CHAPTER 3
LOCAL AND GLOBAL
Communication IN
MULTICULTURAL
SETTINGS
OBJECTIVES
- Demonstrate awareness of the reality of cultural diversity
- Demonstrate understanding of how cultural diversity affects
communication
- Appreciate the benefits and challenges of cross – cultural
communication
Page 1
DISCUSSION
Culture is manifested in our actions and affects how we tell the world who we are and what
we believe in. It is also the basis for how we behave in a certain communication context.
PRINCIPLE OF COOPERATIVE CONVERSATION
Local and global communications are kept constant in a multicultural setting. It requires
the need to foster cooperative conversation for a successful communication.
o Grice’s Four Maxims in Conversation
1. Maxim of relation. Every interlocutor should be relevant in conversation.
They need to be relevant in communicating, requiring them to respond
based on cultural and contextual requirements.
2. Maxim of quantity. Grice underscores that every interlocutor should
observe a “fair-share-talk of time.” Everyone should be given the
opportunity to talk.
3. Maxim of quality. Every interlocutor should maintain what is true in a
given conversation. Do not add nor deduce information. Always maintain a
very good reputation whenever you talk. Manifest honesty in words in order
to talk with quantity.
4. Maxim of manner. In the local culture, the manner of saying a word is
more regarded than its content. How a person negotiates meaning is very
important in conversation. Clarity of speech should be observed so that you
will not be misinterpreted.
MODES OF COMMUNICATION
Words are primary in communication, but gestures would even make a meaningful
communication.
Words, Greetings, and Expressions Used in Intercultural Communication
WORDS FILIPINO/ SPANISH KOREAN MANDARIN/
TAGALOG CHINESE
Page 2
goodbye paalam adiós annyeong záijian
thank you salamat gracias gomawo/ xié xié ni
kamsahamnida
I love you mahal kita te amo saranghaeyo wǒ ái nĭ
you’re walang anuman de nada chonmaneyo búkéqí
welcome
take care ingat cuidate jalkaseyo băozhòng
BODY LANGUAGE USED IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Body language is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible body
language communicates particular messages, either in place of, or in conjunction with
speech.
In a multicultural context of communication, you should be culturally sensitive to
the differences of this body language. Effective communication, therefore, would require
the communicator appropriate knowledge of the cultural use of body language in a
multicultural setting.
Shaking hands. In the Philippines and in America, the cultural
gesture of shaking hands upon greeting is considered the norm when doing a
person-to-person introduction. In fact, to refuse a handshake is considered a very
rude gesture. In Saudi Arabia, you can shake a man’s hand after meeting him but
you cannot shake a woman’s hand at all in greeting.
A-OK sign. The OK hand gesture in America and England is quite
popular and considered a general gesture that denotes an agreement of sentiment.
However, this gesture in Brazil is the equivalent of using your middle finger as a
gesture in America. Likewise, the OK hand gesture is taken as an insult in most
Latin American countries, Austria, and France.
Thumbs-Up. The Thumbs Up gesture can be an equivalent to the
OK gesture and is widely used within America England, and the Philippines. Once
again, in a large amount of cultures around the globe, giving a Thumbs-Up is a
horrible idea. Using this gesture can be denoted as a sexual insult and correlates to
the middle finger meaning in the United States.
Sitting with crossed legs. Sitting with crossed legs is common in
North America and European countries, but it is considered disrespectful in Asia
and the Middle East where a straight and balanced posture prevails as the norm.
Eye contact. When speaking to someone, eye contact is considered
a positive aspect of body language in the Philippines. It is also common in Spain
and the Arabic culture (among people of the same sex). Not looking back when
Page 3
someone is looking at you is considered disrespectful and demonstrates insecurity,
lack of interest, or indicates deception.
Nodding the head. For Filipinos, head nod up and down generally
means agreement, approval, or “yes” while head nod from side to side or head shake
means the reverse. However, Bulgarians and Greeks, for example, are known for
their unusual manner of saying “yes” and “no”: Nodding up and down indicates a
negative response.
Tugging the Earlobes. The Portuguese tug their earlobes to indicate
tasty food, the Spaniards to signify that someone is not paying their drinks, but in
Italy to insinuate sexual innuendos.
Pointing using the lips. In some culture—Filipino, Native
American, Puerto Rican, and many Latin American cultures— people use their lips
to point, instead of a finger. In the West, people often kiss when they meet or when
they say goodbye; in many Asian countries, it is considered too intimate of an action
to be displayed in public.
Broad arm movement. Many cultures use their arms freely, as in
Italy or the US, where they often wave their arms around when talking. However,
Northern Europeans find it hard to tolerate gesturing with the arms, associating it
with insecurity ad over dramatization. In Japan, gesturing with broad arm
movements is considered impolite.
