Communication Across Cultures: Mutual Understanding In A Global World

209 Pages·2007·1.75 MB·English

by  Heather Bowe, Kylie Martin

Communication Across
Cultures
Mutual understanding in a
global world
Communication Across Cultures examines the ways in which spoken
and written language may be interpreted depending on the context
and expectations of the participants. Key concepts are drawn from
linguisticpragmaticsanddiscourseanalysis,andstudiesofpoliteness
andcross-culturalcommunication.Thebookhasmanyexamplesfrom
a variety of languages and cultures – from Japan to Germany, from
theAmericastoAfrica,andtoAustralia.
This book is intended for students of linguistics and related dis-
ciplines, and interdisciplinary researchers who have no specialised
knowledge of linguistics. Relevant literature and recent research are
featuredandexplainedthroughoutforthebenefitofstudentswhoare
learninghowresearchinthisfieldisconducted,andalsoforinterdisci-
plinaryresearcherswishingtoincorporatesomeoftheseperspectives
intotheirownwork.
Dr Heather Bowe is Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at Monash
UniversityandDirectoroftheLanguageandSocietyCentre.
Kylie Martin is completing a PhD at Monash University on the
socio-culturalsituationoftheAinulanguageinJapan.Shehaslived
andworkedinIndonesiaaswellasinJapan.

