CROSS CULTURAL CONVERSATION

contentCross-Cultural ImplicationsConversation Structures  “Ping-Pong” and “Bowling” Conversation

StylesEthnocentric Judgments

Cross-Cultural Implications Americans may judge members of cultural

groups that value indirectness

-Hesitating-not “getting to the point”- “beating around the bush”-> not being assertive enough

A large percentage of the world’s cultures value indirectness

Americans may need to:- modifying their communication style- Maintaining harmony ( “saving face” – “lose

face” )- not be too direct when :

+ giving criticism+ making requests+ expressing needs and opinions

   The greeting and the opening

The discussion of a topic

The closing

and farewell

Each part of the conversation

Conversation Structures

GREETING

GREETING

DISCUSSION

CLOSING

  “Ping-Pong” “ Bowling” Conversation Styles

“Ping-Pong” Conversation Styles American’s conversation style <=>a Ping-Pong game.

One person has the ball and then hits it to the other side of the table.

What is it like?The other player hits

the ball back and the game continues. If one person

doesn’t return the ball, then the conversation stops.

VIDEO1

if one person doesn’t say enough or ask enough questions to keep the conversation moving, the conversation stops.

North Americans: impatient with culturally different conversation styles

If either person talks too much, the other feel that the other monopolizes the conversation.

VIDEO 2

North American women:-listening politely-without interrupting

More passive in conversation

“ Bowling” Conversation Styles

Japanese’s conversation Styles bowling

each participant waits politely for a turn and speak when the time is right

One’s turn depends on status, age, and the relationship to the other person.

“Video”

Japanese conversation

long silences are tolerated

American conversation

even two or three seconds of silence (uncomfortable) =“pulling teeth”

Be difficult to communicate between people use the ping-pong style of communication and bowling one

To the American, Japanese speaker:

passive and uninterested in the conversation

To the Japanese: the American is

pushy and overly inquisitive, more

passive.

Ethnocentric Judgments Definition: judging another culture by the beliefs in your own

culture. believing your culture is the best.

There may be a gap between the speaker and listener

It is possible that the way they speak reflects a cultural

style

. Your success in developing cross-cultural rapport is directly related

to your ability to understand others’

culturally influenced communication styles

Your ways seem as “mysterious” to others as their ways seem to you

It is often valuable to talk about cultural differences in communication styles before

they result in serious misunderstandings

Mysterious ways

There are some ways to avoid ethnocentric

recognizing differences avoid assumption and do not pre-judge learn about other cultures.