THE ABC’S OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Communication is complex because of the cultural and contextual factors
embedded in it. Although effective communication is difficult to achieve because of
these considerations, good communication is attainable. Lewis (2008) provided the
following ABC’s of intercultural communication.
A- Acknowledge
-Differences in communication style should be acknowledged. Every
person in a group has a particular communication style which gives her/his own
identity in communicating.
B- Bi-level
-Communication does not only uphold speaking and listening but also
require a holistic process that includes verbal and non-verbal channels.
C- Clarify
-If you are doubtful of your understanding about what is being
communicated, ask for clarification. Devote a little extra time to verify
understanding so that you can save time and avoid frustration.
Page 4
CULTURAL COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
These barriers obviously give difficulty in understanding people, whose
language is different, and evidently challenge people who are trying to work
harmoniously with others of a different background.
1. Language barrier. Language is evidently the primary barrier of
communication in second and foreign language contexts.
2. Hostile stereotypes. Stereotypes are generalizations or assumptions people
make about the characteristics of members of a group, based on an image about
what people in that group are like.
3. Behaviour Differences. Differences of behaviour between employees of
different cultures can cause misunderstandings. Every culture has its norm about
what is regarded as appropriate behaviour.
4. Emotional display. What is considered appropriate display of emotion in
one culture may not be appropriate in another culture.
ENHANCING ORAL COMMUNICATION IN A MULTICULTURAL
SETTING
1. Learn foreign phrases
2. Use simple English
3. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly
4. Observe eye messages
5. Encourage accurate feedback
6. Check frequently for comprehension
7. Accept blame
8. Listen without interrupting
9. Smile when appropriate
10. Follow up in writing (letters, proposals and contracts)
DEVELOPING WRITTEN COMMUNICATION TO MULTICULTURAL
AUDIENCES
Your writing style and tone should be appropriate to the culture of the receiver
and context where it was written.
1. Consider local styles. Documents have their standard formats; hence,
writers should know which one is followed or recommended by the receiver of the
document.
2. Observe titles and status. Use last names, titles, and other signs of rank
and status.
Page 5
3. Use short sentences and short paragraphs.
4. Avoid ambiguous expressions. Use action-specific words (e.g. purchase a
computer rather than get a computer).
a) Idioms and figurative clichés. This form of language uses words and
expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.
Examples:
Beat the clock- to do something before the deadline
Go with the flow- to do what people do and accept things as
they are
Bend the law or bend the rules- to cheat a little bit without
breaking the law
Do the dirty work- to do the disagreeable, illegal, dishonest
things
b) Slang. It is a short or highly colloquial (informal) word.
Examples:
gonna- going to
wanna- want to
okay- all right
What you see is what you get- there is nothing hidden
lit- super cool or ‘on fire’
c) Abbreviation. It is a shortened version of a lengthy word or
expression.
Four Different Types of Abbreviations in English
1) Initialism
An initialism is formed from the first letters of a group of
words.
Ex:
FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
USA – United States of America
DOH – Department of Health
UFO – unidentified flying objects
2) Acronym
An acronym is formed from the first letters of a group of
words. It is a type of abbreviation that is pronounced as a
word.
Examples:
NASA – National Aeronautical and Space
Administration
PIN – Personal Identification Card
SIM – Subscriber Identification Module
Page 6
VAT – Value Added Tax
ZIP – Zone Improvement Plan
3) Shortenings
A shortening is an abbreviation in which the beginning or
end of the word has been omitted.
Examples:
Ad – advertisement
App – application
Flu- influenza
Feb. – February
Sat. – Saturday
Etc. – Et cetera
4) Contractions
Contractions are abbreviations in which we omit letters from
the middle of a word. The first letter is a capital letter only if the full word
starts with a capital letter.
Examples:
Dr – Doctor
Govt – Government
St – Saint
Mr – Mister
We use an apostrophe to represent the missing letters:
He’s – He is
They’d – They would
I’ve – I have
d) Jargon. Special words or expressions that are used by a particular
profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.
Examples:
Chief cook and bottle-washer - A person who holds many
responsibilities (businessjargon)
Suspect - A person whom the police think may have
committed a crime. (police jargon)
e) Strive for clarity. To present the message clearly, the writer must avoid
words that have multiple meanings, clarity words that may be confusing,
and replace phrasal verbs with clear single words.
f) Use correct grammar.
g) Cite numbers carefully. Numbers should be written following the metric
system. Spell out numbers one to nine and write the figure number 10 and
above, but spell out the number if it begins a sentence. Avoid using figures
Page 7
to express the date, for example, April 8, 2019 should not be written as
4/8/19 except in North America or 4.8.19 in Europe.
h) Accommodate the reader in organization, tone and style. Organize your
message, observing appropriate tone and style to appeal to your audience.
Page 8