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Communication Modes,
Practices, and Styles of Japan
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Communication Modes

Communication of Japan

▰ In terms of Japan’s communication mode, since the

verbal communication can have multiple meanings in
Japan, it is less significant than nonverbal
communication. Nonverbal messages, whether sent
knowingly or unconsciously, are therefore crucial. To
comprehend people, the Japanese place a high value
on facial expressions, posture, hand motions, and
speech tones.
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Communication Practice

Communication of Japan

▰ In the practice of communication among Japanese,

they are non-confrontational and will rarely refuse
demands explicitly. Instead, they will say, "It is
inconvenient," or "It is being considered." They do not
criticize, offend, put people on the spot, or do anything
else that could create humiliation and hence loss of
face.
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Communication Practice

Communication of Japan

▰ In delivering unfavorable truths, Japanese will do it in

an indirect manner, requiring the reader to read
between the lines. As a result, knowing how to read
body language is critical.

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Communication Practice

Communication of Japan

▰ Once Japanese are ashamed, the Japanese often

conceal their mouths or chuckle. They will smile in
order to keep their cool. When confronted with an
uncomfortable situation or when worried, Japanese
people have a tendency to laugh uncomfortably. It is
considered courteous to frequently say "I'm sorry,"
"pardon me," or "Sumimasen."
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Communication Practice

Communication of Japan

▰ Personal enquiries, such as about a person's financial

situation, or comments on a person's weight, are not
considered impolite by the Japanese. Nevertheless, it is
critical not to ask questions that may cause the
person to lose face.

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Communication Styles

Communication of Japan

▰ The Japanese rely on facial expression, tone of voice

and posture to tell them what someone feels.
▰ They often trust non-verbal messages more than the
spoken word as words can have several meanings.
▰ The context in which something is said affects the
meaning of the words. Therefore, it is imperative to
understand the situation to fully appreciate the
response. Next
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Communication Styles

Communication of Japan

▰ Frowning while someone is speaking is interpreted as a

sign of disagreement.
▰ Most Japanese maintain an impassive expression when
speaking.
▰ Non-verbal communication is so vital that there is a
book for 'gaijins' (foreigners) on how to interpret the
signs!
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Communication Styles

Communication of Japan

▰ It is considered disrespectful to stare into another

person's eyes, particularly those of a person who is
senior to you because of age or status.
▰ In crowded situations the Japanese avoid eye contact
to give themselves privacy.
▰ Saving face is crucial in Japanese society.
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Communication Styles

Communication of Japan

▰ The Japanese believe that turning down someone's

request causes embarrassment and loss of face to the
other person.
▰ If the request cannot be agreed to, they will say, 'it's
inconvenient' or 'it's under consideration'.

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Communication Styles

Communication of Japan

▰ Face is a mark of personal dignity and means having

high status with one's peers.
▰ Therefore, they do not openly criticize, insult, or put
anyone on-the-spot.

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PRACTICES AND
STYLES IN EGYPT
BY:
JULIA MACUGAY JOHN RUSSEL ESCOBIDO REYMOND CONSINA RYAN LEDESMA
COMMUNICATION STYLES (VERBAL)
COMMUNICATION STYLE

• Egyptians are quite expressive and passionate when they converse. They have a tendency
to be evocative and verbose by telling stories and using wordplay and jokes. They are
generally open and emotive, displaying happiness and gratitude freely. Emotions relating to
grief and sorrow are also widely expressed, particularly in the case of death of a loved
one. However, public displays of anger are discouraged and may be interpreted as an
insult.
INDIRECT COMMUNICATION

• Egyptians generally communicate in an indirect manner. They tend to avoid replying with a
direct ‘no’ and instead usually offer a lengthy reply that may not answer the question.
However, depending on the context of the conversation and who they are
communicating with, they may be direct in some instances. For example, someone of
seniority by position or age may be more direct when conversing with those below them.
The use of direct communication in these occasional instances is rarely intended to
offend the conversation partner.
HUMOUR

• Egyptians often use humour in their conversations and find it encouraging when their
jokes are appreciated. When meeting an Egyptian for the first time, it is common for
them to say a joke or two.
COMMUNICATION STYLES (NON –
VERBAL)
PHYSICAL CONTACT

