Cross-Cultural Communication in Various Language Learning Contexts Christiane Crosby June 2008 June 2008

Iceberg Model of Culture

Cultures & Communication HIGH CONTEXT People tend to be collectivist People tend to be collectivist Ingroups are strong and people spend a lot of time together Ingroups are strong and people spend a lot of time together More shared experiences and more common understanding More shared experiences and more common understanding Less need to spell things out Less need to spell things out More is implicit More is implicit Words are not always the primary carriers of meaning Words are not always the primary carriers of meaning What is not said may be more important than what is What is not said may be more important than what is LOW CONTEXT People are individualistic People are individualistic Ingroups are not as well developed, people spend less time with ingroups Ingroups are not as well developed, people spend less time with ingroups Fewer shared experiences and less shared understanding Fewer shared experiences and less shared understanding One has to spell things out and be explicit One has to spell things out and be explicit Words are primary carriers of meaning Words are primary carriers of meaning What is said is more important than what is not said What is said is more important than what is not said (C. Storti, 1999)

High Context Cultures Japan Japan Southeast Asia Southeast Asia Africa Africa China China Mexico Mexico Middle East Middle East India India Spain Spain United Kingdom United Kingdom France France Russia Russia German German U.S. U.S. Low Context Cultures (C. Sorti 1999)

Value Orientations (T. Gallagher, 2001)

Value Orientations (T. Gallagher, 2001)

Value Orientations (T. Gallagher, 2001)

He who runs alone will win the race. -American Proverb Better to be a fool with the crowd than wise by oneself. -Mexican proverb Two is better than one; three, better than two, and the group is best of all. -Afghan proverb

Bibliography Gallagher, T. (2001). The Value Orientations Method: A Tool to Help Understand Cultural Differences. Journal of Extension, 31, 6. Retrieved June 3, 2008 from Storti, C. (1999). Figuring Foreigners Out: A Practical Guide. Intercultural Press, Inc. Yarmouth, Maine. pp Neuliep, J. (2006). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. pp Centre for Intercultural Learning. Retrieved June 3, 2008 from cai/magazine/0406/The_Iceberg_Model_of_Culture.pdf Jandt, F. (2004). An Introduction to Intercultural Communication: Identities in a Global Community. Thousand Oaks, Ca: Sage Publications. pp Reynolds, S. & Valentine, D. (2004). Guide to Cross-Cultural Communication. Pearson Education: Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. pp Samovar, L., Porter, R. & McDaniel, E. (2006). Intercultural Communication: A Reader. Thomson Wadsworth: Belmont, CA. pp ,