Cultural Misunderstandings in Communication

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Table of Contents

Language
Non-verbal signs and symbols
Preconceptions and Stereotypes
Tendency to evaluate
High Anxiety
Works Cited

The difference in communication between the representatives of different cultures is the point of many researches. Only narrow-minded persons suppose, that all people are to some extent similar, and just knowledge of foreign languages helps them to avoid the cultural gap in communication with the representatives of other nations. Among a great variety of reasons, several major aspects, which cause misunderstanding, are distinguished. We will try to make a short brief of them.

Language

This stumbling block of communication is obvious. Syntax, slang, idioms, vocabulary, different dialects are considered to be the most common reasons for misunderstanding between people of different countries. However, the lack of vocabulary or poor pronunciation is not the worst problem. More serious problems are observed, when a word or even a phrase in one language, is translated from word to word into another language, disregarding its context. “The reason the problem is “worse” is that each thinks he understands.” (Barna 340). Even the simplest words, which imply only one meaning, depending on the situation and cultural peculiarities, may have an unrehearsed effect.

Non-verbal signs and symbols

The perception of the same things is different by the people of different cultures. They pay attention only to those facts, which have some importance for them. People perceive things, in accordance with their own world vision. In most cases, the misunderstanding on this level is taken place because of the difference in gestures, postures, movements. It is much more difficult to understand the “unspoken codes of the other culture that are further from awareness, such as handling of time and spatial relationship” (Barna 341). In such cases, it is important to clarify, what values and cultural clichés determine the sojourners behavior.

Preconceptions and Stereotypes

“Stereotypes are overgeneralized beliefs that provide conceptual bases from which to “make sense” out of what goes on around us.” (Barna 341). In many cases, these beliefs are far from being true. On an intercultural level, stereotypes and prejudices increase the sense of safety, in a situation when a person cannot understand or cannot deal properly with other people. Stereotypes interfere with a persons objective viewing. They are characterized by the human ability to perceive only that information, which corresponds to his vision of the world. Stereotypes and preconceptions are some of the main reasons for the cultural gap. The only way to overcome the influence of stereotypes is to avoid considering one person, as the representative of the whole culture.

Tendency to evaluate

Another stumbling block of misunderstanding between the representatives of different cultures is the tendency to immediately evaluate, approve or disapprove the actions of a representative of another nation, without taking into consideration his religious or cultural views. This evaluation is made by a person in accordance with his own world outlook. In such a case, in order to avoid a communication gap, it is better to listen to the sojourner, rather than evaluate immediately.

High Anxiety

Unlike the above-mentioned stumbling blocks, which are the reasons for misunderstanding in itself, high anxiety sometimes is viewed as a mixture of different factors of misunderstanding. The feeling of anxiety may exist in both parties of communication. The native speaker may be irritated by the fact of the sojourners poor language, or bad pronunciation. While the foreigner may feel threatening, finding himself in a hostile atmosphere. After that, even an ordinary situation and the normal act of communication are perceived by the sojourner as inappropriate.

Works Cited

Barna, LaRay. Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication. PDF file. 2015. Web.

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Cultural Misunderstandings in Communication

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