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"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language."

Walt Disney

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/language.html#3WEVl8H6xOq8o06O.99

 

Gesture in communication, BBC "The Human Animal" 1994 ( warning: nudity)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxoB6MhmbIg

 

Watch the comedy skit "technology loop" from Portlandia and discuss the impact of changing communication technologies on:

-           language usage

-           social interaction

-           globalisation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe-zq4bFPFU

 

 

 

Theories relating to intercultural communication

 

Focus: Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT)

Derives from social identity theory which says we have both a personal identity and a social identity and we project a self depending on how we compare outselves tothers in our “in group” that we belong to and “outgroup’ – in group that is other to us. Using this premise, CAT says communication changes depending on who we are with. “When people interact they adjust their speech, their vocal patterns and their gestures, to accommodate to others”. (Howard Giles, key theorist of CAT) Cat draws on the ideas that

-We are attracted to those with similar attitudes and beliefs to ourselves (similarity-attraction)

-We decide whether the rewards outweigh the costs before converging identities through communication (social exchange process)

-“Although interpersonal convergence is generally favorably received, and non-convergence generally unfavorably received, the extent to which this holds true will undoubtedly be influenced by the listeners attributions of the speaker’s intent” (Giles and St Clair 1979) – so we judge the motivations of others for converging (causal attribution process)

 

- Tajfel argues “that when members of different groups are in contact, they compare themselves on dimensions which are important to them, such as personal attributes, abilities, material possessions and so forth”. (Giles and St Claire 1979)

 

How people “accommodate” in communication according to CAT:

Convergence – their “pronunciation, pause and utterance lengths, vocal intensities, non verbal behaviors, and intimacy of self disclosures” (Giles and Smith 1979)

Sometimes they overaccommodate and come across as patronizing!

In order to avoid that, people often practice divergence where they give signs that they recognise the differences between communicators. "Given that communication features are often core dimensions of what it is to be a member of a group, divergence can be regarded as a very important tactic of displaying a valued distinctiveness from the other." (Giles and Ogay 2007)

The theory has been criticised for ‘overrationaising’ the way we communicate which some would say is way to complex to generalise into a convergence-divergence framework. What part, for example, might racism play in communication across cultures?

Consider intra-generational interaction

Sociologists have identified several typical communication strategies between the young and the elderly, using CAT. Stereotypes from both parties mean communication can be poor or limited.

-Overaccommodating to perceived disability in the elderly – e.g loss of hearing

-Young people becoming disciplinary with their elders, exerting authority ‘for their own good’

-Divergence: Young people try to amplify the differences between themselves and the elderly, acting in ways that affirm negative perceptions.

 

Consider the cross-cultural, language and globalisation implications of tourism. Tourists from developed nations visiting developing nations usually have no interest in learning local languages. The locals are usually economically pressured to learn the language of the visitors. This progresses globalisation.

 

Task: Interview a person from a culture other than your own about communication. The interview should seek to better understand the person’s communication cultures and test the applicability (usefulness) of Communication Accommodation Theory. Include your interview transcript as a separate page with your findings.

Apply ethical research practices and follow the steps of the research process to:

-           develop a set of interview questions that includes both open and closed questions and is suitable for a person from a culture different from the student’s own

-           interview a person from a culture different from the student’s own

-           analyse and synthesise the results

-           present the findings and conclusions about these findings in writing.

 

·         Marking criteria:

-           Methodology has been carried out ethically

-           Comparisons have been made between the interviewee’s and interviewers’ communications cultures

-           results have been analysed and synthesised in a coherent written form.

 

Cross-cultural communication, global power and authority

Discuss the relationship between language and conflict. Listen to the following ABC RN Program

 

Is talking the shortest path to war?

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2014/06/cpt_20140602_1605.mp3

Monday 2 June 2014 4:05PM

 

"It's widely believed that diplomacy is the best course of action when dealing with rogue regimes or terrorist groups. At it's best it can divert war and contain situations that might have led to war. A new book argues that half a centuries worth of experience does not support this belief and indeed that diplomacy misapplied could very well be the shortest path to war."

 

*Consider the concept of colonialism and its legacies upon society and culture. Helen Tiffin cites Lord Thomas McCauley in her article on the impact of imposing English language in Indian schools in the process of British colonialism. "...the decision to conduct all education in English would produce, it was envisaged, 'Indians in blood and in colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect'. (Colonialist Pretexts and Rites of Reply, Helen Tiffin, Page [219] of 219-233, The Yearbook of English Studies, Vol. 27, 1997)

 

Cross Cultural Comparison: Indonesian and Australian communication

 

Australia's relationship with Indonesia:

 

http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/50935363899/australias-relationship-with-indonesia-karen-middleton

 

 

Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the nature of communication through a study of:

·            how culture determines the ways individuals encode messages, what mediums they choose for transmitting them, and the ways messages are interpreted

·            verbal and non-verbal communication

·            the role of communication in maintaining social relationships and social control

·            the individual’s rights and responsibilities in relation to communication, communication technologies and citizenship

·            the impact of changing communication technologies on:

-           intra-generational interaction

-           language usage

-           cross-generational interaction

-           social interaction

-           cross-cultural interaction

-           globalisation.

 

Students to choose one article to present to the class. Presentation must include:

-       What the article tells us about aspects of Indonesian society and culture that are similar to or different from the student’s own cultural group

-       the existence of group identity (national, ethnic, regional etc) and commitment to cultural continuity

-           examples of potential intercultural misunderstanding (eg in the SEAN region, globally, with tourists, between classes, genders, religious or ethnic groups etc)

 

 

 

Final task: Extended response.

With reference to Australia and Indonesia and any other culture you have studied:

a)    Suggest strategies for dealing with intercultural misunderstanding

b)    Evaluate the role of intercultural exchange in gaining cultural perception and values

c)    Discuss the role of intercultural dialogue in effective intercultural communication.