1. Chapter outline Verbal Intercultural Communication
Significance of verbal communication
Language and culture
Language as a reflection of the environment
Language as a reflection of values
The meaning of words
Verbal communication styles
Direct/indirect
Self-enhancement/self-effacement
Elaborate/exacting/
succinct
Personal/contextual
Instrumental/affective
Language diversity
Dialect and sociolect
Pidgin and Lingua Franca
Taboo and euphemism
Jargon
Written communication
Direct plan
Indirect plan

2. LANGUAGE VARIATION 1. Variations according to the language user
Dialects – geographical origin
Sociolects – social status
2. Variations according to the circumstances of communication
Pidgin / Lingua Franca – political status
Taboo / Euphemism – social acceptance
Jargon – technical vocabulary

3. (1) Dialects and Sociolects
A dialect is a form of language peculiar to a group of people, as distinguished from the literary language of the whole people.
Dialects 方言
Geographical variation
National dialects (Am E, Br E, Aus E);
Regional dialects (Irish E, Scottish E);
Local dialects (London; Boston).

4. American E British E elevator chips\fries apartment bathroom semester
pants
elevator
chips\fries
apartment
bathroom
semester
dorm (dormitory)
check
season
to go
give sb a ride
trousers
lift
crisps \ chips
flat
toilet
term
hall (residence hall)
bill
series
take away
give sb a lift

5. particular social class social background communicative situation
eg. Received Pronunciation
communicative situation
sociolects
社会方言
eg. Shut up / Please be quiet
Get out /Please leave the room

6. (2) Pidgin and Lingua Franca
洋泾浜语
A pidgin is a special language variety that mixes or blends languages for restricted purposes.
A Lingua Franca is used for communication purposes between different groups of people, each speaking a different language.
Lingua Franca
通用语

7. (3) Taboo and Euphemism Taboo 禁忌语 Euphemism 委婉语
Taboo refers to prohibition of a set of behaviors that should be avoided because they are often offensive and impolite. Euphemism is its linguistic counterpart because it substitutes the offensive and disturbing vocabulary.
Taboo
禁忌语
Euphemism
委婉语

8. old people ---senior citizen, elderly, adult
poor --- deprived, underprivileged
poor countries--- underdeveloped countries
less developed countries
developing countries

9. cobbler (鞋匠)--- shoe rebuilder
maid（女仆）---domestic help (家政助理）
secretary(秘书)--administrative assistant(行政助理)
garbage man(垃圾工人)--sanitation engineer(清洁工程师)；
washwoman(洗衣女工)--clothing re-fresher(清理衣服者)；
salesman(销售员)--manufacturer's representative(生产商代表)
janitor(看门人)--security officer(安全官员)，maintenance engineer(维护工程师)；
housewife ---domestic engineer (室内工程师）

10. die---go depart
pass away
to see the God
be no more
be gone
go to west
go to glory
to be at peace

11. ill --- in a bad way
cancer --- the big C, long illness
mad--- mental problem
blind ---sightless
deaf--- slow of hearing
fat--- plumy, heavy, strong
ugly---plain
disabled---handicapped, inconvenienced
pregnant--- be in a delicate condition

12. wash one’s hands
go to bathroom, washroom, restroom
to Jane, to John
go to the toilet
answer the nature’s call

13. (4) Jargon
It refers to the special or technical vocabularies developed to meet the special needs of particular professions such as medicine and law.
Jargon 行话

14. Chapter outline Verbal Intercultural Communication
Significance of verbal communication
Language and culture
Language as a reflection of the environment
Language as a reflection of values
The meaning of words
Verbal communication styles
Direct/indirect
Self-enhancement/self-effacement
Elaborate/exacting/
succinct
Personal/contextual
Instrumental/affective
Language diversity
Dialect and sociolect
Pidgin and Lingua Franca
Taboo and euphemism
Jargon
Written communication
Direct plan
Indirect plan

15. Cultural influence on written communication
Direct plan
Indirect plan

16. Direct plan Avoid ambiguity Get the message across clearly Be concise
Short sentences
Subject-verb-object pattern
Active-voice verbs

17. Indirect plan
The indirect plan does not put the main message in the first sentence.
Indirectness is often accompanied by deliberate ambiguity.
Indirectness may also mean digression.

18. Sample letter 1
We request your courtesy in supplying us with 357 cartons of cigarette filters, each carton to contain 22,350 filters! Therefore the total will be 7,978,950 filters, with the same specifications that you have supplied us before, requesting the delivery as soon as possible, using this information in the Iraqi manifest.

19. Sample letter 2
How are you! For a long time we have not had any connection; how’s your business recently? There is something I really ask you to concern yourself with, which is….. …..the international department also knows about this. I looked for him several times and he mentioned payment, but up to now we still have not received payment. Would you please help us speed up this matter?

20. Thank you!