Unit 5. Cross-cultural communication on the telephone.

TEXT 1.

1. Look briefly at the text below and say:

1. what it is about;

2. what you think the text probably recommends.

2. Now read the text. Define the main idea of each paragraph. Then mark the sentences that follow as “True” (T) or “False” (F)

Paragraph 1 ……………………………………………………

Paragraph 2 ………………………………………………………

Paragraph 3 …………………………………………………….

Paragraph 4 …………………………………………………….

.

Barriers to oral communication.

Oral communication usually presents more problems than written communication. If you’ve ever studied another language, you know it’s easier to write than to conduct a conversation. Even if the other speaks your language, you may have a hard time understanding the pronunciation if the person isn’t proficient. For example, many non-native English speakers can’t distinguish between the English sounds (v) and (w), so they say “wery” for “very”. At the same time many people from the United States cannot pronounce the French® or the German (ch).

Also, people use their voices in different ways, which can lead listeners to misunderstand their intentions. Russian speakers, for instance, speak in flat, level tones in their native tongue. When they speak English, they maintain this pattern, and non-Russian listeners may assume that the speakers are bored or rude. Middle Easterners tend to speak more loudly than Westerners and may therefore mistakenly be considered more emotional. On the other hand, the Japanese are soft-spoken, a characteristic that implies politeness or humility to Western listeners.

Idiomatic expressions are another source of confusion. If a US executive tells an Egyptian executive that a certain product “doesn’t cut the mustard,” chances are communication will fail. For example, suppose you are dining with a German woman who speaks English quite well. You inquire, “More bread?” She says, “Thank you,” so you pass the bread. She looks confused; then she takes the breadbasket and sets it down without taking any. In German ‘thank you’ (danke) can also be used as a polite refusal. If the woman had wanted more bread she would have used the word ‘please’ (“bitter” in German).

When speaking in English to people who speak English as a second language, you may find these guidelines helpful:

1. Try to eliminate noise. Pronounce words clearly, stop at distinct punctuation points, and make one point at a time.

2. Look for feedback. Be alert to signs of confusion in your listener. Realize that nods and smiles don’t necessarily mean understanding.

3. Rephrase your sentences when necessary. If someone doesn’t seem to understand you, choose simpler words; don’t just repeat the sentence in a louder voice.

4. Don’t talk down to the other person, and don’t blame the listener for not

understanding. Use phrases such as “Am I going too fast?” rather than “Is

this too difficult for you?”

5. Use objective, accurate language. Avoid throwing around adjectives such as “fantastic”, and “fabulous” which people from other cultures might consider unreal and too much dramatic.

6. Let other people finish what they have to say. If you interrupt, you may

miss something important. You’ll also show a lack of respect.

Task 1. Mark the sentences that follow as “True” (T) or “False” (F):

1. Speaking is more difficult than writing. ……..

2. Pronunciation doesn’t present special difficulties. ……...

3. English spoken in a flat, level tone sounds uninterested. ……..

4. Middle Easterners are more emotional than Westerners. ….….

5. The Japanese tend to speak softly. ……..

6. It’s good to use a lot of idiomatic and colloquial phrases. ……..

Task 2. Do the translation of the last paragraph into the Russian language.

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READING Text II

Task 1. Look briefly at the text paying attention to the words in italics. They may help you understand the main idea of the text. Say:

a) what the story is about

b) what you think the text probably recommends.

Task 2. Now read the text carefully. Identify the following:

a) something that is important before telephoning

b) advice on checking your understanding

c) advice on how to use your voice

d) examples of ‘explicit’ cultures – what does this mean?

e) examples of ‘subtle’ cultures – what does this mean?

f) a possible problem about the phone that you would not have face-to-face.

TELEPHONING ACROSS CULTURES

Many people are not very confident about using the telephone in English. However, good preparation can make telephoning much easier and more effective. Then, once the call begins, speak slowly and clearly and use simple language. Check that you understand what has been said. Repeat the most important information, look for confirmation. Ask for repetition if you think it is necessary. Remember too that different cultures have different ways of using language. Some speak in a very literal way so it is always quite clear what they mean. Others are more indirect, using hints, suggestions and understatement (for example ‘not very good results’ - ‘absolutely disastrous’) to put over their message. North America, Scandinavia, Germany and France are ‘explicit’ countries, while the British have a reputation for not making clear exactly what they mean. One reason for this seems to be that the British use language in a more abstract way than most Americans and continental Europeans. In Britain there are also conventions of politeness and a tendency to avoid showing one’s true feelings. For example, if a Dutchman says an idea is ‘interesting’ he means that it is interesting. If an Englishman says that an idea is ‘interesting’ you have to deduce from the way he says it whether he means it is a good idea or a bad idea.

Meanwhile, for similar reasons Japanese, Russians and Arabs – ‘subtle’ cultures – sometimes seem unclear and tricky to the British. If they say an idea is interesting it may be out of politeness. .

The opposite of this is that plain (honest) speakers can seem rude and dominating to subtle speakers, as Americans can sound to the British – or the British to the Japanese.

The British have a tendency to engage in small talk at the beginning and end of a telephone conversation. Questions about the weather, health, business in general and what one has been doing recently are all parts of telephoning, laying a foundation for the true purpose of the call. At the end of the call there may well be various pleasantries, ‘Nice talking to you’, ‘Say hello to the family (if you have met them) and ‘Looking forward to seeing you again soon’. A sharp, brief style of talking on the phone may appear unfriendly to a British partner. Not all nationalities are as keen on small talk as the British.

Being aware of these differences can help in understanding people with different cultural traditions. The difficulty on the telephone is that you cannot see the body language to help you.

From ‘Faxes, phones and foreigners’ by permission of British Telecommunications plc

WRITING

The editor of your company’s in-house magazine has asked you to write an

article about problems and difficulties in telephoning across cultures. Include

information given in the stories above outlining your recommendations for

the staff how to avoid mistakes in cross –cultural communication.

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TELEPHONING IN BUSINESS

HANDLING COMPLAINS.

1. Read the article and complete the information about how to deal with customers on the phone. Use the words below to help you.

	hang up		discount		answer		lose your temper
agree on a solution				exchange		deal with		call back
		put through			interrupt