Session 2: Culture and Communication

The objectives of this session are:

• To understand the complexity of culture and the implications of cultural misunderstanding
• To discuss the impact of non-verbal behaviour
• To discuss culture shock and related issues
• To introduce a variety of methods you can use to discuss culture with your learner

Culture and Communication

What is Culture?

When we think of culture, we often think about the tangible aspects of culture - traditional dancing, food and music.

However, culture is much more complex. One commonly used analogy is to think of culture as an iceberg. The tip of the iceberg, or what we can see, consists of language, food and clothing. However, it is the rest of the iceberg, submerged under water and more difficult to see, which plays a much more significant role. Learning to communicate well across cultures means having the ability to discover what is hidden - the communication style, beliefs, attitudes and values of other cultures.

"Culture is a system of behaviors and beliefs. These belief systems make some things more permissible under certain circumstances but nearly prohibited in others. These cultural patterns may vary from country to country and even from area to area. What may be normal or acceptable in one part of the world may be frowned upon in another. In many societies, there is a generally accepted dominant culture to which many people subscribe in various ways. Yet there are often various subcultures that reflect behavioral patterns and attitudes that may be significantly different than that of the dominant culture. Culture reaches all aspects of language and communication." ¹

What is Communication?

When communicating with your learner, not only will you be speaking, listening, reading and writing together, you will be communicating through your non-verbal behavior as well. Non-verbal communication varies from culture to culture. Based on the book,

BODYTALK: The meaning of Human Gestures ² , the meaning of a single movement can mean a variety of different things.

The chin flick can mean "no" (in Italy), aggressive disinterest (in Northern Europe), disbelief (in Greece) or "I don't know" (in Portugal).

The chin flick is an action where the backs of the fingers on one hand are brushed under the chin either once or several times.

Palms pressed together can signify a prayer, a greeting (in India), thank you (in Asia) or an apology.

Biting the forefinger can signify "I am angry" (when biting the knuckle in Italy), "I am sorry" (when biting the middle joint in Saudi Arabia) or "lucky" when the finger is placed sideways in the mouth (in Lebanon and Syria).

¹ Ruth Johnson Colvin, I Speak English (Syracuse, New York: New Readers Press, 1997), p. 15. Used by permission.
²Desmond Morris, BODYTALK: The meaning of Human Gestures (New York: Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1994.)