EVALUATING MESSAGES AND

IMAGES OF DIFFERENT TYPE

OF TEXTS
•THE STYLE OF MANNER OF HOW PEOPLE SPEAK VARIES FROM EACH CULTURE. EVEN SPEAKERS
OF THE SAME LANGUAGE PROVIDE A SENSE OF STYLE IN SPEAKING THEIR LINGUA FRANCA.

•THIS EXPLAIN WHY THESE VARIATIONS ARE ILLUSTRATED IN THE HIGH-AND-LOW-TEXT CULTURES.

•INDUVIDUALS IN HIGH CONTEXT CULTURES RELY IN NONVERBAL SYMBOLS TO COMMUNICATION.

PREFERRED, OBLIGATED, OR PROHIBITED ARE SPEECH TYPES IN THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF
COMMUNICATION.

•”AS THE SOCIAL CONTEXT VARIES, THE SPEAKERS OF THE LANGUAGE WILL GENERATE DIFFERENT
KINDS OF SPEECH, EVEN THEY SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE.

•THE SOCIAL SYSTEMS DELIMITS THE SPEAKER’S OPTIONS IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE USE. THE
SPEECH CODES, THEN, ARE NOT DEFINED INTERMS OF LEXICON OR SYNTAX, BUT BY THE SOCIAL
STRUCTURE OF THE CULTURE”
(NEULIEP, 2006).
 CODE TYPES
 Restricted-elaborated codes
A restricted code the intentions of a speaker are verbally unelaborated.
Speech is normally conducted rapidly and fluently, often with few articulatory
clues to the context of the message.
The restricted code is less formal with shorter phrases interjected into the
middle or end of a thought to confirm understanding.
For example, “you know”, “you know what I mean”, “right?” and “don't
you think?” Elaborated codes have a longer, more complicated sentence
structure that uses uncommon words and thoughts.
 An elaborated code a style of language use associated with formal situations and
characterized by explicitness, lack of dependence on the external context, syntactic
complexity, and individuality of expression.
 A message in an elaborated code carries all information needed to understand it within
the message itself. Thus, elaborated codes are relatively context free.
 elaborated code, the speaker will select from a relatively extensive range of alternatives
 An elaborated code, where prediction is much less possible at the syntactic level, is likely
to arise in a social relationship which raises the tension in its members to select from
their linguistic resources a verbal arrangement which closely fits specific referents … The
preparation and delivery of relatively explicit meaning is the major function of this code.
The code will facilitate the verbal transmission and elaboration of the individual’s unique
experience
PEOPLE ASSERT SELF-FACE NEEDS IN THE DIRECT STYLE (LOW-
CONTEXT, INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURE) WHERE MESSAGES DEFINITELY
EXPRESS THE INDIVIDUAL’S DESIRES AND NEEDS. THE INTENTIONS OF
THE SPEAKER IN A INDIRECT STYLES (HIGH- CONTEXT,
COLLECTIVISTIC CULTURE) ARE HIDDEN OR HINTED IN THE COURSE
OF THE CONVERSATIONS.

BEING UNCLEAR AND THE NEED NOT TO ARTICULATE EACH MESSAGE

IS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF INDIRECT STYLE OF COMMUNICATION. IT
ALSO FORESTALLS EMBARRASSING MOMENTS THAT MAY PUT THE
SPEAKER TO SHAME.
 The United States, England, Australia, Germany, Israel and other countries favor the direct
style of communication. Phrases for sure", "no question", "without a doubt" can be heard in
American conversations since they value self-expression and verbal acuity. Thus, they allow
to "speak their mind" like they declare to other speakers that will use the restroom. Meanwhile
Israel is a direct culture since the communication flow is simple, direct, and honest. It seems it
becomes "in your face customary for Israelites during interaction. Germans evade small talk
and so their conversations are marked with frankness and directness.
 Asian cultures too use the indirect style during communication since "saving face and
harmony" are valued in keeping social relationships. For instance, Japanese limit themselves
the use of "maybe" and "perhaps". Japanese kids are taught not to be self-centered and
Japanese mothers employ questions that are rhetorical and a tone to convey disapproval.
Neuliep (2006) notes, "To the Japanese, being understood without words is far more
cherished than precise articulation".
Elaborate, Exacting, and Succinct Styles

