1887
Volume 19, Issue 1
  • ISSN 0155-0640
  • E-ISSN: 1833-7139
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

This paper examines the spoken discourse of immigrant professionals problem solving in small groups in order to see how different cultural values both influence, and are reflected in, the way a problem is defined and solutions proposed. It also provides evidence that these values are one of the factors that contribute to miscommunication in this type of communication. Three types of miscommunication are identified: misinterpretation of the message because a cultural filter distorts the message; incomplete comprehension because the underlying values are not explicated and the hearers remain unaware of the full implications of the message; and comprehension but misunderstanding and dissonance because the values of the hearers are at variance with the reality of the message. The extent to which the views of individuals conformed to the value systems general ascribed to their cultural background is discussed and instances of individual variance noted. Finally, the implications for teaching and workplace training suggested by these findings are discussed.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/aral.19.1.02fit
1996-01-01
2024-09-15
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Asian Management Journal
    Asian Management JournalJune-July 1993: 14–19.
  2. Banks, S.P. Ge, G. and Baker, J.
    (1991) Intercultural encounters and miscommunication. In G. Coupland (ed) Miscommunication and problematic talk. Sage, Newbury Park.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Barlund, D.C.
    (1975) Communicative styles in two cultures: Japan and the United States. In A Kendon , R.M. Harris and M. Ritchie Key (eds) Organisation of behaviour in face-to-face interaction. Mouton, The Hague. doi: 10.1515/9783110907643.427
    https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110907643.427 [Google Scholar]
  4. Baxter, J.
    (1983) English for intercultural competence: an approach to intercultural communication training. In A. Landis and R.W. Brislin , (eds) Handbook for intercultural training volume two. Pergamon Press, New York. doi: 10.1016/B978‑0‑08‑027534‑5.50017‑9
    https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-027534-5.50017-9 [Google Scholar]
  5. Blommaert, J.
    (1991) How much culture is there in intercultural communication?In J. Verscueren , (eds) The pragmatics of intercultural and international communication. John Benjamins, Amsterdam. doi: 10.1075/pbns.6.3.03blo
    https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.6.3.03blo [Google Scholar]
  6. Clyne, M.
    (1985) Beyond grammar: some thoughts on communication rules in our multicultural society. J. Pride (ed) Cross-cultural encounters: communication and miscommunication. River Seine Publications, Melbourne.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Clyne, M. Ball, M. and Neil, D.
    (1991) Intercultural communication at work in Australia: complaints and apologies in turns. Multilingua, 10–3: 251–273. doi: 10.1515/mult.1991.10.3.251
    https://doi.org/10.1515/mult.1991.10.3.251 [Google Scholar]
  8. Condon, J.
    (1986) … So near the United States. In J. Merril (ed) Culture bound: bridging the culture-gap in language teaching. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Du Bois, J. Cumming, S. and Schuetz-Coburn, S.
    (1988) Guide for transcribing spoken discourse. University of California, Santa Barbara.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Gumperz, J. Jupp, T. and Roberts, C.
    (1979) Cross talk: a study of cross-cultural communication. National Centre for Industrial Language, London.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Hall, E.T.
    (1976) Beyond culture. Anchor Press Doubleday, New York.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Luce, L. and Smith, E.
    Cross-cultural literacy: a national priority. In Luce and Smith eds Towards internationalism. Newbury House, Massachusetts.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Roberts, C. Davies, E. and Jupp, T.
    (1992) Language and discrimination: a study of communication in multi-ethnic workplaces. Longmans, London.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Robinson, G.
    (1985) Cross-cultural understanding: processes and approaches for foreign language, ESL and bilingual education. Pergamon, New York.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Smith, L.
    (ed) (1981) English for cross-cultural communication. Macmillan, Hong Kong. doi: 10.1007/978‑1‑349‑16572‑8
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-16572-8 [Google Scholar]
  16. Trompenaars, F.
    (1993) Riding the waves of culture: understanding cultural diversity in business. The Economist Books, London.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Willing, K.
    (1992) Talking it through: clarification and problem-solving in professional work. Macquarie University, Sydney.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Wierzbicka, A.
    (1985) A semantic metalanguage for a cross-cultural comparison of speech acts and speech genres. Language and Society, 14:491–514. doi: 10.1017/S0047404500011489
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404500011489 [Google Scholar]
  19. (1991) Cross-cultural pragmatics: the semantics of human interaction. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/aral.19.1.02fit
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error