• The appropriateness of touching during conversations depends on the relationship

between the people interacting. Close friends and family will frequently touch each other
while acquaintances will generally refrain from doing so. Norms and expectations of
physical contact also often depend on the gender of the people interacting. For example,
good friends of the same gender may hold hands or kiss when greeting in public. On the
other hand, there is little to no public display of affection between opposite genders
during conversation or when in public places, with the exception of married couples who
may walk arm in arm.
PERSONAL SPACE

• The common physical distance maintained between people is usually an arm’s length. The
acceptable proximity may vary depending on the genders of the two people interacting
with one another. For example, women may stand closer to each other, whilst people
generally prefer to keep a bigger distance from those of the opposite gender .
GESTURES

• Touching all four fingers to the thumb with the palm facing inwards then shaking it up and
down is used to tell someone to ‘wait a moment’. To point, one usually uses their index
finger.
BECKONING

• To beckon someone, Egyptians tend to whistle, clap or say ‘psst’.

EYE CONTACT
• Direct eye contact is acceptable in most cases and is valued as a sign of respect to the
speaker as well as a sign of honesty and sincerity. Sometimes, Egyptians will hold an
intense stare, meaning that their eye contact may be stronger than what is typical in
Australia. However, in accordance to Islamic principles, males and females may be
expected to lower their gaze and avoid sustained eye contact with each other. This is
considered respectful and observant of the partition between genders.
TRADITIONS AND BELIEFS
SHAH’ET EL MULUKHIYA,
MULUKHIYA GASP
A funny tradition that Egyptian women have occurs when they cook
Mulukhiya, a dish of vegetables mixed with leaves of Corchorus
olitorius. One of the most-traditional Egyptian dishes, it is not easy to
perfect its taste. Shah’et El Mulukhiya means El Mulukhiya Gasp, and
it requires the person cooking it to inhale suddenly with their mouth
open and make a sound like that of astonishment. Some believe that
when the woman cooking Molokhiya does this when adding garlic to
the Mulukhiya pot, it gets the right taste and is prepared perfectly.
NOT FINISHING YOUR GLASS
OF JUICE
Those visiting an Egyptian family should remember to
drink all of their juice—especially if the family has
daughters. It is a common understanding that if a guest
doesn’t finish their glass of juice offered by a host family
with daughters, then these girls won’t get married.
DA2 EL HON, DRUMMING EL
HON
People usually use el hons to mince garlic. When a new baby is seven days
old, family and friends celebrate with guests singing for the baby and the
parents distributing sweets. It is a tradition to drum a metal hon and make
a loud noise while making statements to the baby like “always listen to
your mom and not your dad” or “Love your grandparents more than your
uncles”. Drumming el hon next to the baby’s ear makes it accustomed to
noise. Some people believe that the baby follows the statements they say
in its ears, and applies them in their later life.
THE TWITCHING EYE
Have you experienced a twitching eye for few seconds? It
can be very irritating sometimes, but it can also be a sign
that something bad is about to happen for Egyptians—
especially if it is the left eye. Some Egyptians wait for the
bad thing to happen to them or to hear the bad news all
day.
SPILLING COFFEE
Coffee and red tea are the most common drinks in Egypt.
However, accidentally spilling coffee is good omen. When
someone spills coffee, most of surrounding people tell
them that this is a good sign, meaning good things will
happen.
PRACTICES AND
STYLES IN
MALAYSIA
By:
Julia Macugay John Russel Escobido
Reymond Consina Ryan Ledesma
COMMUNICATION
STYLE (VERBAL)
Language Style
• The Malay language uses many similes, idioms, proverbs (peribahasa), short
evocative verses (pantun) and poems (syair). Figurative language allows
people to express their point indirectly. For example, criticism may be
presented in the example of a poem that reflects a similar scenario.

Refusals
• A Malaysian person’s preoccupation with saving face and politeness means
they will seldom give a flat ‘no’ or negative response, even when they do not
agree with you. Therefore, focus on hints of hesitation, listening for what
they say but also paying careful attention to what they may subtly allude to.
Soft Voices
• Speaking loudly is generally interpreted negatively as ‘kasar’ (crass/coarse)
in Malaysia. Instead, it is expected that people speak gently and softly
regardless of the nature of the conversation. That being said, Malaysians are
not so cautious about this that they never speak loudly. For example, they
will generally raise their voice when they get excited.

