Cross-cultural understanding (Verbal communication: the way people speak)

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Cross cultural understanding

(Verbal communication: the way people speak)

In communication, there are two ways to convey the message, they are verbal and nonverbal communication. This summary is about ‘verbal communication: the way people speak’. The communication or conversation between two people from different culture can cause misunderstanding. It reflects the culture influences the communication.

People who used to talk more, interrupt more, talk more loudly and quickly are called ‘high involvement’. The ‘high involvement’ people interest in a head discussion, this is because they like to convey what they thought or enjoy the argument. In the other hand, people who speak one at time, use polite listening sounds, refrain from interrupting, are called ‘high considerateness’. Russian, Italian, Greek, Spanish, South American, Arab, and African use ‘high involvement’ style in conversation. In general, the various communication style in Asian cultures are characterized as ‘high considerateness.

Americans use direct way in conversation. There are several expression in English that emphasize the importance of being direct: “Get the point”. “Don’t beat around the bush! ”, “let’s get down to business”. Those examples are used by Americans to convey what they thought directly. Many Americans believe that ‘honesty is the best policy’, and their communication style reflects this. However, Asians consider if people talk in direct way, they seem talk too rude. These differences cultures can cause miss understanding and incorrect judgment.

In America, the way American male and female are different. America female has traditionally been less direct than American male. Its mean Americans female are more polite and soft. In 1980’s there is a course that designed to help women communicate directly, especially in the office. In the 1990’s, there is more recognition of the ‘feminine’. Once again, there are gender differences: it has been observed that men tend to interrupt women than women interrupt man. However, Americans female use direct way to show their feeling.

In conversation, Americans use ‘Ping-Pong’ style. It does not mean people talk with playing ‘Ping-Pong’ ball. ‘Ping-Pong’ is parable of the way to communicate actively or not become passive. For Americans, even two or three seconds of silence can become uncomfortable. In the contrary, most of Asians use ‘bowling’ style in the conversation. Its mean Asian know when they have a turn to talk, the person bowls carefully. The others watch politely, and do not leave their places in line or take a turn out of order. No one else speaks until the ball has reached the bowling pins.

Those differences appear ethnocentric judgments. This is because Americans consider Asians are less interested in conversation. The Asians will have ethnocentric judgment of Americans. Asian feel the Americans are pushy and overly inquisitive. In conclusion, if we can anticipate differences in communication style, our judgments about people more accurate.