Английский язык межкультурная коммуникация. Учебное пособие

are more fluent than others in a language that is widely used, those who are less fluent may feel sidelined.

Ethnocentrism: This refers to the tendency to view one's culture as superior to those of others. This makes people believe that they are right while others are wrong.

Stereotypes: Stereotypes are the oversimplified perceptions of a certain culture. Most of these perceptions are held unconsciously. Although some of them may be positive, most of them are negative.

Prejudice: Prejudice is expressed as negative feelings and attitudes towards people who belong to a certain group. This can be based on aspects such as social class, ethnicity, social class, and profession.

Psychological barriers: the psychological barrier of communication is the influence of psychological state of the communicators (sender and receiver) which creates an obstacle for effective communication. When people are suffering from mental disturbances, their communication is highly affected by the mental state that they are in. Therefore, people who engage in communication need to be emotionally stable in order to be able to communicate effectively. The communication will face problems and becomes ineffective. Examples: 1) A person in tragedy, for instance, does not want to listen to other people giving advice.2) A person might be preoccupied by the problems of his/her professional life or personal life, which affects both.

Understanding how to handle these issues is critical to ensure that they do not get in the way of effective communication.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions to the text:

1.What is Culture?

2.What are examples of cultural differences in communication?

3.What are examples of how culture affects communication?

4.What cultural barriers in communication do you know?

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Exercise 3. Match the phrases in column B with their Russian equivalents in column A.

Exercise 4. Find English equivalents to the following phrases:

-межличностное общение;

-культурная коммуникация;

-различное культурное происхождение;

-люди из разных социальных групп;

-представители разных культур;

-поддерживать контакты;

-культурные барьеры;

-упрощенное восприятие;

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-решать проблемы;

-убеждения, поведение, нормы, ценности;

-понимать и ценить культуру других людей;

-невербальные сигналы.

Exercise 5. Match the terms with their definitions:

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps in the text with the words below:

Cross-cultural communication skills

Cross-cultural communication skills are the ability to communicate effectively with people from different__________. This includes understanding the cultural norms and values of both sides, as well as being aware of any _________barriers. Good cross-cultural communication skills can help to build trust, resolve conflicts, and

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foster understanding. Here are a few tips for developing strong crosscultural communication skills:

1.Be aware of your own cultural biases and assumptions.

2.Try to learn about the other culture, including their language, customs, and values.

3.Listen more than you speak and be _________ when communicating.

4.Avoid making assumptions or ________ about the other

culture.

5.Respect the differences between cultures and avoid imposing your values on others.

With a little practice, you can develop strong cross-cultural communication skills that will help you effectively communicate with people from all over the world.

Ways to overcome barriers

Cross-cultural communication is a _________ for many businesses. With employees from all over the world, it can be difficult to ensure that everyone is on the same page. However, there are a few key cross-cultural communication ________ that can help to overcome these barriers.

First, a common language must be established. This can be done by using clear and concise vocabulary, avoiding jargon, and providing translation services when necessary.

Second, it is important to be aware of cultural differences and respectful of different values and beliefs.

Finally, building relationships based on trust and mutual respect are important.

By following these cross-cultural communication strategies, businesses can ensure that employees from all backgrounds feel valued and heard.

TEXT B

Exercise 7. Reading passage has eight sections A-G. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

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List of Headings

1.Time Orientation

2.Cultural Etiquette Considerations

3.Context

4.Courtesy

5.Word Choice

6.Direct vs. Indirect Communication Style

7.Feedback

As the world becomes smaller and international busi ness and political agendas continue to grow in importance, it will become increasingly valuable to understand different cultures' communication styles. Communication is both verbal and non-verbal. While some cultures depend almost entirely on the spoken word to communicate, others like in Thailand rely heavily on non-verbal cues. Understanding a culture's expectations and customs related to eye contact, direct or indirect communication style and time orientation is crucial for establishing beneficial relationships.

A

Cultures that value getting to the point quickly without mincing words are direct communicators. In this type of interaction, the truth is highly valued with a concern for people's feelings taking a backseat to the conveyance of information. While indirect communicators value the idea of saving face and maintaining harmony, direct communicators are not afraid to use criticism and confrontational language. African Americans, Northern Europeans and European Americans are direct communicators. Indirect communicators rely on implication and suggestion to explain ideas, with an emphasis placed on saving face. In stark contrast to direct communicators, silence in a conversation is common and appreciated. Cultures that embrace indirect communication believe that interrupting another speaker

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should be avoided. Native Americans and Asian cultures consider a direct communication style inappropriate and even rude.

B

Factoring in personal space expectations between cultures enhances communication in any social or business setting. While Northern Europeans and European Americans feel most comfortable at an arm's length away in a social interaction, Hispanics would consider that distance unfriendly. Knowing what is expected is helpful. Eye contact and touch etiquette also vary dramatically in different cultures. Asian cultures do not believe in touching in public settings, and they don't favor direct eye contact. Like the Asian culture, Hispanics also view direct eye contact as a lack of respect. One significant difference between these two cultures is the way touching in public is perceived. Hispanics are a "high touch" society. Before meeting with a different culture, it is best to learn about these etiquette considerations.

