weekend activities on Monday morning with your colleagues) may lead to confusion, sensitivity to culture-specific rituals and expectations is developed.

6. Repair and clarification carried out

Since communication problems are likely in cross-cultural interactions, the participants must be ready and able to carry out repairs of misunderstandings.

4. The importance of eye contact in different cultures

Eye contact may communicate very different things to people of various cultures. What will you be "saying" by your nonverbal communication when you make eye contact in different cultures?

• Certainly, there are many non-verbal cues that have completely different meanings in different cultures. One of the most important means of nonverbal communication in any culture is eye contact—or lack thereof. Eye contact—which simply denotes one person looking directly at another person’s eyes—seems to have strong implications in almost every culture, although what these implications are vary extensively across the globe!

• Eye Contact in the United States

What does eye contact mean in the United States? Here, if you have good eye contact with a person, it generally signifies that you are interested in the person you are looking at and in what that person is saying. If you look down or away from a person rather than meeting his or her gaze, you are considered to be distracted or uninterested in him or her. Also, if you neglect to make eye contact with a person, you may be thought to lack self-confidence.

On the other hand, a person who makes eye contact with another person is thought to be confident and bold (and boldness is considered a good trait!) So, in summary, making eye contact is generally considered a good thing in the United States.

• Eye Contact in Western Europe

On the one hand, the European customs of eye contact—especially in such countries as Spain, France and Germany—tends to be similar to that in the United States. It is considered proper and polite to maintain almost constant eye contact with another person during a business exchange or a conversation.

Yet eye contact also has more flirtatious aspects than it does in the U.S. In the U.S., people often avoid eye contact in crowded impersonal public situations—such as while walking through a busy downtown or riding public transportation. In a country like France, however, a stranger may feel quite free to look at someone he is interested in and try to acknowledge his interest by making eye contact. Therefore, it is important for a visitor to understand the full implications of what he or she may be implying by returning the eye contact initiated by someone else.

• Eye Contact in the Middle East

Although all Middle Eastern cultures cannot be grouped into one class, they do have similarities in their rules for the appropriateness of eye culture. Eye contact is much less common and considered less appropriate in many of these cultures than it is considered in the United States.

Middle Eastern cultures, largely Muslim, have strict rules regarding eye contact between the sexes; these rules are connected to religious laws about appropriateness. Only a brief moment of eye contact would be permitted between a man and a woman, if at all.

However, western women traveling in Muslim areas should not expect that no man will attempt to make eye contact with them. As a matter of fact, their “differentness” may draw attention to them, and men may try to make eye contact with them. They should be aware, however, that returning eye contact will be considered the same as saying, “Yes, I’m interested!” So when in the Middle East, care should be taken in making eye contact with anyone of the opposite gender.

On the other hand, in many Middle Eastern cultures, intense eye contact between those of the same gender—especially between men—can mean “I am telling you the truth! I am genuine in what I say!” Try to observe the eye contact between those of the same gender to see if it is important to meet someone’s gaze when you want to tell them, “Trust me! I’m sincere!”

• Eye Contact in Asia, Latin America and Africa

In many Asian, African and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact can be taken as an affront or a challenge of authority. It is often considered more polite to have only sporadic or brief eye contact, especially between people of different social registers (like a student and a teacher, or a child and his elder relatives). For example, if a Japanese woman avoids looking someone in the eyes, she is not showing a lack of interest nor is she demonstrating a lack of self-confidence; instead, she is being polite, respectful and appropriate according to her culture. So in many of these cultures, you should take care what kind of eye contact you initiate with those who are your social superiors or who are in authority over you, so that you are not considered disrespectful or overly bold.

As you can see, it is vital to know what eye contact communicates before you visit a new culture. Before you travel, you would do well to go to your local public library or bookstore and check out or browse a book about the culture of the country you plan to visit. Learn how to utilize eye contact and other body language wisely so that you are perceived as polite, and so that you can better connect with people in a culture that is foreign to you!

5. Basic principles of communicating across cultural barriers

What Are Cultural Barriers?

All countries and world regions have different cultural norms that dictate things such as emotional or behavioral constraints. Language and religion are also an aspect of culture that may create barriers between two people. It is important to research the culture of the area you may be traveling to in order to breakdown these barriers and make communication as easy as possible.

