Essay

Makhmudov Mirkhojidin
Student ID:2206435
High and Low context
Context is the knowledge that surrounds an occurrence and is intimately connected
to its meaning. Events and context, which come together to form a particular
meaning, are composed in various ratios depending on the culture. On a scale from
high to low context, the cultures of the globe may be contrasted.

A high context (HC) communication or message is one in which most of the information is already
in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the message. low context
(LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of the information is vested in the explicit
code. Twins who have grown up together can and do communicate more economically (HC) than
two lawyers in courtroom during trial (LC), a mathematician programming computer, two
politicians drafting legislation, two administrators writing regulation.

Edward T. Hall, 19761

High-context populations include the Japanese, Arabs, and Mediterranean peoples

because they have extensive information networks among friends, family,
coworkers, and clients who are engaged in deep personal relationships. As a
consequence, they don't demand or anticipate much in-depth background
information for the majority of routine everyday transactions. This is due to the
fact that they keep themselves updated on all matters pertaining to the significant
individuals in their lives. People that compartmentalize their personal connections,
their jobs, and many elements of daily life include Americans, Germans, Swiss,
Scandinavians, and other northern Europeans. As a result, they require thorough
background knowledge whenever they connect with people. The French rank far
higher than either the Germans or the Americans in terms of context. On the
context scale, the French rank far higher than either the Germans or the Americans.

1
Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall. UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES: “PART 1 Key Concepts: Underlying Structures of Culture”.
INTERCULTURAL PRESS,INC
The members of these two opposing traditions may experience differences in
almost every circumstance and relationship.
Naturally, there are certain individual variances within each culture regarding the
necessity of contexting—the procedure of adding background information. But
since everyone is affected by the degree of context, it is useful to know if a certain
nation's culture is on the high or low end of the spectrum.
Contextualization serves a variety of purposes. Any change in context level, for
instance, is communication. The shift might indicate a warming of the connection
by moving up the scale or, conversely, it can go down the scale (reducing the
context), conveying coldness or displeasure—signaling that something is amiss
with the relationship. When a supervisor in the US switches from a low-context,
formal manner of address to a high-context, familiar form, the assistant may sense
his irritation. When this occurs, the superior is making it clear to the subordinate
that she or he has crossed the line and lost favor. In Japan, daily input on how
things are going comes from how the context is moving. The formal forms of
salutation and honorifics used with each name signal the beginning of the day. As
the day goes on, honorifics are progressively omitted if things are going well.
Americans' contrived effort at high-context first-naming tends to anger Europeans,
who believe that using first names is only appropriate for close friends and
relatives. When speaking to Europeans, it is always advisable to use a formal
manner of addressing and wait for them to signal when intimacy is appropriate.

Many Anglo-Americans (particularly those of northern European origin) have low

context and lack vast well-developed knowledge networks, just like their close
relatives the Germans. When compared to networks in France, Spain, Italy, and
2
https://www.leadlikeapro.org/post/low-context-and-high-context-cultures-how-to-deal-with-them-in-business
Japan, American networks are smaller in size and less developed. This means that
if Americans are asked to make a decision or take action, unless they are really
uneducated, they will feel the need for contexting and thorough background
knowledge. The American way of life is very compartmentalized and focuses on
distinct facts; before making a commitment, Americans need to know what will be
in each compartment. When we were requested in Japan on short notice to submit
names of prominent Americans and Japanese to participate in small seminars, we
had this experience. Like the majority of responsible Americans, we held off
giving names until we understood the purpose of the conference and what the
people we were recommending were expected to do. This made sense to us and
appeared sensible. However, the Japanese colleagues and friends in charge of the
meeting mistook our hesitation for obstructionism. In Japan, the organization and
its activities are given power and significance by the sheer attendance of particular
people, which is considerably more significant than the conference's content.
Attendance at events is as much a function of the status attached to the function as
anything else, which is indicative of high-context, high-information cultures. As a
result, invites to important meetings and conferences will frequently be sent out at
the last minute. It is assumed that if the meeting is significant enough, people
invited will cancel all prior plans. The agenda, the length of time since the
commitment was made, and the applicability of various persons' knowledge to the
agenda are generally more important to Americans.
Consider a top American CEO sitting in an office and getting a regular quota of
visitors—typically one at a time—as another illustration of the differences between
how high- and low-context systems operate. The few individuals the executive
interacts with during the day and what they read provide the majority of the
knowledge that is pertinent to their work. This is why the advisers and support staff
that the president of the United States and the presidents of American corporations
are surrounded by are so crucial. The information flowing from the organization to
the chief executive is in their and their alone control.