C

A culture's perspective about time can make a big difference in how its people relate to other cultures. While most Europeans and European Americans seem to hold to the notion that time is of the essence, African Americans, Asians and Native Americans view time as a more fluid element with no control over them. This type of cultural difference can make planning an event quite a challenge if there are different cultures coming together.

D

Word choice is not everything in effective speech, but it is crucially important. Words that are not part of a shared vocabulary between speaker and listener will either not be understood at all or

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taken to mean something that they don’t. Know who you are speaking to and adjust your language accordingly. If you yourself do not know the right word for something, look it up. You don’t want to speak to home improvement buffs about “parts” and “things” on the house. You want to call an alcove an alcove, a dormer a dormer and a joist a joist. Speak directly to your audience, neither above nor below the audience. Effective verbal communication is that which translates accurately through appropriate word choice and intelligible grammar.

E

Disconnections between speakers and listeners are caused by various distortions along the communication pathway. These distortions are not merely words, though some words are confusing, but time and place, surrounding conditions, preexisting relations, differences in belief systems, expectations and sensitivities. Moreover, spoken communications involve inflections understood through nonverbal cues, like body language and eye contact. Saying “no” to a child engaged in a hazardous act with a big smile will not be as effective as saying “no” with a serious frown.

F

There are those who believe that being right about something is enough reason for others to pay attention to them. While that may satisfy some abstract principle, with actual people it seldom works. People pay more attention to other people who are polite and respectful; and people tune out others who are abrasive or rude. Effective speakers treat their listeners as equals, worthy of common courtesy, and take the attitude that the attention of others is a privilege, not an entitlement.

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G

Effective speech is not the same as pushing the button on a recorder and allowing the recording to play. Communication is give- and-take. An effective oral communicator will constantly attend to the reactions of his listeners. The body language and facial expressions of listeners is communicating with the speaker in ways that let the speaker know if the message is getting through. When possible, simply stop talking and check in by asking listeners if they understand or if they could tell you what they think you just said. Active observation and active listening are key aspects of effective verbal communication.

Exercise 8. You are going to read an article about barriers to effective communication. Choose from the list A- H the sentence which fits each gap 1-7. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

A.Physical barriers can be a serious impediment to communication and understanding.

B.Another challenging barrier to effective communication is the existence of emotional barriers.

C.Gender barriers of communication are the result of the different ways in which the various genders communicate with one another and are expected to communicate.

D.An additional barrier that is often an issue in the workplace is the cultural barrier.

E.Barriers of perspective are another impediment to effective communication.

F.A language barrier, in the most basic and simplistic use of the term, is the lack of a common language that prevents two or more people from speaking to or understanding each other through verbal communication.

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G.Laughing together is a way that people bond and connect, but humor from another culture can be easily misunderstood.

H.A lack of attention in communication can cause significant setbacks and even conflicts.

Other barriers to effective communication

1

Language barriers are significant because they are often an impediment to progress. Language barriers can sometimes cause misunderstandings that lead to conflict, frustration, offense and hurt feelings. For the majority of people who are participating in a conversation with someone who does not share the same language, the biggest issue they face is that the person may misunderstand them and that misunderstanding could possibly result in hurt feelings or serious offense. In some cases, misunderstandings can lead to violence.

2

Physical barriers can come in the form of actual walls or simply the way a person is forced to approach another person in order to speak with him. Difficult terrain, high levels of security or inaccessible locations are all examples of physical barriers that can prevent effective communication. Physical barriers can also create a psychological barrier, wherein the person seeking to communicate finds the physical barriers so taxing that he begins to feel less comfortable that his communication will be received with the intention that is delivered. These physical barriers can often include people with disabilities, who may not be able to actively communicate with someone else in a conversation.

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3

The perspectives, biases or preconceived notions with which an individual enters a situation can prevent her from communicating effectively and honestly with someone else. If a person comes to a conversation or an interaction with a prejudice, either about the person with whom she is hoping to communicate, the work that she is trying to do or even the idea she is planning to discuss, these perceptions can create preconceived notions that act as barriers and that make it difficult for new ideas to take shape and may make communication between the two parties impossible.

4

Emotional barriers are barriers that an individual has in place because he is making an effort not to suffer or feel any pain. This is an understandable predilection, but the fact is that emotional barriers need to be dismantled if the individual has any hope of becoming the kind of person who can communicate effectively and be open to new experiences.

5

As our digital world increasingly means that our business affairs are conducted around the globe with people from all cultures and walks of life, it is critical to understand certain cultural values, taboos and customs. Failing to acknowledge a cultural barrier may prevent you from being able to move forward with a colleague from a different culture.

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