Verbal communication and intercultural competence

ST PAUL’S UNIVERSITY NAIROBI CAMPUS,

DAY PROGRAMME,

COM 210,

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION,

SUBMITTED TO LECTURER; LOISE MACHARIA,

GROUP WORK; VERBAL COMMUNICATION AND INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE,

BACS/NRB/1286/17

BACS/NRB/1352/17

DATE; 13/06/2017.

INTRODUCTION,

Culture refers to a socially transmitted behavior, belief, art and all other intellectual work common to a community. Culture has been dynamic over the years due to changes brought about by technology, borrowing from the westerners in the case of Africans and adapting as well as adopting with time. Communicating verbally or non-verbally is a part of culture hence it would be true to say that communication influences culture and vice versa. This paper will act as an eye opener to what is referred to as verbal communication, its components and relation towards what intercultural competence is to an individual and groups in the society. The main agenda will be to distinguish between the two and using several byspels, explain how the two inter-marry one another.

              VERBAL COMMUNICATION,

Verbal communication is an aspect of language that involves speaking and writing. Communicating verbally is inter-twined with the language and culture of certain individuals we have come across and the reason would be that language spoken is a means through which people communicate to express attitude and belief. Communication cannot exist without language since they are instruments used to reflect culture of a people and it is this ability that makes man superior and enables him to evolve into a higher complex system of communicating. Samovar, porter, M.C. Daniel (2012).

Language and communication represent and individual’s symbolic organization of the world. Both written and oral languages are shaped by culture and in-turn they shape the organization of individuals who share rules for production and interpretation of behavior. As one grows up in a contemporary society, we each learn to speak the language of those around. We learn it phonological, semantic and its syntactical systems. The verbal messages we speak rely on the rules of grammar DeVito (2006), since we can’t just assume, make up words and expect them to be understood by those we are communicating to, however the rules of grammar are not enough to achieve effective verbal communication competence in other cultures as well as our own and it is for this reason that we must first learn and understand, the key principles of verbal communication.

When we want to know the meaning of a word, we turn to the dictionary but if we want to know what ‘Henry’ defines as right and wrong, we will have to ask him and in such situations, we find out that meanings are in people and not words and often as it occurs, we change meanings we created out of past events although the messages we sent might not change. This is important when it comes to intercultural communication since meanings of words are often different to members of other cultures.

Another key principle in verbal communication is the context that one is in. The word ‘Aloha’ we use when we meet with our friends along the streets is different when we visit a friend or grandparents. This would indicate that verbal communication exists in certain specific context which defines meaning and behavior one would attach to a certain verbal gesture. Another example is in culture, which a particular individual belongs to because within it, meanings are attached to what members of that culture hold important and sacred. DeVito (2006), critical thinking theorists refer to ‘conceptual distortion’, that is mental mistakes, misunderstandings or reasoning fallacies as key concerns when it comes to using verbal messages effectively. In order to avoid such, a verbal communicator must understand that,

1.      Language symbolizes reality but its not reality itself.

2.      Language can also make it easy to focus on extremes rather than on the vast middle ground.

3.      When it comes to language, it changes very slowly especially when compared to dynamism in people and things.

4.      Language has the ability to express both facts and distinctions.

The Sapir/Whorf hypothesis claims that language determines thought hence if people of a culture do not speak about something, they will have few thoughts about the topic or subject in question. A good example would be ‘snow’, the natives of northern Kenya are not acquainted with such a word nor do they know of its’ existence. In this case members of this community would rarely speak or mention such a word as oppose to the scorching sun which is ever present. From Sapir/Whorf hypothesis DeVito (2006), language influences thought and thought influences culture.

A high context culture e.g. Japan that uses indirect language are sensitive to situational factors preferring to observe those factors rather than comment on one another hence members of such a culture are likely to attribute one’s behavior and verbal messages to factors related to the situation rather than personality.

On the other hand, a low-context culture that uses very direct language would express disagreements directly and clearly, e.g. “I don’t think you understand what I am saying”. In a low culture context the above statement would most likely be expressed as rude but in a multi-cultural society, it would be important for one to realize that language is “straight forward”. Communicating competently requires that you understand the many uses of language and how to adapt to various communication situations. O’Hair, Friedrich, Wiemann (1997).

INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

In order to understand intercultural competence, we must first cross the bridge of intercultural communication which is a term used to refer to communication between persons of different cultural beliefs, values or ways of behavior. All messages originate from within a specific and unique cultural context which influence the content and form one’s communication.

When people from a certain culture rely on television and newspapers for credible information, others prefer face to face interpersonal interactions. In order to achieve intercultural competence, one has to pass through improving their knowledge and skills on intercultural communication. There are several key factors that make intercultural communication effective hence achieving intercultural competence.