Communication
Across Cultures
Mutual understanding
in a global world
Heather Bowe and Kylie Martin
MonashUniversity
SchoolofLanguages,CulturesandLinguistics
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge,NewYork,Melbourne,Madrid,CapeTown,Singapore,Sa˜oPaulo
CambridgeUniversityPress
477WilliamstownRoad,PortMelbourne,VIC3207,Australia
PublishedintheUnitedStatesofAmericabyCambridgeUniversityPress,NewYork
www.cambridge.org
Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9780521695572
(cid:1)C HeatherBowe,KylieMartin2007
Firstpublished2007
PrintedinAustraliabyLigare
AcataloguerecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
NationalLibraryofAustraliaCataloguinginPublicationdata
Bowe,HeatherJ.(HeatherJoan),1947–.
CommunicationAcrossCultures:MutualUnderstandinginaGlobalWorld.
Bibliography.
Includesindex.
ISBN-13 978-0-521-69557-2paperback
ISBN-10 0-521-69557-0paperback
1.Interculturalcommunication. 2.Politeness(Linguistics). 3.Speechacts(Linguistics).
4.Discourseanalysis. 5.Translatingandinterpreting. I.Martin,Kylie. II.Title.302.2
ISBN-13 978-0-521-69557-2
ISBN-10 0-521-69557-0
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Contents
Listoffigures page ix
Listoftables x
Transcriptionconventions xi
Prefaceandacknowledgments xiii
Chapter1: Culture,communicationandinteraction 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Culture,communicationandinterculturalinteraction 2
Suggestedfurtherreading 8
Chapter2: Directandindirectmessages:Theroleofsocial
contextidentifiedbyGriceandSearle 9
2.1 Grice’smaxims 10
2.2 Speechacts 15
2.3 Summary 22
2.4 Review 22
Suggestedfurtherreading 25
Chapter3: Politenessandface 26
3.1 Theoriesofpoliteness:BrownandLevinson 27
3.2 Differentperspectivesonpoliteness 32
3.3 CriticismsofBrownandLevinson 34
3.4 Thestudyofcross-culturalpragmaticsusingnaturalsemantic
metalanguage 38
v
vi CONTENTS
3.5 Cognitiveandculturalschema 41
3.6 Summary 42
3.7 Review 43
Suggestedfurtherreading 45
Chapter4: Speechactsandpolitenessacrosscultures 46
4.1 Requests:Indirectnessandpoliteness 47
4.2 Complaints 50
4.3 Apologies 52
4.4 Acceptanceofanapology 55
4.5 Thegenderfactor 56
4.6 Summary 57
4.7 Review 58
Suggestedfurtherreading 60
Chapter5: Theanalysisofconversation 61
5.1 Turn-takinginconversation 61
5.2 Somedifferencesinturn-takingininterculturalcontexts 65
5.3 Theroleofback-channelling 66
5.4 Repetitionasback-channellinginsuccessfulintercultural
communication 66
5.5 Greetingsandleave-taking 68
5.6 Somefunctionsoflaughter 72
5.7 Anotherfunctionofhumour:Joking 74
5.8 Culturaldifferencesinconversationalroutines 75
5.9 Summary 75
5.10 Review 76
Suggestedfurtherreading 79
Chapter6: Powerrelationsandstereotyping 80
6.1 Hofstedeandthedimensionsofculture 80
6.2 Powerrelationsininteractions 84
6.3 Stereotypingandideology 87
6.4 Summary 89
CONTENTS vii
6.5 Review 90
Suggestedfurtherreading 93
Chapter7: Namingandaddressing:Expressingdeference,
respect,andsolidarity 95
7.1 Pronounsofaddress 95
7.2 Nounsofaddress 102
7.3 Honorifics 109
7.4 Summary 114
7.5 Review 114
Suggestedfurtherreading 119
Chapter8: Culturaldifferencesinwriting 120
8.1 Linearity:AkeyprincipleofEnglishwrittendiscourse 120
8.2 Non-lineardiscoursestructures 122
8.3 Multipleperspectives:TheexampleofJapanese 123
8.4 ‘Digressiveness’:AfeatureofGermanacademicregister 127
8.5 Theform/contentdistinction 128
8.6 Letterwriting 129
8.7 Summary 137
8.8 Review 137
Suggestedfurtherreading 139
Chapter9: Interpretingandtranslating 140
9.1 Typesofinterpreting 140
9.2 Primacyofthemothertongue 141
9.3 Difficultiesinachievingabalancebetweenpragmatic
equivalenceandimpartiality 141
9.4 Interpretersassumingtheroleofinstitutionalgatekeeper:
Acasestudy 142
9.5 Advertising:Atruechallengeforinterculturalcommunication 143
9.6 Thedevelopmentofinterpreting/translatingservicesinAustralia 146
9.7 Sometipsfortranslatingandinterpretinginthebusinesscontext 152
9.8 Conclusion 153
viii CONTENTS
9.9 Review 154
Suggestedfurtherreading 156
Chapter10: Interculturalcommunicationissuesinprofessional
andworkplacecontexts 157
10.1 Twodifferentworkplaceculturesincontact 157
10.2 Differencesofexpectationininterculturalbusinessencounters 159
10.3 Informationgatheringinmedicalandlegalpractice 162
10.4 AustralianIndigenousclientsinthecourtroom 163
10.5 Workplacecommunication:Fromfactorytooffice 165
10.6 Conclusion 166
10.7 Review 166
Suggestedfurtherreading 167
Chapter11: Towardssuccessfulinterculturalcommunication 169
11.1 Theelaborationofrepetitionasacreativestrategytohelpavoid
miscommunication 169
11.2 Turn-sharingascollaborationbetweennon-English-speaking
workers:AncillarystaffataMelbournehospital 174
11.3 Theresponseoftheindividualtothechallengesofintercultural
communication 176
11.4 Theemergentanddistributednatureofculturalcognition:
Thelocusofnewconceptualinterpretations 177
11.5 Conclusion 178
11.6 Review 179
Suggestedfurtherreading 180
References 181
Index 193
List of figures
Figure3.1 Possiblepolitenessstrategies page31
Figure7.1 UseofT/Vinrelationtoequality/inferiority/solidarity 98
Figure7.2 Useofpronounsofsolidarity 99
Figure7.3 Interaction,communicationandgrouping 100
Figure7.4 Superiorvsinferior/equalstatus 108
Figure7.5 IndividualswhoareclosefriendsuseNgoko(basic)
speechlevel 112
Figure7.6 Highofficial(Antya-basa)andeducatedperson
(Kramainggil) 112
Figure7.7 Villagepeoplewhoarenotintimatefriendswilluse
Kramamadya(middlespeechlevel) 113
Figure8.1 Diagrammaticrepresentationofthediscoursestructureof
theJapanesetextMayYokomoto 126
Figure9.1 Petfoodadvertisement 144
ix