Culture-and-Verbal-Communication

CompanyLOGO“YES”and“NO”CultureandVerbalCommunication--VerbalCommunicationACaseCase:anAmericanbusinessmanreviewinganimportantcontractwithhisJapanesecounterpart.A:we’vegottoworktogether.J:Hi.A:we’regongtotryfora50-50partnership.J:Hi.A:wewilluseAmericanknow-howandaJapaneseworkforce.J:Hi.ExplainUnderstandingoftheculturaldifferences:Afterthisexchange,theAmericanexecutivemightverywellassumehehasahardandfastagreement,butontheJapanesepart,noagreementwasreached.WhentheJapanesesays“Hi”,hesimplytellingthemanacrossthetablethathehearswhatheissaying.TheJapanesearesupremeteamplayers,andonebusinessmanwouldnevermakeanagreementwithoutfirstconsultingothermembersofhisteam.WhyDirectandIndirectVerbalInteractionStylesPerson-OrientedandStatus-OrientedVerbalStylesSelf-Enhancement(凸显自我)andSelf-Effacement(隐匿自我)VerbalStylesDifferentCross-CulturalVerbalCommunicationStylesYesandNoHowtoexpressyesandnoHowtounderstandyesandnoWaysofExpressing“No”BeingsilentorshowingalackofenthusiasmOfferinganalternative.Postponement.Puttingtheresponsibilityonathirdpartyorsomethingoutofcontrol.Avoidance.Generalacceptanceofanofferbutgivingnodetails.DivertinganddistractingDirectIndirectDirectVerbalInteractionStylesinthedirectverbalstyle,statementsclearlyrevealthespeaker’sintentionsstatementsareenunciated(阐述)inaforthright(直截了当的)toneofvoice“saywhatyoumean”“don’tbeataroundthebush”“gettothepoint”IndirectVerbalInteractionStylesintheindirectverbalstyle,statementstendtocamouflage(隐蔽)thespeaker’sactualintentionsstatementsarecarriedoutwithmorenuanced(有细微差异的)toneofvoiceA：We’regoingtoMexicothisweekend.B：Whatfun!Iwishweweregoingwithyou.Howlongaregoingtobethere?A：Threedays.(Ihopeshe’lloffermearidetotheairport.)B：(Shemaywantmetogiveheraride.)Doyouneedaridetotheairport?I’lltakeyou.A：Areyousureit’snottoomuchtrouble?B：It’snotroubleatall.ThefollowingisadialoguebetweenChinesespeakersA：We’regoingtoMexicothisweekend.B：Whatfun!Iwishweweregoingwithyou.Howlongaregoingtobethere?A：Threedays.(Ihopeshe’lloffermearidetotheairport.)B：(Ifshewantsaride,she’llaskme.)Haveagreattime.A：(Ifshehadwantedtogivemearide,shewouldhaveofferedit.I’dbetterasksomebodyelse.)Thanks.I’llseeyouwhenIgetback.ThefollowingisadialoguebetweenaChinesespeakerandaU.S.Americanhearer.Person-OrientedStatus-OrientedPerson-OrientedVerbalStylesItemphasizestheimportanceofinformality,rolesuspension,respectinguniqueandpersonalidentities.Low-contextcultureslikeU.S.Americanstendtousethiskindofverbalstyle.Status-OrientedVerbalStylesItemphasizestheimportanceofformality,largepowerdistanceandhonoringprescribed(规定的)power-basedmembershipidentities.Japanesetendtouseit.Itusesinparent-childinteraction,superior-subordinaterelations,andmale-femaleinteractioninmanyLatinAmericancultures.parent-childinteractionmale-femaleinteractionsuperior-subordinaterelationsSelf-EnhancementSelf-EffacementSelf-EnhancementVerbalStylesItemphasizestheimportanceofboastingaboutone’saccomplishmentsandabilities.InperformancerevieworjobinterviewsessionsAnAmericanadmightbegin,“Ahandsome,athleticmalewithagoodsenseofhumorseeksafun-lovingpartner…”WhileinJapan,theytendtosay,“AlthoughIamnotverygoodlooking,I’mwillingtotrymybesttoworkhard…”Self-EffacementVerbalStylesItemphasizestheimportanceofhumblingoneself,concerningone’seffortorperformance,through:verbalrestraintshesitationsmodesttalktheuseofself-deprecation(贬低自我)thereareexpressionsforverbalhumility:It’snotverytasty.It’snothingspecial.Thereisnothingspecialtoofferyou.AlthoughIamnotverygoodlooking,I’mwillingtotrymybesttoworkhard.InArab,ifapersonsaysexactlywhatheorshemeanswithouttheexpectedassertion,otherArabsmaystillthinkthatheorshemeanstheopposite.Inaword,thetoneofvoice,thespeaker’sintention,andtheverbalcontentreflectourwayofspeaking,ourverbalstyle,whichinturnreflectsourculturalandpersonalvaluesandsentiments.SummaryHowtoexpressyesandnoHowtounderstandyesandnoDirectandIndirectVerbalInteractionStylesPerson-OrientedandStatus-OrientedVerbalStylesSelf-Enhancement(凸显自我)andSelf-Effacement(隐匿自我)VerbalStylesDifferentCross-CulturalVerbalCommunicationStylesCompanyLOGOAdifferentlanguageisadifferentviewoflifeandthought!