Intercultural Communication Study Guide

L. Mukaro and P.E.T. Takavarasha

1. Judging ICC Competence – rubrics
Intercultural communication competence is the ability to communicate effectively and
appropriately in various cultural contexts. It involves a range of skills, attitudes, and
knowledge that can help people to understand, appreciate, and interact with people
from different cultures. What should one look for when judging IC competence?
 Language skill
 Social skill (etiquette, social grace)
 Cultural knowledge (awareness, sensitivity)
 Motivation
 Emotion
 Negotiation skill

2. Cultural sensitivity
Working together consider the following scenario and discuss the issues that arise. An
English student nurse reported that she felt isolated and ‘left out’ whilst on placement.
This was because the majority of staff and students were of African descent. She said
that they often spoke in their own language, and when she approached the office
where they were, she felt that she was not welcomed as they either continued talking
or laughed and ignored her. As she could not understand she assumed this was about
her. They would also often share their food and not include her. She felt sad and hurt
by this, and wanted to be a part of the team, but did not know how.
Discuss in your group the following questions:
 What are the main factors causing the student to feel isolated?
 If you were this student, how might you address this problem with the team?
 What actions can the team make to ensure they include all members of the
team regardless of culture?

3. Communication Styles:

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Detached Communication Style: Communication “should” be calm and impersonal.
Objectivity is valued. Emotionally expressive communication is seen as immature or
biased.
Attached Communication Style: Expression of feelings is an important and necessary
part of communication. Subjectivity is valued. Objectivity can be seen as “not caring.”
Intuitive Communication Style: Communication of global concepts or ideas is valued.
There is frequent use of metaphor and expression of abstract ideas. May appear to
others to deviate from the topic but intuitive communicators see the connection.
 Describe the three communication styles using the following descriptions.
 Ask people how those who use each style might perceive people using the
other styles.
 Which one of these styles should be used in; academia, lobola, business,
political rally. Justify your opinion.

4. Chinese ting ‘to listen’

 Explain the origins of the Chinese word TING meaning “to listen.” In order to
listen effectively, you need to use:
o Your ear to literally hear the words
o Your mind to understand the words

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 o Your eye to observe nonverbal messages
o Your heart to understand the feelings of the speaker
 Explain that in order to genuinely communicate with another person, it is
important to listen with all four senses.
5. Communication Model and Culture
Describe the communication model outlining all the components. For each component,
explain how we cannot exclude culture as we communicate.
 Think context, expectations (by who?), possibilities, meaning differences, etc.
6. IC in negotiation
What will be the use of IC knowledge before, during and after negotiation? (Negotiation
is defined as a process of giving and taking in pursuit of reaching common
ground/agreement).
 Analyse treatment of time, NVC, language, dress, gender, class, age, beliefs,
religion, level of context, prejudices and stereotypes, etc.
7. Cultural Resources
Cultural resources are the materials, artifacts, symbols, and expressions that reflect
the values, beliefs, and practices of a particular culture. They can be used to enhance
intercultural communication by providing insights, understanding, and appreciation of
different cultural perspectives. (Read Holliday, Hyde and Kullman (2004: 10ff) and
outline the cultural resources that are available in your community).
 What is it that is at one’s disposal to express their culture?
 How does it affect communication with other cultural groups?
 Language, Literature, media, Dress, Food, Ethnicity, Beliefs, Values, Religion,
etc.
8. Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is an important aspect of intercultural communication, as it
can convey meanings that are not expressed verbally. Nonverbal communication
includes body posture, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, touch, body distance,
etc. Different cultures may have different norms and expectations for nonverbal
behavior, which can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts if not handled properly.
 What are the meanings of the various NVC codes?
 Why is it important to know NVC codes and their meanings?
9. IC and tourism

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Tourism is a broad term that covers the activities of people who travel to and stay in
places outside their usual environment for various purposes, such as leisure,
business, education, or health. Tourism is also a major economic and social
phenomenon that affects the lives of millions of people around the world. Tourism has
many benefits, such as creating jobs, generating income, promoting cultural
exchange, and preserving natural and cultural heritage. However, tourism also has
some challenges, such as environmental degradation, cultural erosion, social
conflicts, and ethical issues.
 Host-destination situations
 Sources of conflict
 How to overcome barriers
10. IC and Technology
In what ways, if any, do you think globalization of media, especially social media like
Facebook, is influencing your culture?

 Does it influence all cultures equally?

 Why or why not?

 What are some of the challenges faced by social media users in

communication?
11. Otherisation (Holliday, Hyde and Kullman (2004: 21ff)
Otherisation in intercultural communication is a term that refers to the process of
constructing and reinforcing a sense of difference and distance between oneself and
others who are perceived as culturally different. Otherisation can have negative
consequences for intercultural communication, such as stereotyping, prejudice,
discrimination, and conflict.
 What is othering in IC?
 How does it come about?
 Why is it a problem?
 How can it be reduced?
12. Barriers to IC
Intercultural communication is the process of exchanging messages and meanings
across cultural boundaries. It can be challenging and rewarding, but also fraught with
barriers that may hinder effective communication.
 What some of the common barriers?
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 How can they be overcome?
13. Why do we study Intercultural communication?
 Improved Understanding: It helps in understanding different cultural
perspectives and practices, which can enhance efficiency, respect, and
collaboration.
 Increased Diversity and Inclusion: It promotes diversity and inclusion in the
workplace, leading to more creativity, innovation, and productivity.
 Effective Cross-Cultural Teams: It enables the formation of effective cross-
cultural teams that can leverage the strengths and skills of different members
and overcome potential conflicts and challenges.
 Avoiding Misunderstandings: It helps in avoiding misunderstandings that can
cause confusion, frustration, or even damage to relationships and reputation.
 Self-Awareness: It fosters self-awareness, enabling us to identify how our
culture has shaped our own communication and understand how others from
different cultures communicate.
 Global Understanding: As our world becomes more interconnected, the ability
to communicate effectively across cultures has become even more important.
14. Imperatives
 Technological
 Globalisation
 Economy
 Peace
 Self-awareness
 Ethics