Q1 When do cross-cultural misunderstandings occur Q1 When do cross-cultural misunderstandings occur? Share your own experiences.

The principal characteristics of individualistic and collectivistic cultures

The United States and Western Europe China, Korea, and Japan Emphasize personal achievement at the expense of group goals Emphasize family and work group goals. A strong sense of competition and susceptible to loneliness A strong fear of rejection. ,

Which of the followings can you observe in the individualistic cultures? Self-reliance Interlocking social relationship Self-expression Competition between groups Independence at a young age Plagiarism Being overly interdependent means ‘weak’ Reciprocal obligation/responsibility Interdependence Critical thinking Personal achievement /satisfaction Respect for authority/ hierarchical roles Group consensus Individual growth Face

Self-reliance Individual growth Personal achievement /satisfaction Self-expression Critical thinking Independence at a young age Plagiarism Being overly interdependent means ‘weak’ Competition between individuals Interlocking social relationship Reciprocal obligation/responsibility Interdependence Competition between groups Respect for authority/ hierarchical roles Group consensus Face

Q2 Do you think language teachers should promote intercultural competence in class?

As cultural mediators, teachers must provide opportunities for students to participate in critical dialogue about conflicts among cultures and to analyze inconsistencies between mainstream cultural realities and those of different cultural systems. This can be achieved through such activities as simulations and role plays.

Q3 What is ‘pragmatics’? What does ‘pragmatic competence’ entail?

The ability to understand another speaker's intended meaning is called pragmatic competence. How the transmission of meaning depends not only on the linguistic knowledge of the speaker and listener, but also on the context of the utterance, knowledge about the status of those involved, the inferred intent of the speaker, and so on.

Q4 Explain ‘high-context communication’ and ‘low- context communication’.

Nonverbal communication Gestures Touch (Haptic communication) Posture Facial expression Eye contact. Paralanguage voice quality, emotion, speaking style, and prosodic features (tone, pitch, rhythm, intonation, and accent)

Functions of Nonverbal Behavior Expressing emotions Reinforcing, complementing, or accenting verbal messages Acting as a substitute for verbal communication Contradicting verbal messages Regulating and managing communicative situations Conveying messages in ritualized forms

Q5 Share your experiences of prejudice/ stereotypes.

A man and his son, both unconscious, were admitted to the local hospital ER (Emergency room). The ER doctor on duty, who was the most qualified to deal with their injuries, looked at them and said that another doctor would have to treat them. Why was this?