To establish optimal relationships between people, the culture of communication is of great importance. Intercultural communication as a particular type of communication involves communication between speakers of different languages and different cultures. The comparison of languages and cultures reveals the general, universal but also specific, national, original, which is due to differences in peoples’ history. It is essential to understand the features of communication present in the interlocutor’s nationality for the conversation to be effective and there are no misunderstandings. Thus, understanding different cultures of communication is an integral part of socialization.
Description of the Interview
To explore the culture of communication, I spoke with my American friend John. I asked my American friend about the contextuality of communication in American culture. Next two questions were about criticism in his culture, and peculiarities of nonverbal communication. Also, I asked him whether there are some body signs that indicate manipulation on the interlocutor and whether he can give some pieces of advice on how to communicate with an American. We talked a lot about contact in his culture and John said that contextuality is usually low in his culture, it is characterized by very open and sincere communication, and not much attention is paid to body language. It is also essential to have a solid attachment to time and to separate work from human relationships. In America, people are accustomed to straightforward and frank conversations. Low contextuality means a more accurate message that is devoid of ambiguity. Representatives of cultures with low contextual culture say what they think, do not apply assumptions, irony, and sarcasm in everyday communication. John said that often his friends paraphrased the same idea several times to understand everything. I told John that in my Vietnamese culture, there is a high context of communication. To understand the intentions of the interlocutor, you need to have good intuition because, in our language, many of the exact words take on different meanings depending on the context.
Moreover, I asked John if Americans use criticism in communication. A friend said that in his culture, interlocutors very rarely criticize each other. Americans are straightforward people, but when it comes to criticism, they soften the negativity very much and avoid such communication. John said that there is a principle that when you have to say something unpleasant to someone in American culture, you have to use the “sandwich” method – say two positive phrases, one negative and, finally, another positive. We also talked to John about the peculiarities of nonverbal communication in his culture. He said that Americans do not trust people who hide their eyes because a deliberate refusal of eye contact is a means of manipulation or lack of interest in the conversation.
What I Learned Via the Interview
I learned via the interview that in cultures with a low context, the interlocutor directly says what he thinks and feels and freely expresses his assessments. Communication is open and direct, without verbal embellishment. Low-context is a culture where a freer network of connections in a social environment and less information prevail. Great importance is attached to words, not the context of the conversation – people often express their thoughts and desires verbally, not assuming that it will be clear from the communication situation. Representatives of cultures with a low context tend to speak directly, openly, calling things by their names, talking about the topic under discussion, and not leaving their thoughts to themselves.
I also learned via the interview that sometimes it is necessary to take the conversation more calmly and avoid criticism because due to cultural peculiarities, the interlocutor can be very offended. In the practice of interaction, several basic gestures reflect the inner state of man. The movement of the hands and body conveys many reports about a person. Facial expressions are essential in the practice of human interaction. The very face of the interlocutor always attracts our attention. Facial expression provides constant feedback: we can judge from it whether a person understands us or not, whether he wants to say something in response. Facial expressions indicate a person’s emotional reactions.
Effective Communication with American
There are several steps I could take to ensure that communication between a person from American culture and me is positive. First of all, in contact with Americans, one should pay attention to the facts because the interlocutors expect specifics. It is also necessary to make specific suggestions because hints and omissions may go unnoticed. American culture is a culture of low context. In communication, it is customary to call things by their names, immediately proceed to the discussion of the case, express their views, and try not to misinterpret them. The main features of cultures with a low context are presenting the essence of the matter in simple language, direct and expressive manner of speech, formalized amount of information, and a small share of non-verbal forms of communication. Consideration of any question by Americans is based on logical reasoning. Reflecting on a particular problem, they move from the general to the individual, referring to specific arguments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the culture of communication is seen as a highly developed ability to communicate in accordance with the norms of a particular nationality. The essential task of culture is to lay the foundations for human identification. A culture is a form of communication, the manifestation of the language itself and a wide range of ideas. Each nationality has its characteristics of communication, which sometimes differ from each other. Understanding the communication culture of the interlocutor dramatically simplifies the building of trusting relationships. One of the most essential features of communication is contextuality because it is necessary to understand how the interlocutor is more comfortable to perceive information. American culture is low in context, so you need to clearly and directly express your thoughts and desires. Also, nonverbal communication is body movements that indicate interlocutors’ inner state and attitude to each other. Also, through non-verbal manifestations, the interlocutor demonstrates his motives, so it is essential to be careful with facial expressions and gestures.