INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Introduction Communication is the result of growing number of contacts between people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This takes place in the areas of business, military cooperation, science, education, mass media, entertainment, tourism and also because of immigration brought about by labor shortage or political conflicts. Communication needs to be as constructive as possible to avoid misunderstandings and breakdown. Problems in communication can be resolved through research on the nature of linguistic and cultural similarities and differences. Communication skills enable greater effectiveness in personal and professional life, in a globalized and technologized social context. Communication and Language Human being uses thousands of language to communicate with one another. Some language have expanded over the centuries, but there are also many that become extinct. With globalization, a trend in the number of languages in the world has recently been observed. We are still far, however, from a situation where everyone would speak the same language. Two Types of Communication: verbal refers to use of language non-verbal refers to the use of gestures, facial expressions, and other body movements.

Language is an abstract system of word meaning and symbols for all aspects of culture.
It includes speech, written characters, numerals, symbols and gestures and expressions of nonverbal communication. - it is a system of verbal and written symbols with rules about how those symbols can be strung together to convey more complex meaning. - it enables people to store meanings and experiences to pass this heritage on to new generations. - we are able to learn about and from the experiences of others. It enables us to transcend the here and now, preserving the past and imagining the future. It also makes possible the formulation of complex plan and ideas.

Paralanguage is the language of gestures, expressions and postures; body language or kinesics.
A mans language is a reflection of the kind of person he is, the level of education he has attained, and an index to the behavior that may be expected from him. Language is the key factor in the success of the human race in creating and preserving culture, for without language the ability to convey ideas and traditions is impossible. The study of language is divided in four areas: 1. Phonology refers to the system of sounds 2. Semantics is a study of word meanings and word combinations. 3. Grammar refers to the structure of language through its morphology and syntax. 4. Pragmatics is concerned rules for the use of appropriate language particular contexts.

Relationship Between Language and Culture Language is the most significant of the inventions made by culture. It gives us the capacity to learn and use language from our collective memory as well as writing, art and all other media that shape himan consciousness and store and transmit knowledge. If culture can affect the structure and content of its language, then it follows that linguistic diversity derives and part from cultural diversity.

An anthropologist tries to understand other cultures from the perspective of an insiderthat is, as someone living within the culture. This technique, known as cultural relativism, helps anthropologists to understand why people in different cultures live as they do. Anthropologists work from the assumption that a culture is effective and adaptive for the people who live in it. In other words, a culture structures and gives meaning to the lives of its members and allows them to work and prosper. In 1931 Whorf took a course on Native American linguistics at Yale University, taught by Edward Sapir, one of the most influential linguists of the time. The class crystallized Whorfs interests in Native American languages and linguistic theory. Subsequent study of the Hopi language laid the groundwork for his theory of linguistic relativity, a theory often called the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis because of the strong influence Sapir had on his student and friend. In Whorf's theory of linguistic relativity, the grammatical and semantic categories of each language, in addition to serving as instruments for communicating a person's thoughts, mold ideas and program mental activity. Thus, people with different native languages will not have the same view of the universe; if their languages are structurally very different, they may even have difficulty communicating about certain topics. Definitions of Culture Culture is defined as the set of learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values, and ideals that are characteristics of a particular society or population. Culture refers to the attitudes, values, customs and behavior patterns that characterize a social group. Calhoun - Culture is the learned norms, values, knowledge, artifacts, language, and symbols that are constantly communicated among people who share a common way of life. Allan Johnson - culture is the sum total of symbols, ideas, forms of expression, and material products associated with a system. E.B. Taylor complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Leslie A. White refers culture as an organization of phenomena that is dependent upon symbols, phenomena which includes acts (patterns of behavior); objects (tools and things made by tools); ideas (beliefs, knowledge) and sentiments ( attitudes, values) Holstede consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups.

Characteristics of Culture 1. Culture is learned. 2. Culture is shared by a group of people. 3. Culture is cumulative 4. Cultures change 5. Culture is dynamic 6. Culture is ideational 7. Culture is diverse 8. Culture gives us a range of permissible behavior patterns. Components of Culture 1. Communication 2. Cognitive 3. Material 4. Behavioral