跨文化交际重点归纳

跨文化交际重点归纳

Unit 1 Intercultural Communication

What is culture?

Culture is the total accumulation of beliefs, customs, values, behaviors, institutions and communication patterns that are shared, learned and passed down through the generations in an identifiable group of people.

Generally speaking, culture is the way of life.

Culture is everything and everywhere.

Thanks to culture, without it we can’t survive in society

A metaphor比喻 of culture

We compare culture to iceberg.

It suggests that only small part of it is visible while most of it lies concealed.

Habits, dress and manners are visible.

Worldview, value systems, ways of thinking, national character and any other deep concepts are foundation of visible part. “Where are you going?”

in China ,we give a general answer to it.

Chinese culture emphasizes on social relationship and the heavy interdependence between Chinese people.

In western countries, it may be interpreted as an intrusion into one’s privacy.

The underlying individual-oriented relationship is the invisible part of the iceberg.

exercise

1. If you are a tourist guide, what are you expected to say when you are showing the foreign visitors to another site?

A. This way, please.

B. Come here, please.

C. Follow me, please.

D. Move on.

2. A visitor stops you in the corridor of your head-office probably to ask for the way. What is your most likely reply to the visitor’s “Excuse me”?

A. What’s the matter?

B. Yes?

C. That’s all right.

D. Don’t worry.

3. At a fair, a visitor, accidentally having knocked down your poster, says, “I’m terribly sorry.” What should you reply?

A. It doesn’t matter.

B. Never mind.

C. Don’t worry.

D. That’s all right.

What is Intercultural communication?

“Intercultural communication is contact between persons who

identify themselves as distinct from one another in cultural terms.” (Collier & Thomas, 1998)

intercultural communication refers to any communication between two members of any cultural communities. (Samovar & Porter)

To further understand “intercultural communication”, please read the section of “Intercultural Communication Reading” on P.2 and answer the questions:

1 In the story, why does Pete could not communicate well with Chinese students?

Language problem

Culture problem

The way Pete handled the intercultural communication situation 2 What are the major barriers in intercultural communication? Language difference.

(If we understand others’ language or dialect, but not their communication rules, we can made fluent fools of ourselves.) Nonverbal communication: gestures, postures, facial expression etc.

Stereotypes: like culture, religion, idea, value, etc.

Watch a video and get a deeper understanding.