Laughter
• Malaysians may laugh when they are embarrassed as a defence mechanism.
The timing may seem inappropriate or awkward in certain scenarios.
Consider that it can indicate their unease.
COMMUNICATION
STYLE (NON –
VERBAL)
Physical Contact
• It is generally inappropriate to touch strangers in Malaysia. Avoid
backslapping or putting your arm around people's shoulders. Incidental
touching (for example, in a crowd) is permitted. However, generally people
are not very accustomed to physical affection from anyone that isn’t a close
friend or family member. Furthermore, being a predominantly Muslim
population, Malaysian society generally respects a separation of the genders.
Therefore, it is seen as especially awkward and inappropriate to
affectionately touch someone of the opposite gender in public.

Body Language
• Placing one’s hands on their hips or in their pockets during conversation
indicates anger.
Silence
• Silence is an important and purposeful tool used in Asian communication.
Pausing before giving a response indicates that someone has applied
appropriate thought and consideration to the question. This signifies
politeness and respect.

The Head
• Malaysians consider the head to be the most sacred part of one’s body.
Therefore, it is considered very rude and inconsiderate to touch another
person’s head.
Pointing
• Avoid pointing with your index finger and use your open hand instead.

Beckoning
• Beckoning is done by facing the palm of the hand to the ground and waving
the fingers towards oneself. Individual fingers should not be used in this
gesture.
Feet
• The feet are considered the lowliest and dirtiest parts of the body. Do not
move objects with them or display the soles of your feet to someone else.

Hands
• There is a separation of function of the hands in Malaysia, influenced by
Islamic culture. The left hand is considered unclean and is used for the
removal of dirt and for cleaning. It is not used for actions such as waving,
eating or offering items.
Eye Contact
• Malaysians generally avoid holding direct eye contact with people of the
opposite gender out of modesty. They may also lower their gaze when talking
to someone older than them.

