Verbal Communication
...n exciting conversation among friends. Thus, some white Americans may react with greater alarm to a loud discussion than would members of some American ethnic or non-white racial groups. In the example, although not between one (in this case, American) culture or nationality and another, one is still able to see a difference in communication styles. Here, the white American considers raised voices as a sign indicating that a fight has begun because his tendency is to come to conclusions that are derived from what he is hearing and what is literally occurringˇXa rise in voice levelsˇXbecause the person is part of a low-context culture that, as said by the School Health Culture Zone website, uses ˇ§language to convey a precise message,ˇ¨ and that additionally, that for them ˇ§words are the messageˇ¨ (ˇ§Intercultural Communication & Cultural Competenceˇ¨ 1). For the other ethnic groups that the example talks about, because those people have a cultural heritage background that is rooted in high context communicationˇXone that values language as a means to sustain society by deriving meaning through contextˇXit is not really an issue. For them, based on their contextual interpretation, they do not see the rise in voice volume as an indicator that a fight has begun. Also, consider DuPraw and Axnerˇ¦s words about different attitudes toward disclosure: In some cultures, it is not appropriate to be frank about emotions, about the reasons behind a conflict or a misunderstanding, or about personal information. Keep this in mind when you are in a dialogue or when you are working with others. When you are dealing with a conflict, be mindful that people may differ in what they feel comfortable revealing. Questions that may seem natural to youˇXWhat was the conflict about? What was your role in the conflict? What was the sequence of events? ˇXMay seem intrusive to others. The variation among cultures in attitudes toward disclosure is also something to consider before you conclude that you have an accurate reading of the view, experiences, and goals of the people with whom you are working. Here, they touch on the idea that different cultures, depending on whether they are functioning in a low- or high-context system, will also accordingly have lower or higher levels of disclosure. The importance in understanding this context lies in the ability of a person to be better able to work with other cultures and to promote the creation of partnerships/friendships that are based on mutual respect. With oneˇ¦s knowledge of such a factor as this that can possibly hinder communication, one is able to help neutralize the possible barrier that may arise. Next, let one consider the idea of elaborateness or succinctness of a cultureˇ¦s language. These two terms speak of two other aspects of communication that differ among cultures. For elaborateness, the example Adler and Towne uses is of the Arabian who commonly uses language ˇ§that is such more rich and expressive than most communicators who use Englishˇ¨ (Looking Out/Looking In: Ninth Edition 222). Additionally, that ˇ§strong assertions and exaggerations that would sound ridiculous in English are a common feature [ˇK]ˇ¨(Looking Out/Looking In: Ninth Edition 222). Contrarily, the term used to identify those cultures, like Native Americans, who value silence, is ˇ§succinct.ˇ¨ For these people, in cases like ambiguous social situations where the Americanˇ¦s choice is find something to talk about, the solution for them is to remain quiet. Consequently, it is easy to see that with this added possibility in difference in communication styles, how easy it could be to miscommunicate. Because of that, one, as the people at School Health Culture Zone suggest, should have ˇ§some basic knowledge of the various cultural values and assumptions of those we are attempting to communicate withˇ¨ (ˇ§Intercultural Communication & Cultural Competenceˇ¨ 2-3). Additionally, to have a ˇ§consideration of cultural factors, including the role that culture plays in the practices and beliefs of our new pupils [ˇK]ˇ¨ (ˇ§Intercultural Communication & Cultural Competenceˇ¨ 3). The reason for this is so that cultural competence can allow for the understanding of similarities and differences that can lessen miscommunication and misunderstanding and have it instead lead to cultural insight. Lastly, consider the business of the idea of formality and informality. Consider what Adler and Towne say about this third aspect of differences in styles of communication: The informal approach that characterizes relationships in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia and the Scandinavian countries is quite different from the great concern for using proper speech in many parts of Asia and Africa. Formality isnˇ¦t so much a matter of using correct grammar as of defining social position. In Korea, for example, the language reflects the Confucian system of relational hierarchies. It has special vocabularies for different sexes, for different levels of social status, for different degrees of intimacy, and for different types of social occasions. For example, there are different degrees of formality for speaking with old friends, nonacquaintances whose background one knows, and complete strangers. One sign of being a learned person in Korea is the ability to use language that recognizes these relational distinctions. When you contrast these sorts of distinctions with the casual friendliness many North Americans use even when talking with complete strangers, itˇ¦s easy to see how a Korean might view communicators in the United States as boorish, and how an American might see Koreans as stiff and unfriendly. (Looking Out/Looking In: Ninth Edition 223) Here, the author...