CONVERSATIONAL

Name : Vu Thi Anh

Nguyên Thi Thuy Dương

Trân Thi Xuân

TABLE OF CONTENTSPART A : INTRODUCTION PART B : DEVELOPMENT 1. Definication of conversation distance. 2. Classification of conversation distancdes

2.1 Intimate distance 2.2 Personal distance 2.3 Social distance 2.4 Public distance 3. Factors effecting conversation distances 3.1 High – low contact culture 3.2 Gender 3.3 Relationship 3.4 Age 3.5 Population density 3.6 Intended message

PART C : CONCLUSION

PART A : INTRODUCTION • In life , there are

many types of distance as geography, space and time. Especially, the conversationl distance between people and people. There are intimate distace, personal distance, social distance and public distance.

• Our main purpose is to compare and contrast types of conversational distances in human interactions and the influence of the informants’ parameters on conversational distances in the two cultures in order to clarify similarities and differences in the way the Vietnamese and the American apply conversational distances.

PART B : DEVELOPMENT• 1. Definication of conversation distance. - Conversational distance or personal space is defined

in a variety of ways, especially in different cultures. For Americans, personal space is very important and often results in some of the most offensive actions……

- our own personal space that the concept of " proxemics " becomes important in our lives…

- What is the proper amount of personal space between you and another individual?

- Is it necessary, then, to walk around all day with a ruler and space ourselves appropriately away from the person next to us?

2. Classificationf conversational distances

2.1 Intimate distance Sub-

distanceLength Communicators

Far phase

6 - 18 inches (15 – 46 centimetres)

- Spouses, lovers, parents-children, close friends... showing intimate emotion; or

- Communicators expressing high negative attitude

Close phase

0 - 6 inches (0 - 15 centimetres)

- Spouses, lovers, parents-children, close friends... showing love emotion; or

- Communicators expressing very high defiance attitude which can leads to physical conflict

2.1 Intimate distance

• Intimate distance ranges from body contact to approximately eighteen inches (just less than half a meter)……

2.2 Personal distance

Sub-distance

Length Communicators

Far phase

2.5 - 4 feet (0.77 - 1.23 metres)

- Communication among friends, colleagues; or

- Communicators possibly expressing negative attitude

Close phase

1.5 - 2.5 feet (0.46 - 0.77 metres)

- Communication among close relatives; or

- Communicators expressing negative attitude

• Personal distance ranges from 1.5 to four feet between people…..

• It is not difficult to realize that Vietnamese normally use far phase of personal distance if they are of the opposite sex…

2.3 Social distanceSub-

distanceLength Communicators

Far phase

7 - 12 feet (2.16 - 3.7 metres)

- Communication among strangers

Close phase

4 - 7 feet (1.23 - 2.16 metres)

- Communication among acquaintances

- Social distance (four to 12 feet) is the casual interaction-distance between acquaintances and strangers. It is common in business meetings, classrooms, and impersonal social affairs....

2.4 Public distance.

Sub-distance

Length Communicators

Far phase 15 - 25 feet (4.6 - 7.7 metres) or further

- One person speaks in public

Close phase

12 - 15 feet (3.7 - 4.6 metres)

- Communication among strangers

- Public distance ranges from 12 to 25 feet or more. Its close phase (12 to 15 feet) provides the amount of space generally desired among strangers, while its far phase (15 to 25 feet) is necessary for large audiences…..

3. Factors effecting conversational distances• 3.1 High - low

contact culture• 3.2 Gender• 3.3 Relationship

- Cultural background is one of the most influential factors in nonverbal communication in general and proxemics in particular.

- Researchers have divided cultures into three types: high-contact culture, moderate-contact culture and low-contact culture...

- In terms of gender, distance between people of the same sex is smaller than between those of the opposite sex….

- Another factor in deciding the interpersonal distance is relationship. The more intimate the interactants are, the smaller the physical distance tends to be in communication. This can be seen very clearly in the four distance zones:

• Generally, during childhood, people tend to stand closer to each other.

• When being teenagers and over, we begin to have awareness on social distance and the personal space becomes greater.

• Old age will lead to close distance in communication as human are assumed to receive the subject’s support for being weak.

3.4 Age

3.5 Population density

- The two pictures above illustrate the difference in the use of personal space between men from the city and those from the countryside. City dwellers have their private 18-inch….

3.6 Intended message

Distances between faces

Tones of voice Types of message

Very close (3 - 6 inches)

Soft whisper Top secret or sensual

Close (8 - 12 inches) Audible whisper Very confidential

Neutral Soft voice, low volume

Personal subject matter

Far (4.5 - 5 feet) Full voice Non-personal information

Across the room (8 - 20 feet)

Loud voice Talking to a group

Stretching the limits (20 - 24 feet) indoor and up to 100 feet

Loud hailing voice Departures and arrivals

PART C: CONCLUSION• Culture does not always determine the message of

nonverbal communication….• People are generally comfortable with others who

have "body language" similar to their own….• we choose to emphasize the former or the latter, the

"silent language" is much louder than it first appears….

• Nonverbal aspects of communication vary widely across cultures. American and Vietnamese people have their own ways of interacting verbally and/or nonverbally, and their cultural norms greatly affect their communication styles….