Bow
• People non-verbally say ‘excuse me’ when entering/leaving/passing people by
bowing slightly.
PRACTICES AND
STYLES IN SPAIN
By:
Julia Stephanie Macugay
John Russel Escobido
Reymond Consina
Ryan Jay Ledesma
COMMUNICATION STYLES
(VERBAL)
 DIRECT COMMUNICATION
Spaniards generally have a direct communication style. They tend to
speak very openly and are comfortable showing emotion. This can give
some foreigners from more reserved cultures the impression that
Spaniards are very confident people, leading them to make decisions
under this assumption when this may not necessarily be the case. You
can expect Spaniards to offer honest answers to sincere questions. They
speak clearly about their point and generally like to leave an interaction
having voiced all their opinions. In return, they expect similar honesty
from their conversation partner and hence may fail to read into
understatements. It is important to avoid ambiguity and indirect speech.
 COMMON COURTESY
Consider that ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ are not said as habitually in
Spain. This is not intended to be rude. Rather, some Spanish may
find it a bit excessive to express profuse gratitude and politeness
throughout everyday exchanges.
 INVERTED QUESTION MARKS
In the Spanish and Catalan languages, questions are written with an
inverted (or upside-down) question mark at the beginning of the
sentence. For example: ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?).
GESTURES
 DOUBLE CHEEK KISSING(Dos besos)
In Spain, people greet each other and say goodbye with a kiss on each cheek.
Don’t be mistaken – these aren’t wet, sloppy kisses! In fact, these aren’t really
proper kisses at all. People usually touch their right cheeks together and
make a kissing sound, then repeat the process on the left side.
People don’t do this every morning when they come into work, but if you
meet a friend for drinks or are introduced to someone new, the double cheek
kiss is given to say hello and goodbye. Women are always greeted this way,
but two men shake hands with each other unless they are relatives.
 HANDSHAKE (Dar la mano)
Shaking hands in Spain is easy: it’s just a normal handshake. Shake
hands if the greeting is for professional reasons or between two
men. It can also mean you’ve just made an agreement.
CUSTOMS
 BEER AND WINE
Unlike bars in other parts of the world, many establishments in Spain
have very few beers on tap. Often, thirsty patrons simply ask the waiter
for una caña, which is a small glass of beer, or una doble, which is a
larger glass, without specifying the brand or type.
The same goes for Spanish wine. Even though Spain is known for its
excellent wine culture, it is common in many Spanish bars and
restaurants to simply order vino tinto (red wine) or vino blanco (white
wine) without specifying further. At Paradores hotels, however, guests
can choose which type of wine they want to try from a carefully
selected wine menu.
 SIESTA
The Spanish siesta is one of the country’s most well-known
traditions. Nowadays, few Spaniards are able to commute all the way
home to have a midday nap, but many shops still close at lunchtime
– usually from 2 pm to 4 or 5 pm. Major chains, however, are
normally open all day without interruption.
 SURNAMES
Everyone has two surnames, which they take from their father (first
surname) and their mother (second surname). A woman keeps her
surnames when she gets married instead of adopting the surnames
of her husband.
 PRACTICES AND
STYLES IN THAILAND
By:
Julia Macugay John Russel Escobido Reymond Consina Ryan Ledesma
COMMUNICATION
STYLE (VERBAL)
Honorifics
Thais typically address
someone by stating the
first name preceded by
‘Khun’ (e.g., Khun Simon).
However, if the people
conversing are close
friends or familiar with
each other, they will omit
khun. Familial honorifics
‘phi’ (‘older sibling’) and
‘nong’ (‘younger sibling’)
are generally appropriate
for people who are close
to one another.
Humor
It is common for Thais to
joke during conversation.
Whilst humor is used in the
typical way to make
conversations
lighthearted, it is also
used to cover emotions of
sadness when discussing
a tragic or difficult
situation.
COMMUNICATION
STYLE (NON –
VERBAL)
Physical
Contact
Physical contact in
Thailand is acceptable
amongst people of the
same gender, but is
usually minimal. Public
displays of affection
between couples, such as
holding hands or kissing,
are generally not shown.
Buddhist monks are not
supposed to make any
physical contact with
women.
Personal
Space
The general distance
between two people
conversing is an arm’s
length. When in
conversation with a friend
or close acquaintance,
this distance is shorter.
Height and
Bowing
An important way Thais
show respect is through
lowering their head.
Looming above someone in
Thailand can be
considered an aggressive
form of assertion. It is
especially disrespectful to
position one’s head at a
height higher than the
Buddha. If someone needs
to intersect another’s gaze
to reach a destination (for
example, at a
performance), they will
typically walk with their
head bowed and their
body below the eyeline of
the other.
PRACTICES AND STYLES IN
By:
Julia Macugay
John Russel Escobido
ZIMBABWE Reymond Consina
Ryan Ledesma
TRADITIONS AND COMMUNICATION
STYLES
 One of the earliest known Zimbabwe
Traditions is the use of Totems

USE OF TOTEMS These totems, known as "mitupo", are

used by the Mashona to identify the
different clans that made up the
ancient civilizations of the dynasties.
 For thousands of years, the Mashona
have used the Mbira in their

MBIRA ceremonies. It plays a major role in

Zimbabwe tradition. The mbira is a
musical instrument constructed of a
wooden board with staggered metal
keys.
 The Matabele people are renowned
for their artistic talent. The women of

ARTWORK the Matabele society are often the

ones who carry on the African traditions
and are the main developers of the
wall art of their home.
 Direct eye contact is normal during conversation,
especially in casual situations. However, people

EYE CONTACT
divert their gaze from those who are older or of
a higher status than them and women generally
lower their gaze from men. It is best to look away
intermittently to avoid appearing disrespectful.
To stare directly at someone older than you is
considered disrespectful.
 Zimbabweans commonly kneel down to show
humility and respect when talking to people of a
higher authority or age. This involves keeping one’s

KNEELING
head lower than the other person’s and avoiding
direct eye contact. The gesture usually continues
until they leave the room. Women generally kneel
quite often in different settings. For example,
Shona women may kneel when talking to their
father or husband and when serving a meal.
However, some men may also kneel to their
mothers-in-law, brothers or older sisters.