Cross-cultural and intercultural communication

1. Cross-cultural and intercultural communication: key terms and definitions

Tatiana Smirnova, PhD in Linguistics, Paris Sorbonne, Paris IV
Associate Professor, VolgaTech, Mari El

2. Module Objectives

Understand what involves cross-cultural and intercultural communication, be aware
of its boundaries, theories and key terms
Make a distinction between cross-cultural and
intercultural communication. Define the place
of cross-cultural communication in the
“network” of sciences
Be aware of the difference between low and
high context communication
Understand the main dimension of cultural
variability
Know the principle of monochronic and
polychronic time in the theory of CCC
See the difference between horizontal and
vertical cultures
Primary sources of cross-cultural
miscommunication

3. 1. Definitions & ICC on the crossroads of sciences

1. Definitions & ICC on the crossroads of sciences
Distinction between Cross-cultural and Intercultural communication
(William B. Gudykunst, 2003)
Intercultural communication
Involves face-to face communication between people
from different national cultures
Cross-cultural
communication
Is comparison of face-to-face communication across
cultures
Interculturality is a phenomenon that is not only interactionally and socially
constructed in the course of communication but also relies on relatively definable
cultural models and norms that represent the speech communities to which the
interlocutors belong.
Intercultural communication
Intercultural pragmatics, discourse analysis, cross-cultural
psychology, applied linguistics

4. 2. Cultural variability and its major dimensions

Individualism-collectivism is the major dimension of cultural
variability used to explain differences and similarities in
communication across cultures
Individualism-collectivism exists
• At cultural level
• At the individual level

5. 60/40 Layout

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6. 3. Horizontal and vertical cultures

Triandis, 1995, argues that individualistic
and
collectivistic
cultures
can
differ
whether relations among individuals in
the culture are horizontal or vertical.

7. 4. Low and high context communication

Gudykunst and Ting Toomey (1988) :
Low-context communication
predominates in individualistic and
high-context communication
predominates in collectivistic cultures

8.

5. Polychronic and monochronic time cultures.
Polychronic time
Polychronic cultures = multiple things at
the same time,
They change plans often and easily but
have a tendency to build lifetime
relationships.
Monochronic time
If you live in the United States, Canada, or
Northern Europe, you live in a monochronic
It is blocked into the allotments
culture. If you live in Latin America, the Arab
Monochronic cultures = one thing at a time
part of the Middle East, or sub-Sahara
They do not value interruptions.
Africa, you live in a polychronic culture.
They take time commitments very seriously.

9. 6 primary sources of cross-cultural miscommunication

LaRay Barna (1997) has identified 6 primary sources of CC miscommunication
Assumption of similarities
Preconceptions and
stereotypes
Language differences
Tendency to evaluate
Nonverbal
misinterpretations
High anxiety

10.

The problem with
communication … is the
illusion that it has been
accomplished
George Bernard Shaw

11. Congratulations!

Be aware of your own biases, practice
flexibility, assume positive intentions …
and you will be on the top!