Recognizing and reducing Ethnocentrism,

This happens to be the tendency of an individual to see other people’s behaviors through his or her own cultural filters, Chung and Ting Toomey (1999). These individuals evaluate the beliefs, values and behaviors of their own culture as superior, logical and natural than other cultures DeVito (2006). This leads to viewing other cultures as inferior and may foster an unwillingness to profit from the other cultures and their contributions.

 Confront your stereotypes,

Originally the term stereotype was used in printing to refer to a plate that printed the same image over and over again hence a sociological stereotype is defined as a fixed impression of a group of people. Each and every person has an attitudinal stereotype of a group of people, religious, political, racial and even criminals. Given that it helps provide one with orientation, it would create problems where one would fail to help the innocent who need assistance and secondly, ignorance of an individual’s unique characteristics hence failing to benefit from each contribution a person may bring about.

Be Mindful,

This is advisable as it generally helps in intercultural communication since when one is in a mindless state, they behave based on assumption, impossible to pass intellectual scrutiny, Burgan, Berger and Waldon (2000). For example, you are well aware that Malaria is not contagious but you still avoid coming into contact with Malaria patients. When discrepancies between behaviors and available evidence are pointed out, one quickly realizes that these behaviors are illogical and unrealistic.

Face your Fears,

People fear for their safety, self-esteem and treatment from members of other cultures and how they may view their perspective, beliefs and even values. One may also fear being fun of by members of his own cultural background or even restrictions to mingle with those who are culturally different. These fears can easily create sufficient anxiety to make some people give up. Stephan (1985).

Recognize Differences,

When we assume all people are similar and ignore the differences between us and culturally different persons, we fail at being inter-culturally competent especially in the area of values, attitudes and beliefs. When we assume similarities and ignore all the differences, we simply communicate that everything we do is right and better than other culturally different persons and this results into confusion and misunderstanding. Not all Africans think and act alike.

Avoid Over Attribution,

This is the tendency to attribute too much of a person’s behavior to one of their characteristics which appears in two way inter-culturally. First is the ability to see too much of who a person believes or does as caused by their cultural identification. Second would be to see a person or a particular individual as a spokesperson for their culture. Just because a person is an African does not mean they know the entire African culture and way of thinking.

Recognize Difference in Meaning,

In the case of inter-cultural communication, meaning does not exist in the words we use but the person using the words. For example the word Man has different meaning used in the African context as opposed to that of the American context.

Avoid Evaluating Differences Negatively,

Be careful not to evaluate everything you perceive as negative. This will avoid falling into the trap of seeing your own culture as superior to the rest. One should strive to view variations not different but equal since we all learn our behaviors from our cultures.

Recognize that culture shock is Normal,

This term refers to the psychological reaction you experience being in a culture different from your own. Furnham and Bochner (1986). It can be unpleasant and frustrating which leads to permanently negative attitude toward this new culture. Culture shock is brought about by lack of knowledge of rules and customs of the new society which distorts one from communicating effectively. Culture shock is also possible in one’s culture when one has been away in a foreign culture for a long period a situation we would refer to as reverse culture shock. Jandt (2000).

Avoid Violating Cultural Rules and Customs,

Each culture having its own rules and customs. Identify what is appropriate and inappropriate. For example in some cultures, people avoid direct eye contact as a show of respect and in some cultures it would be a show of lack of interest. In the Mediterranean culture, it is considered appropriate for Men to walk arm in arm as opposed to different culture where this would be considered inappropriate.

These are some of the basic components that would sharpen one’s ability towards behaving socially appropriately and effectively in any particular context.

CONCLUSION,

To achieve competent communication in respect to all areas of life, we must work hard and be cautious of what we say and do because we each belong to different cultures and none of us was born with the right skill and knowledge required by every culture hence it calls for us to understand the cultures we come across and learn from them what we do not know and what we know from their perspective and worldview.  

                                                               REFERENCES;

Hair, O.D, Friedrich, W.G, Wiemann, M.J, Wiemann, O.M, competent communication,1997, 2^nd edition, USA, New York, St Martin’s press incorporated.

Devito, A.J, 2006, 10^th edition, Human communication, USA, Pearson education incorporated.

Samovar, A.L, Porter, E.R, McDaniel, R.E, 2012. 13^th edition, Intercultural communication, USA, Library of congress international.

Burgoon, J.K., Berger, C.R., & Waldron, V.R., 2000. Mindfulnessand interpersonal communication. Journal of social issues, 56, 105-127.

Chung, L. C., & Ting-Toomey, S. 1999. Ethnic identity and relational expectations among Asians Americans. Communication research reports, 16(spring), 157-166.

Furnham, A., & Bochner, S. 1986. Culture shock: psychological reactions to unfamiliar environments. New York: Methuen.

Jandt, F. E. 2004. Intercultural communication 4^th edition., Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Stephan, W. G., & Stephan, C. W. 1985. Intergroup anxiety. Journal of social issues, 41, 157-175.