Language

o Language is one of the most obvious cultural barriers. Differences in language can render two human beings completely incapable of talking to one another. Traveling or conducting business in a country that speaks a different language can leave one feeling lost and completely out of touch with the surrounding people and situations. While the language barrier is obvious, it is easily overcome. Many times those conducting business in other country will either have undergone training in classes, or will be traveling with a translator. Those not traveling on business are sure to pick up key phrases of the language that will enable them to complete every day tasks while gaining a better understanding of the language as a whole.

Religion

o Religion is equally as obvious a cultural barrier as is language, but much more difficult to overcome. A Christian traveling in a Muslim country, or vice versa, many not understand the traditions of the local people and may become offended or confused. It is very difficult for the average person to drop some of the perceived notions of other religions and their own as they may be strong believers who were raised on a completely different value system then the people of the religion in the country they have traveled to. The problems of religious cultural barriers can be seen in today's complicated world of international relations and international politics.

Behavioral

o According to Colorado University, behavior barriers are associated with verbal and nonverbal communication. These types of barriers become most obvious in common first time meetings and the like with people from a different country. Behavior barrier include things such as looking someone in the eye when first meeting them. In certain cultures, looking someone directly in the eye when being introduced is looked upon as disrespectful and this many cause problems with an American, who was always taught to look someone in the eye. Also, the issue of handshakes and the the like may become a behavioral barrier, as some cultures kiss, some hug and some simply refrain from touching one another.

Emotional

o Emotional barriers are much like behavior barriers, in the sense that they deal with verbal and nonverbal cues. The display of emotion is something that is heavily related to cultural norms. An American who most probably not openly cry at the announcement of success or good news at business meeting, while some from another country and culture may. These types of differences can cause confusion and set up opportunities for misunderstanding. It is important to research the cultural norms of displaying emotion in the country you may be traveling to in order to avoid embarrassing situations that may lead to you looking ignorant or uneducated

Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Communication

★ While communicating with an individual or a group, use a language they are familiar with.

★ Have respect for people from other cultures and their values and beliefs.

★ While communicating, do not include terms or references which are exclusively related to a specific culture.

★ A knowledge of different cultures and traditions helps you get along with people from other cultures.

★ With regards to corporate communication, the management can arrange for cross-cultural training sessions, which contribute to clear communication in people from different cultures.

★ Be it a hobby class or workplace training, make sure the training material has an easy-to-understand language for any group of individuals.

★ Having the working knowledge of an additional language is also an effective way to reduce the impact of cultural barriers in communication.

★ Treat people from other cultures with respect; doing so will enable healthy communication between you.

The whole idea of communication is based on transfer of information from a sender to a receiver and communication is said to be complete only when the recipient understands what the sender had to say. Thus, it's obvious that communication cannot take place in the presence of any kind of barriers that hinder healthy interaction between the communicators. Cultural barriers hamper effective communication at both personal and professional levels. Removing these barriers would certainly encourage healthy and effective communication.

1. Research your counterpart’s background and experience. With a little homework, you should be able to learn who your negotiating partner will be and find out some details about her background and experience. If your counterpart has a great deal of international negotiating experience, you can probably assume that cultural stereotyping (and any effort to modify your negotiating strategy accordingly) is likely to create new communication difficulties rather than solve old ones. If you have trouble getting information about your negotiating partner, ask an intermediary with contacts at that firm or organization to make inquiries for you. (Be sure the intermediary understands that he is not authorized to make any commitments on your behalf.)

2. Enlist an adviser from your counterpart’s culture. If you discover that the person with whom you are likely to be negotiating has little or no international or cross-cultural experience, consider enlisting someone from his culture to serve as your “second” during the negotiation. Rather than deferring to this adviser during talks, plan out signals in advance to indicate when you should take a break for additional advice. In this manner, your cultural “guide” can help you size up the situation, coach you as needed, and even interject if he feels you have made an egregious error or misinterpretation.

3. Pay close attention to unfolding negotiation dynamics. Listen carefully during talks. If you’re unsatisfied with the answers you receive, reframe your questions and try again. If you’re unsure about what the other side said, repeat what you think you heard. It’s safe to assume that people living and working in different cultural settings often view or interpret the same events differently. But in our era of globalization, it’s also true that we have more in common on the person-to-person level than you might expect. Don’t ignore your intuition, and mind your manners.

Most business professionals recognize when they need technical or legal expertise to proceed with a deal-making interaction. Similarly, cross-cultural negotiators should realize that they might well need help sizing up the situation in advance, as well as interpreting the signals and norms that could make or break a negotiation in a crosscultural context.