booklet intercultural communication

7/29/2019 Booklet Intercultural Communication

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Language & Culture

on trial

Effective and sensitiveintercultural communication



Globish: a portmanteau neologism of the words

Global and English. It is a simplified version of theEnglish language that uses only the most common

English words and phrases. It is used by non-English-

speakers of various native languages.

The word culture, from the Latin colo, -ere, with itsroot meaning “to cultivate”, generally refers to

patterns of human activity and the symbolic

structures that give such activity significance.

Different definitions of “culture” reflect different

theoretical bases for understanding, or criteria for

evaluating, human activity.Sorce: www.wikipedia.org



Case A “An ‘international’ exchange”

Your honour, in the case of “an international exchange”, I will outline the seriesof events which led my clients to be misled by the infamous “Language andculture” duo.

My clients are an international group, who participated in a multilateralinternational youth exchange in the city of Newcastle, United Kingdom. Thefollowing countries were participating: Bosnia, Bulgaria, Sweden, Turkey and of

course United Kingdom.

The group was formed of 6 young people from each visitor country and a largergroup from the hosting country (about 15).The team was composed of 6 leaders,aged 18 to 25, just like the youngsters. The theme of the exchange was youthparticipation, volunteering and culture.

And this is what happened…

When the visitor groups met the ‘British’ host group a few of them weresurprised to find that the British group included people originating from India,Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran to name but a few, which raised their awareness thatthe United Kingdom was made up of British people not only originating fromthe United Kingdom but also from a number of ethnic groups different in originbut British by nationality. Some of the visiting participants felt that as a result of meeting people, who were in their minds, ‘native’ and ‘non – native’, theyneeded to review and rearrange the prepared topics such as offering porkbrought by the Bulgarian partners for the intercultural dinner.

It’s up to you, jury, to decide who has influenced the visitors’ preconceptions themost: Ms Intangible Culture or Mr Globish Language? Or maybe my clients wereled astray by an intriguing double act!

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Quotations, glossary, further readings,…

Glossaryfalse friend: a word in a foreign language that looks similar to a word in yourlanguage, but has a different meaning

Intangible (Culture): lacking substance or reality; incapable of being touched or seen.

Globish: global English also known as international English or, English as a linguafranca – taken from www.wordreference.com

Quotations“No-one is the same as the other. Everyone is unique.” – Participant in the seminar

“If you were a colour, what would you be? Red. It means energy? Passion? Lucky? Blood? Violence? Communism? ” – Participants in the seminar

“we have different perceptions of the meaning of the words –

Sometimes cannot translate directly, need to question what exactly they mean” “Ask doubly so that people understand or take other messages (from gestures,the face) to find meaning” -Participants in the seminar

“My identity is what prevents me from being identical with anyone else” – Amin Malouf

Further readingsCamilleri, C., Kastersztein, J ., Lipansky, E.M., Malewska-Peyre, H., Taboada-Leonetti, I. & Vasquez, A. (1990). Stratégies identitaires (Identity strategies)Paris, PUF.Amin Malouf – In the name of identity – (Les identités meurtrières), PenguinBooks, reprint (March 2003)

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What do you think? Write your notes here...

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Quotations, glossary, further readings,…

Quotations“Behaviour may vary according to your level of English, your language competences, how skillful are you. If your level is good, you feel confident, youcan be spontaneous, freely express yourself. Otherwise, more calculated, processeach word, more reserved.” – Participant in the seminar

“I try to understand people with my feelings or my heart, and help them if I can. It takes time to understand. When I understand I can help them too. Usually I speak to people born in India, I have lots of experience with that particular accent.” –

Participant in the seminar

“In ex-socialist countries, serious inferiority complex. If someone speaks very good English, I think that is cool, be impressed. Well prepared youth worker, when met a native speaker, wasn’t brave enough to talk, I felt small and can’t speak, hide away, not equal person. My experience still nowadays, same feeling continues, if the English is perfect I would feel alienated.”– Participant in the seminar –

“Time is on my side, yes it is.” – Mick Jagger

“The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes anhour, whatever he does, whoever he is.” – C.S Lewis

“Times don’t change. Men do” – Sam Levenson

Further reading

• English as a Global Language by David Crystal: a lively and factual account of the

rise of English as a global language. Crystal explores the whys and wherefores of the history, current status and future of English as the international language of communication.

• English Next by David Graddol: this book explores some very recent trends inthe use of English worldwide and its changing relationships with otherlanguages.

• Motivation and Personality.by Maslow, A. (1970) New York: Harper and Row.

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Evidence 2

Can you agree with another read

er on what these gestures mean? Is there such athing as an international gesture?Answer: As of yet I have not found a gesture which is recognised internationally.Please tell us at SALTO if you know of one.

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

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B. Complete the blanks in column one with a nationality and match witha definition in column two.

Expression Definition

6. It’s ...................to me a. when you leave without sayinggoodbye

7. Excuse my .................................. b. a game where a message istransmitted from one person to theother in their ear

8. ........................whisper c. when you divide the bill in a cafe,bar or restaurant equally amongstyourselves

9. Let’s go .......................... d. when you have sworn(used a bad word)

10. to take ....................leave e. when youdon’t understand anything

C. Fill in the gap with an animal

11. a ..................in his throat12. like a ...................in a china shop

D. Fill in the gap with a number

13. back to square............................14. to talk.....................to the dozen

E. Fill in the gap with a body part

15. to pull someone’s........................16. a pat on the .................................

Answers (for native English – would yours be different?) : 1.red 2.white 3.blue 4.black 5.green6.Greek 7.French 8.Chinese 9.Dutch 10.French 11. frog 12.bull 13.one 14.nineteen 15.leg 16.back

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Additional notes continued...



Case studies and experience

taken from European youthleaders on the topic of intercultural communication:

Its up to you to judge!

booklet intercultural communication

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