Compare this to an executive's office in a high-context nation like France or Japan,

where information is openly shared and comes from all directions. Information
collection, processing, and dissemination are at the core of the organization's shape
and function, which is why individuals are continually coming and leaving and
seeking and providing information. Everyone remains up to date on every part of
the business and is aware of who is most knowledgeable about certain topics.

3
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-
CheQ6umOv30%2FUTPMi_SudbI%2FAAAAAAAABek%2FFiBPO4mphGE%2Fs1600%2FLow-Context%2Band
%2BHigh-Context%2BCultures.png&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Frobsegers.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F03%2Flow-
context-and-high-context-
cultures.html&tbnid=9CuMlwQSB7h6FM&vet=12ahUKEwiKwvbIwZn6AhXStYsKHZ1VDKEQMygBegUIARCvAQ..i&do
cid=EzMbcPhJWvyr9M&w=976&h=792&q=high-context%20and%20low-context
%20cultures&ved=2ahUKEwiKwvbIwZn6AhXStYsKHZ1VDKEQMygBegUIARCvAQ
 Nearly everything in Germany is low-context and compartmentalized. The
executive office serves as both a haven for the boss away from the interruptions of
regular office interactions and a haven for the staff away from constant monitoring.
The exact opposite of the high information culture is practiced in the workplace,
where knowledge is only shared with a small group of people.
When low-context people persist on providing high-context people the knowledge
they don't need, high-context people are likely to get frustrated and annoyed. In
contrast, when high-context individuals don't disclose enough details, low-context
people are left in the dark. Finding the right degree of context that is required in
each scenario is one of the biggest communication issues we face in life. People
who receive too much knowledge may feel patronized, while those who receive too
little information may become confused or isolated. In their own country, people
often make these modifications automatically, but in other nations, their messages
frequently fail to reach their intended audience.
The seeming paradox that high-context individuals, like the French, desire to see
everything while evaluating an enterprise to which they have not been contexted is
the flip side of the context level equation. Tax returns or annual reports are
insufficient. Additionally, they will persist in their inquiries until they have the
responses they need. Due to their great context awareness, the French are
compelled to synthesize the meanings of the figures on their own. They are uneasy
with someone else's synthesis and "bottom line," unlike Americans.
 www.study.com
Low context cultures are ones in which information is conveyed in a
straightforward, plain, and exact manner. Their speech's primary body contains
explicit information, direct communication, logic, and analytical thinking.
Relationships are not seen in low-context societies as being crucial to identity.
People in low-context societies perceive their relationships as being considerably
looser and more nimbly formed boundaries between networks of people.
High-context cultures focus significantly on context and use implicit methods of
communication. For example, in many high-context cultures body language,
speech tone, socioeconomic class, family situation, and implicit cues take the main
place in the speech.
High-context cultures emphasize implicit communication and strongly rely on
context. Low-context societies, on the other hand, rely on explicit verbal
communication. High-context cultures encourage interpersonal interactions, are
collectivist, and have people who create enduring, committed bonds with one
another.

4
Study.com “High Context Culture Definition & Examples”
https://study.com/learn/lesson/high-context-culture-definition-
examples.html#:~:text=High%2Dcontext%20cultures%20are%20those%20that
%20communicate%20in%20ways%20that,that%20form%20stable%2C%20close
%20relationships.
 References:
1. Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall. UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES: “PART 1 Key Concepts: Underlying Structures of
Culture”. INTERCULTURAL PRESS,INC ( pages 6 – 9)
2. Wikipedia.org “High-context and low-context cultures”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-context_and_low-
context_cultures#:~:text=In%20low%2Dcontext%20cultures%2C
%20relationships,people%20are%20more%20flexibly%20drawn.
3. Hall, Edward, T. Beyond Culture. Anchor Books (December 7, 1976). ISBN
978-0385124744
4. Samovar, Larry A. and Richard E. Porter. Communication Between
Cultures. 5th Ed. Thompson and Wadsworth, 2004. ISBN 0-534-56929-3
5. Study.com “High Context Culture Definition & Examples”
https://study.com/learn/lesson/high-context-culture-definition-
examples.html#:~:text=High%2Dcontext%20cultures%20are%20those
%20that%20communicate%20in%20ways%20that,that%20form%20stable
%2C%20close%20relationships.
6. Anna Lewis “Low-context and high context cultures. How to deal with them
in business”. https://www.leadlikeapro.org/post/low-context-and-high-
context-cultures-how-to-deal-with-them-in-business . Leadlikeapro.org 2019
7. Rob Sergers “Low-Context and High-Context Cultures”.
http://robsegers.blogspot.com/2013/03/low-context-and-high-context-
cultures.html Robsegers.blogspot.com 2013