MODULE 6
LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATION IN MULTICULTURAL SETTING
Local Communication is the process of exchanging ideas or thoughts with the
people who are in the same locality. The common language used in local communication
is the mother tongue or any language that is used in a certain locality. An example of
local communication is here in our locality, we communicate and the language used is
our native language which is Cebuano or commonly known as Bisaya. At my Cousin’s
locality which is in Makati, they communicate with their native language which is
tagalog.
Global Communication is the process of exchanging thoughts and ideas with the
people all around the world. This kind of communication build and maintain
relationship between organizations and other societies or organization and
government around the world. The people communicate with the used of the global
language which is English. An example of this is the government-to-government,
communication between two or more governments related to different countries, to
discuss about current affairs and conflicts. Another is people-to-people, refers to
communication between two or more people living in different places just like two best
friends talking to each other, one came from USA while the other is in the Philippines.
Intercultural Communication is the process of sharing of information with people
from other cultures and social groups. Intercultural communication does not only
require the language skills but also a good intercultural communication skills which is
to understand that different cultures have different customs, standards, and social
mores. It is the willingness to accept differences and adapt them.
Communicating across culture is the process of sharing information with people
who don’t have the same culture. People communicating that have different cultural
backgrounds are quite difficult and it pose challenges because each culture has
different set of rules. An example for this is the advanced industrialized nations rely
heavily on electronic technology and emphasize written messages over oral or
face-to-face communication, certainly the United States, Canada, and Germany
exemplify this trend, but the Japanese, who have access to the latest technologies, still
rely more on face-to-face communications than on written messages.
High context cultures, which are the Mediterranean, Slav, Central European, Latin
American, African, Arab, Asian, American-Indian,they are looking for meaning and
understanding in what is not said which is in body language, in silences and pauses, and
in relationships and empathy. The low context cultures, most Germanic and
English-speaking countries, expect messages to be explicit and specific, they give
emphasis on sending and receiving accurate messages directly, and by being precise
with spoken or written words.
Reflection:
The lesson on local and global communication in multicultural setting helped me
realize that we are all different, we have our own thoughts, beliefs, and came from different
nations that makes us have different cultures. But being different is what makes us unique.
We should treat everyone we meet as an individual because even if one person has a same
culture with the other, they still think differently. Let us embrace our differences, learn to
love and respect each other because as the saying goes, “Don't do unto others what you
don't want done unto you.” Let us not make cultural differences as a a hindrance in
communication.
We should accept and respect our difference, and we can’t fully guarantee that
everyone will learn on how to accept cultural differences but if we start to embrace it
within ourselves everything else will follow. Thinking about negative things may result to
another negativity but if we look at the bright side, nothing shall be impossible, even the
word itself says I’m possible.