 Elaborate, Exacting, and Succinct Styles

 Elaborate style uses flashy and enhance language while exacting style is
direct to the point, speaking what is needed during a conversation. On the
other hand, succinct style prefers "concise statements, understatements,
and even silence". This summarizes that these styles involve quantity and
volume of talk. In many Arab, Middle Eastern, and Afro- American cultures
where elaborate style of communication is favored, the use of metaphors,
similes, and adjectives can be noticed in their daily talk. Exaggerated and
spontaneous style of speaking is seen among African-Americans. Using
succinct style such as having a concise talk and silence is found among
Japanese, Chinese and some Native Americans.
 The Chinese interprets silence as a gateway of maintaining social measure
and hence they do not value verbal skills. For them talking is "immoral" and
the prolific speakers are viewed as "flattering mouths", "oil-mouths", or
"honey-mouths". Also children are cautious on what they will say.
 A PERSONAL STYLE
A personal style uses first-person pronouns during conversations that
emphasize informality and balance in relationships in individualistic cultures.
This can be seen in English where the second person has only one form "you".
This means that whoever the status of the speaker is talking to whether high,
equal or low status, the form remains in the second person. If one meets the US
President, this individual will say, "It's nice to meet you." The same phrase will
be addressed to a new acquaintance, neighbor and so forth.
A CONCEPTUAL STLYE
 A contextual style tailors the role identity and status of a person. It also controls word
selection and choice specifically personal pronouns. In Thailand for instance, a speaker has
to consider the intimacy level of interacts as well as the situation, to be able to determine the
type of pronoun to use. In here the right form of pronoun is dependent on the context, French
and Germans have common and formal structure of the pronoun "you". Using the regular
form with an unknown interactant will be unsuitable. James Neuliep (2006) expresses,
"Germans are well known for their formality and strict use of titles, even among friends.
German neighbors who have known each other for years still use the title "Herr" when
addressing each other. Koreans and Japanese have two "axes of distinction" - the axis of
address and the axis of reference". The speaker, in the alignment of address cautiously
selects language grounded on the status of the speaker in the conversation. "In English, "to
eat" is "to eat" regardless of with whom one is eating (e.g. a friend, a parent, or the President
of the United States). In Korean, however, there are at least three different ways to say "to
eat" depending on the role of the speakers: muka-da (plain), du-shin-da (polite), and chap-
soo-shin-da (honorific) (Neuliep, 2006).
INSTRUMENTAL AND AFFECTIVE STYLE
The instrumental way of speaking is a sender-based as
well as a goal-outcome based which is often created to
influence and persuade others. The users of instrumental
type express that communication should have a specific goa
and the results can be assessed such as "friends gained
opponent defeated" or other scenarios where self-fulfillment
may be achieved. An example to this is the men in the
United States indulge more in instrumental type compared
to the US women who prefer collaborative and cooperative
discussions.
THE AFFECTIVE KIND OF COMMUNICATION
deals with the receiver and process set-up where the speaker will not mind so
much of the outcome of the conversation but rather the process. The burden lies
on the speaker since this person will be cautious in choosing and organizing the
messages to the other speakers. Thus, affective speakers study the reactions of
other speakers during the communicative event. Since verbal expressions are
embedded subtly, the affective speakers use their intuitive feelings and
nonverbal cues. "The French prefer to establish a mood or a feeling, and a
certain amount of intuition is required on the part of the listener in order to
discover the meaning. Americans like to talk about themselves, the Japanese
talk about each other. The Japanese are very conscious of the other person with
whom they are interacting; it is an interdependent concern unlike the American
concern for independence" (Neuliep, 2006).
CROSS-CULTURAL CONFLICT STYLES
Many aspects arise when speakers of other cultures converse each other.
Conflicts happen when there is incompatibility of ideas, limited or insufficient
resources. "Intercultural conflict involves emotional frustrations or a clash of
expectations based on cultural differences. A person's conflict is based on two
communication dimensions. The first dimension is the degree to which a person
asserts a self- face need; that is, seeks to satisfy his or her own interests during
conflict. The second is the degree to which a person is cooperative (like other-
face need) and seeks to incorporate the interests of the other. The combination
of assertiveness, or self-face need, and cooperativeness, or other-face need,
defines five styles of managing conflict" (Neuliep, 2006).
GESTURES WITH DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS

 Placing the hands on the hips in Mexico is considered a sign of hostility.

 Raising a fist in the air with knuckles shown outward is a declaration of victory in Argentina.
 Pinching the earlobe between the thumb and a forefinger is a demonstration of appreciation in Brazil.
 Holding the palm upward in Chile and then spreading the fingers is a message that someone is stupid.
 Tapping the underside of the elbow with the fingers of the other hand in Columbia means someone is stingy.
 Licking the little finger and brushing it across the eyebrow is telling that someone is homosexual or gay in
Lebanon.
 Showing the sole of the shoe in Saudi Arabia is considered the lowest and dirtiest part of the body.
 Walking behind the men in Egypt is what most women do.
 Winking at children in Nigeria means that they must leave the room.
 Flicking the neck is inviting someone for a drink in Poland.
 Crossing the legs is unfeminine for women in Spain.