Profession Comm. 8

Unit VIII

Lesson 3: Communicating in Cultural Environments

Introduction

As we learned in Unit I, communicating verbally consists of communicating orally and in

writing. It takes time to create verbal messages within your own culture. When we communicate

across cultures, however, we have to be very careful that we choose words carefully and

structure the messages so that they will not be misinterpreted.

Communicating in Writing

Communicating verbally with professionals in another culture can be complex and sometimes

confusing. When communicating in writing, always consider how to format messages. Choose

fonts that are considered professional in those cultures, and these might well vary from culture to

culture

In structuring messages, take the time to decide on sentence length. Also, decide how many

sentences will be sufficient for each paragraph. Regardless of the culture, each paragraph should

always contain one idea and should not be too lengthy.

When writing about money, convert to the local currency, and use figures rather than spelling out

the numbers. For example, when writing to someone in England, write out 1.5 pounds or £1.5.

When you write dates, use the numbers carefully. For example, March 25, 2016, is written

differently in some cultures. In America, you would write 3/5/2016. In England, the date is 25

March 2016 and is written 25/3/16. In China, you would write 2016-3-25, which is the year, the

month, and then the date. If the message is for multiple recipients in more than one culture, you

might put an equivalent sum in parentheses. For instance, a communication might say, “The cost

per letter is £1.5 (about $3.50 U.S.).”

Do not use slang or any ambiguous terminology in the professional setting—such words are

often not easy to translate and run a high risk that they will be misinterpreted. Avoid any words

or phrases that can have more than one meaning. For example, writing, “My introduction really

bombed,” might well cause confusion for many readers.

Avoid the use of acronyms that might be potentially offensive. In fact, one such acronym is

PIIGS, used to identify an economic group of the countries Poland, Italy, Ireland, Germany, and

Spain. This particular acronym, it is easy to see, was considered very insulting to the residents of

these five countries.

Abbreviations that might be commonly used for everyday business in one culture might be

completely unknown in another culture. Writing SRO may be meaningless to someone in another

culture whose language uses words that would result in a different abbreviation for “standing

room only.” Always be sensitive to the use of any abbreviations simply because of cultural and

language differences.

Oral strategies

Communicating orally can be very complicated when carrying on business with other cultures.

Not only do you have to choose words carefully, but you also have to consider your nonverbal

communication at the same time.

The tone of voice can be very important in all cultures. In Japan, a study of how people judge

emotions showed that the Japanese are highly influenced by tone of voice. Their decisions

regarding how to respond to a message will depend on how they interpret the speaker’s tone of

voice (Tanaka, n.d.).

The body language and facial expressions should always match what is being said. When

speaking about a very grave matter, do not smile as the information is being presented because,

in most cultures, smiling is associated with light news.

The very best policy is to speak in the local language whenever possible. A visitor or business

representative should learn a few phrases in the local language at the very minimum. However,

for one who does not know the local language, be sure to choose words in your own language

that are not ambiguous or confusing. Keep sentences short and speak so that everyone can hear.

Depending on the audience, expect to have to speak slower than one normally would.

While speaking, you should note the feedback that is being received, both verbally and not

verbally, noting that, in many cases, the nonverbal might reveal things an audience might be

hesitant to communicate. If anyone looks puzzled, repeat what you are saying, perhaps slower or

even choosing a simpler diction. In some cultures, however, people listen with no expression.

They may look away and gaze at the ceiling or through a nearby window. This behavior does not

mean they are not paying attention. If you are unsure that they are listening, ask questions

throughout a presentation—if it is acceptable. For example, if an audience member seems to be

looking at the ceiling most of the time during a presentation, ask that specific audience member a

polite question about something that has just been said.

Communicating across cultures can be very challenging. Always take the time to ensure that

messages are fully understood. The more a speaker is aware of all of the cultural and linguistic

variables, the more his or her messages will be understood and accepted and the speaker seen as

credible and trustworthy.

Check for Understanding

(Answer Key is found after Review.)

1. Which of the following is TRUE about verbal communication? a) Verbal communication consists of strictly oral communication. b) Verbal communication refers both to oral and written communication.

2. Which of the following would be most important in framing a communication to those in another culture?

a) Choice of font and font size

b) Selection of words

3. Which of the following three items would put communication at the highest risk between two cultures?

a) Dates

b) Discussions of currency

c) Slang

4. You are in a foreign country representing your company at a formal dinner party; when communicating with the residents holding the social gathering, your best choice would be

to:

a) Be friendly, speak your language only, do not risk making a blunder in the local language even though you know a few phrases.

b) Be friendly, attempt some responses in the native language, but do not venture into expressions you are not comfortable with.

5. You are giving a talk in your language to a group that you are aware speaks very little of your language; therefore, you must be most concerned with:

a) your body language. b) the room’s acoustics.

Review

1. When communicating in writing, you must use short sentences and paragraphs. 2. When communicating orally, you have to consider your nonverbal communication. 3. If you have to speak in your own language, choose words that are not ambiguous. 4. If you are unsure if someone is listening to you, you should ask questions.

Answer Key

1. B - The term verbal communication refers to both the oral and written components of communication.

2. B - While cultures do have preference for particular fonts and sizes of fonts, by far, the selection of words is the most challenging and demands the most scrutiny of the two.

3. C - While expressing dates and currency are different for cultures and may cause some potential issues, they are nothing to the total confusion that might easily be caused by the

use of slang expressions that the receiver in another culture might have absolutely no idea

how to comprehend.

4. B - All cultures appreciate even a few words spoken in their language since it communicates to them that the speaker has enough respect for them to learn some

expressions. It may even be seen as an icebreaker and open up a new level of friendliness

and communication. Not speaking their language at all might seem condescending.

5. A - Particularly if you are aware the audience will not understand much of what you are saying, they will be attentive to facial expressions, gestures, posture, and every aspect of

your body language. Control every aspect of your body language to send the most

positive signals possible under the circumstances.

References

Tanaka, A. (n.d.). The significance of tone of voice for Japanese. Retrieved from http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/wol/dy/opinion/society_101012.html